Top 5 Sabaton Albums

Well fellow Otaku & Metalheads, it’s the last day of the Summer Of Sabaton.

This was a fun little summer event. Sure, I had taken a break last month to talk about my dearly departed friend Isabelle, but she’s just as badass & metal as these glorious swedes, so I think it’s okay. At the beginning of August, I took a look at the last 2 releases from these guys (Carolus Rex & The Great War), but to conclude things for this event, I wanted to talk about the Sabaton albums that you need to listen to, and to add to your musical library. In my view, these are all essential, but everybody is going to have their own opinion, and I think that’s okay if you ask me. So, without further delay, here are the top 5 Sabaton albums you have to own. Let’s begin.

5) Metalizer (Song)

I might have said this in my review back in June, but I feel kinda bad for Metalizer. Sure, the audio & production quality leave a little to be desired, and it somehow feels older than even Primo Victoria, but there’s just some kind of odd charm to it. Much like Against The Law from Stryper, this record acts as a window into Sabaton’s distant past. Long before the band became known for mixing historical warfare & Power Metal, they came across more like a typical Power Metal band that sang about typical metallic things, and yet it’s still tons of fun to listen to. Thanks to the Metalizer re-release, we have both the original Fist For Fight version, and the updated one released in 2007. While it’s not uber essential, Metalizer shall forever remain a curiosity that pops into my head from time to time.

4) The Great War (Song)

As much as I enjoyed The War To End All Wars from 2022, I gotta admit that the band’s first venture into the history of World War 1 is the one that I enjoy just a little more. Not only did it mark the second time I ever saw the band (Hint Hint), but taking things in a darker direction was surprising to me, but oddly welcome at the same time. From the introduction of tanks, to the tale of Francis Pegahmagabow, and concluding with the tragic poem of Flanders Fields, Sabaton hit surprisingly hard with this release. If anything, it would be a crime to not have put the record on the list, especially since the album turns 5 not that long ago. If you like the band more on the darker side than the serious side, The Great War is for you.

3) Primo Victoria (Song)

It wouldn’t be right not to include the band’s first official release on this list. Though it doesn’t sound or feel as dated as Metalizer, you can definitely tell that it’s almost 20 years old. Even with that fact, it’s still a great starting point for Sabaton, as well as their historically charged Power Metal. From the opening track about the D-Day landing, to the 1st of three Heavy Metal tribute songs, there’s a surprising medley of tunes to get into. Hell, there was even coverage of Operation Desert Storm & Operation Iraqi Freedom, the later of which just under or over by the time that this album came out. With it turning fully 20 in March next year, I can only hope that the boys do something special to celebrate the occasion.

2) Carolus Rex (Song)

Like I said in my review at the beginning of the month, Carolus Rex is my least favorite of the band’s discography. The one step towards seriousness turns me off somewhat, but I cannot deny the incredible levels of quality that Sabaton put into this release, nor can I not ignore it’s legacy. In the 12+ years since it’s release, many of the songs off of the record have been played the world over, and even in America the legacy of one of Sweden’s most iconic kings is well known. As for how it performed in their native country.....quadruple platinum status after being on the Swedish charts for 326 weeks (This is taken from my review, btw). Don’t think I can say anymore than that.

1) The Last Stand (Song)

And here it is. The no. 1 Sabaton Album you should have in your collection. I admit that The Last Stand makes it here because it was the first ever record I ever bought & listened to, so I confess that there’s a bit of a bias here. Even so, it’s hard not to appreciate what the band was going for here: taking a similar page from their prior record Heroes, they tell triumphant tales of some of warfare’s most iconic last stands, and the men that went through them. Regardless of whether they won or not, each song fills you up with positivity & get you moving for quite a while. On top of that, they were touring this album all the way back in 2017, and that was the first time I ever saw them live....so that will always stick with me.

And this was the top 5 Sabaton albums you should listen to. Most of the choices I picked for this list are quite standard listening from the band, but they’re so good & iconic it’s hard to disagree. With that everyone, the Summer Of Sabaton is truly done, and we’re not too far away from the beginning of the Fall season. However, September is not too far away, and with that something special is coming. See you soon!