25 Years Of SABATON: The Making Of Attero Dominatus - "We Never Used Tape Recorders Again..."

February 12, 2024, 10 months ago

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25 Years Of SABATON: The Making Of Attero Dominatus - "We Never Used Tape Recorders Again..."

Internationally acclaimed heavy metallers, Sabaton, are gearing up for an epic celebration as they approach their 25-year milestone in the music industry.

Founded in Falun, Sweden, in 1999, Sabaton's journey has been nothing short of legendary. Their music industry adventures have been fuelled by powerful anthems, 10 studio albums, passionate historical storytelling, and explosive international shows and tours, not to mention out-of-the-box initiatives and projects, all of which wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support of their dedicated fan base across the globe.

To mark this momentous milestone, Sabaton have embarked on a year-long celebration. Fans around the world can look forward to a series of celebratory events and an abundance of surprises.

The band has shared a look back on the making of their second album, Attero Dominatus:

"Attero Dominatus marked the commencement of Sabaton’s second chapter, standing proudly as the sister album to Primo Victoria. As a band, we wholeheartedly recognise its significance, viewing it as equally impactful as our debut. We are aware many of our listeners have a strong, personal connection to it and for that we are beyond humbled and grateful.

Let’s dive into the details. To kick things off, here’s a story about the making of Attero Dominatus. 

When we were about to record this album, we found ourselves in a race against time as we were gearing up for our first ever European tour alongside DragonForce and Edguy – an adventure that left an indelible mark on us. The clock was ticking, and we were under immense pressure. With just three weeks at our disposal, we jumped straight into recording, mixing and mastering the album, surviving on minimal sleep. The culmination? We wrapped up the master tapes a mere 60-minutes before rushing to catch our flight for the tour, while simultaneously patching up Pär after he was assaulted in the studio by someone who wanted to steal all of our gear. It was a huge challenge, pushing our capabilities to the brink and beyond. Yet, amidst the chaos, there was an undeniable thrill. Our determination to craft a successor worthy of “Primo Victoria” drove us to exceed our own expectations.

This experience revealed our untapped potential, transforming into a blessing in disguise. Attero Dominatus emerged as one of Sabaton’s most cherished and revered albums. We believe it holds something distinct, though pinpointing exactly what, remains a delightful mystery.

Attero Dominatus was the very first album that featured our ex-keyboardist and good friend, Daniel Mÿhr. He was beyond excited to start this heavy metal journey with us and enter the studio. Daniel’s experience, however, brought forth an unforeseen hatred for tape recorders.

His parts were to be recorded on an ADAT tape recorder. As the studio sessions were coming to an end, a disheartening revelation surfaced – the tape recorder had malfunctioned. The synth-choir recordings Daniel had meticulously crafted now resembled a flock of sheep on drugs. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to jump back into the studio before the deadline, which was just a couple of days away. The more than capable Joakim stepped in to save the day and recorded all the keys once more, and the only track of Daniel’s that was salvageable was the background synth for 'In The Name Of God'.

Needless to say, we never used tape recorders again…"

Read the complete story here.


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