Unkillable Soldiers - An interview with Sabaton's Chris Rörland

"We hadn't been able to give everything we wanted to give with The Great War... so we said: Let's write another album"

How do you mix a drumkit with a tank? How much barbed wire can you put on stage? Can you play guitar wearing a gas mask? These are some of the questions that Sabaton have faced in recent years, as their shows become bigger and more explosive. Taking cues from the likes of Iron Maiden and Rammstein, they are committed to giving their fans the most entertaining show possible.

Of course, all of this changed with the pandemic, as venues all over the world were forced to close down in an attempt to reduce transmission. This meant that Sabaton, who were just getting started with their WW1-themed tour for The Great War, were forced to cut things short, and shelve a lot of their plans.

This frustration is, in part, what led to the creation of The War to End All Wars, Sabaton's 10th album, and a thematic follow-up to The Great War. As guitarist Christopher Rörland told me, the pandemic made it feel like the album and the tour had simply passed by without any fanfare, and they weren't happy to just leave it like that. They hadn't been able to give the fans the whole experience of The Great War, and so The War to End All Wars was born to fill that need. That and, of course, the fact that there are just so many stories of bravery, heroism, and tragedy from WW1, that the topic continues to be a very fertile ground for the band.

Of course, The War to End All Wars wasn't the only thing Chris and I discussed. From their unexpected headlining spot at Hellfest 2019, replacing Manowar with less than 24-hours notice, to how to care for your hair, Chris and I went through a lot.

Check out our conversation below.

Also, don't forget to check my previous interviews with Sabaton: