“Smoking Snakes” from Sabaton’s current release, Heroes, deals with three Brazilian soldiers who got separated from their group in Italy in WW2. But they didn’t surrender and fought against the German forces, which had lots more of soldiers than the Brazilians, until the bitter end.

Most of us have heard the expression “when pigs fly” but in a different part of the world another popular saying was that “It’s more likely for a snake to smoke a pipe than for the Brazilian expeditionary force to go to the front and fight” in the same context. However, one day in 1944 the snake did smoke and over 25.000 Brazilians left to join WW2. This is the story about three of them who fought so bravely against a much larger opposing force. Located in the mountains and heavily defended by the Germans as a last bastion to block the advance of allied troops in the direction of the Po Valley, on 14 April 1945, Montese became the stage for the most arduous and bloody battle of Brazilian troops in Italy.

Three Brazilian soldiers on patrol were attacked by German forces. Outnumbered, the patrol was ordered to surrender. The three men took cover and opened fire on the enemy until running out of ammunition. Not satisfied, they proceeded to pitch their bayonets and advanced against the Germans and consequently were fired upon and shot dead.

Now, Brazilian Military thanks the Swedish heavy metal band by playing the track with the military orchestra of the 14th infantry brigade, based in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, on the National Military Day of Brazil.

Sabaton bass player Pär Sundström states: “This is one of those moments we are happy that we sing about history and not fiction. It’s absolutely fantastic to see that our music being performed like this!“

Sabaton recently launched their very own radio station in cooperation with Radio Bandit Sweden.

Sabaton states: “Its something we worked on for quite a while, and we feel really proud of it. It is a digital radio station which mainly will play Sabaton songs, but also bands who have played or will play at our festival Sabaton Open Air - Rockstad: Falun can be heard there, which ensures that the mix will be just great. Here you can hear your favourite Sabaton songs 24/7, and also hear us talk about the songs in a way you never heard before. Both historical and fun facts combined with unknown stories from our tours. We talk Swedish, but you can listen from anywhere in the world.”

Tune in at this location.

Known for the boundless energy of their soul-soaring live performances saturated with fist-pumping anthems that celebrate the triumph of the human spirit, Sabaton return to the western hemisphere next month as direct support to Finland-based symphonic metal storytellers Nightwish. Openers are Dutch symphonic metallers Delain.

Sabaton have also announced a new and very special kind of festival. So, there is the Sabaton Open Air/Rockstad:Falun festival in the band's hometown Falun, the Sabaton Cruise on the Baltic Sea and now there is also Sabaton Open Air/Noch ein Bier Fest in Germany.

For a long time, Sabaton have had the plans for doing a special and totally unique event in Germany and that will become reality now. In July they will organize Sabaton Open Air/Noch Ein Bier Fest, a headline concert where people will surely get a unique show. For this concert they have chosen the stunning Amphitheatre in Gelsenkirchen (famous from Rock Hard Festival) and as support on this show Sabaton will bring some bands they know that their fans have requested: their old touring colleagues in Powerwolf and Korpiklaani as well as their former bandmates Civil War.

 

 

Bassist Pär Sundström comments: “In 2008 we organized ‘One more beer party’ in Essen in Germany as a release party for Art Of War. Since then the idea has existed of doing something similar. Now, seven years later, all pieces have fallen into position and we are ready. There will be a lot of ‘Noch ein Bier’ that night!”

Find Sabaton's live itinerary at this location.