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Primo Victoria Album Cover

Primo Victoria 2005

Disc 1
1.
Primo Victoria
04:11
2.
Reign Of Terror
03:52
3.
Panzer Battalion
05:10
4.
Wolfpack
05:56
5.
Counterstrike
03:48
6.
Stalingrad
05:18
7.
Into The Fire
03:26
8.
Purple Heart
05:08
9.
Metal Machine
04:23
10.
The March To War (Instrumental)
01:22
11.
Shotgun
03:14
12.
Into The Fire (Live in Falun 2008)
04:08
13.
Rise Of Evil (Live in Falun 2008)
08:04
14.
The Beast (Twisted Sister Cover)
03:12
15.
Dead Soldier's Waltz (Instrumental)
01:21
About Primo Victoria

RELEASE DATE: March 4, 2005
RECORD LABEL: Black Lodge Records
PRODUCER: Tommy Tägtgren

 

THE BIRTH OF SABATON

In the pivotal year of 2005, we unleashed our studio album, “Primo Victoria”. For Sabaton, this was a seismic milestone that reverberated through the very fabric of our existence, forever altering the trajectory of our lives.

“Primo Victoria” marked the birth of our musical identity. We had written and composed music prior to it, but never quite like this. It showed the world that we were tackling metal music in an alternative way with alternative methods, armed with a distinct niche: heavy metal infused with fact-based history.

“Primo Victoria” pays tribute to events in military history spanning various conflicts around the world. It features powerful, anthemic music and lyrical content based on real wartime experiences. Upon its release, the album struck a chord with both metal enthusiasts and history buffs, and we are beyond happy that it’s still a firm favourite among Sabaton fans today. We hope that we have created something timeless that will continue to resonate with people for decades to come… 

 

THE TRACK THAT DEFINED OUR STYLE

The title track of this record, “Primo Victoria“, is one of our most recognised songs. Fun fact for you, we wrote this song after watching “Saving Private Ryan”! The lyrics are based on the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy in 1944, and the chorus, with its rallying cry of “Primo Victoria!” (which translates into “First Victory”), is a tribute to the soldiers who fought in this historic battle.

“Primo Victoria” was the first track that brought our musical style to the fore – the arrangement of choirs and instruments in this song were the cornerstone of what is now our sound. It is very much part of our DNA as a band, and we believe it’s what sets us apart from our metal counterparts. Being different is very important to us and we want people to recognise our music through a distinct sound.

The release of this song was an extremely important moment in Sabaton history. This is the first time that we felt we had created something special that hadn’t ever been done before. It turned out better than we could have ever hoped for…

 

THE HISTORY BEHIND THE SONGS

Almost every song on our “Primo Victoria” album delves into a different point in history. We made a commitment to each other at the very beginning of our musical journey to research and honour the stories and legacies of those who lived through these events, and we wanted to do this in the most authentic way possible from the most neutral standpoint. We chose to not take sides or push narratives, but simply tell the facts as they are.

Following our title track is “Reign of Terror”, written about the Gulf War, which began on August 2, 1990. This conflict was fought between a US-led coalition of 35 countries and Iraq, following Iraq’s invasion and annexation of Kuwait. Keeping with the Middle East theme, the next song, “Panzer Battalion”, is about Operation Iraqi Freedom, which was the follow up to the previous Gulf War.

Transitioning to World War 2, “Wolfpack” was written about the Nazi U-boats (submarines) that were patrolling the Atlantic like a pack of wolves, while the next song, “Counterstrike”, tells the story of the Six-Day War between Israel and an Arab alliance of Egypt, Syria and Jordan in 1967.

Propelling listeners back into the World War 2 era, “Stalingrad” was written about one of the largest and bloodiest battles in war history – the Battle of Stalingrad. Following this track, listeners are catapulted into the chaos of the Vietnam War with “Into The Fire”.

Purple Heart” isn’t so much about a battle, but about a US military decoration that was and still is to this day awarded to killed or wounded service personnel in the name of the President.

And to break up the heaviness of these topics, we decided to throw “Metal Machine” into the mix as the final track. This song is a love letter to heavy metal and was written using song titles from well-known songs. Another fun fact for you all: Joakim wrote this song in 25 minutes in the toilet on toilet paper. He had forgotten to write the lyrics for it during the recording sessions and drew inspiration from some metal magazines he happened to find in the toilet. 

 

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

“Primo Victoria” marked a turning point in our career as a band. It was the album that garnered international recognition, and it’s the record we believe earned us a dedicated fan base that we cherish so much today. Two decades after its release, our listeners still hold this album close to their hearts, and we are forever appreciative.

This album is important to us. It not only stands the test of time, it not only tells the stories of days gone by that we feel are important, but it laid the groundwork for what was to follow… If we only knew where this record would take us!

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