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Metalizer Album Cover

Metalizer 2007

Disc 1
1.
Hellrider
03:42
2.
Thundergods
03:47
3.
Metalizer
04:06
4.
Shadows
03:28
5.
Burn Your Crosses
05:09
6.
7734
03:41
7.
Endless Nights
04:52
8.
Hail To The King
03:39
9.
Thunderstorm
03:08
10.
Speeder
03:45
11.
Masters Of The World
04:01
12.
Jawbreaker
03:23
13.
Dream Destroyer
03:12
14.
Panzer Battalion (Demo Version)
05:01
15.
Hellrider (Live In Västerås 2006)
04:25
Disc 2
1.
Introduction
00:50
2.
Hellrider
03:48
3.
Endless Nights
04:49
4.
Metalizer
04:25
5.
Burn Your Crosses
05:09
6.
The Hammer Has Fallen
05:50
7.
Hail To The King
04:08
8.
Shadows
03:33
9.
Thunderstorm
03:08
10.
Masters Of The World
04:00
11.
Guten Nacht (Instrumental)
01:53
12.
Birds Of War
04:52
About Metalizer

RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2007
RECORD LABEL: Black Lodge Records
PRODUCER: Tommy Tägtgren

 

The disrupted debut

The obvious contrast between our third studio album, “Metalizer”, and our initial two studio albums is indisputable. So, we’re here to tell you the story behind this…

When we began our heavy metal journey, “Metalizer” was originally intended to be our very first studio album back in 2002. The record was crafted way before we made our thematic shift towards historical narratives. It featured a collection of songs that delved into more traditional metal themes with titles such as “Hellrider”, “Thundergods” and “Hail To The King” setting the tone. Many of the album’s tracks were re-recorded and plucked from “Fist For Fight”, our self-released debut. However, just as we were ready to unleash our vision upon the world, our collaboration with an Italian label took an unexpected turn, leaving us in limbo for years until a resolution was reached years after in 2007. But we’ll get into more detail about that later…


A dream come true

Even though this album is on a completely different wavelength to the rest of our discography, we still very much respect it. This was set in a time when we began the search for our distinctive sound and a place within the metal scene.

Listening to “Metalizer” takes us on a nostalgic journey back to our humble beginnings. We were just a bunch of young metalheads who were on a mission to craft our first album. We were actually living out our dream, and boy, what a feeling that was! The only drawback of this album experience was the lengthy wait of five years before its release, during which we had solidified our musical identity and carved out our niche in the industry.

Imagine this scenario: you record an album in 2002, but it doesn’t see the light of day until 2007. It’s an unusual situation, and, of course, so much can happen and change in five years. As musicians, this was a peculiar situation to find ourselves in. Following the release of “Attero Dominatus,” this album resurfaced, featuring songs we had barely heard in half a decade. The music, the production, even the lyrical themes felt disconnected from where Sabaton was at the time. Yet, diving back into this old gem proved to be an immensely gratifying experience – especially when performing the songs live on tour.


Our studio experience in 2002

The recording journey of our “Metalizer” album was undeniably enjoyable, albeit not without its challenges. Although we had recorded demos at The Abyss before, such as “Fist For Fight”, this was a relatively new experience for us. As we stepped into the recording booth, we were meticulous in our pursuit of perfection, obsessively fine-tuning every aspect to ensure tightness and pitch precision. We spared no effort in trying to achieve the best result we possibly could. 

This album was a huge learning curve of experiences for us. We tested things, improvised, and scrutinised every note. In hindsight, we realised that we were probably overthinking things and torturing ourselves. Nevertheless, it was a valuable learning experience that shaped our approach to future recordings.

We overcame our musical insecurities and the recording process transformed into something we will never forget. This was the first time we were making a real album. It was an incredible creative process that really allowed us to get to know each other as musicians. It also brought to light our own strengths and weaknesses. 

While we were fully aware this album wouldn’t change the world, it was a massive step for Sabaton. It helped us understand the song writing process and played a pivotal role in shaping us into the musicians we have become today.

 

The celebration

After wrapping up all the recordings for “Metalizer,” there remained only one essential task: a celebration of epic proportions. Our producer, Tommy Tägtgren, dubbed himself a homemade wine expert, and he certainly lived up to the claim. It not only turned out to be delicious but also potent as hell.

The first few hours of the post-recording celebration were absolutely fantastic – filled with laughter and camaraderie. Little did we know that this wine (all 20-litres of it) would wreak absolute havoc and completely destroy us! By the third hour of the party, our drummer at the time, Daniel Mullback, was hugging the toilet and spent the night throwing up. Be wary of homemade alcohol, metalheads. Proceed with caution!

 

Why the record was delayed

Anyway, returning to the challenges we faced with our Italian record label… When we wrapped up the recording of “Metalizer”, for some reason the label kept postponing its release. This was incredibly frustrating for us. Imagine spending your time, energy, creativity, and of course, money, on something that’s just not seeing the light of day! When we questioned their motive for these delays, they just kept giving excuses as to why the album couldn’t be released at this point.

We were angry. We were disappointed. We were in complete disbelief. But this was entirely out of our control as the master tapes were in the record label’s hands. To be frank, the whole of 2002 was a pretty miserable time for Sabaton and so was the year to follow. We did play some shows in our home region, but we were waiting… and waiting. It got to the point where we decided to stop “hoping” and came to a decision: if “Metalizer” doesn’t come out, we’ll simply make a new record. 

Fast-forward to 2007, Black Lodge Records finally bought the rights and the issue was resolved. Two records later, we finally managed to unleash “Metalizer” on March 16, 2007, making it our third official studio album release.

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