#1 Global Power Metal Band and one of Sweden’s most successful bands SABATON—Joakim Brodén (vocals), Pär Sundström (bass), Chris Rörland (guitar), Thobbe Englund (guitar), Hannes Van Dahl (drums)—have released their second single and cinematic video, “Hordes Of Khan,” from their 11th studio album out now via Better Noise Music.
Album cover for Sabaton’s single ‘Hordes of Khan’, featuring the band’s logo and intricate, ornate designs that evoke a historical theme.
“The story behind our new single ‘Hordes Of Khan’ was a great one to take a deep dive into,” says singer Joakim Brodén. “The song actually turned out to have way more depth than we expected. Genghis Khan wasn’t just a conqueror; he was a complex figure who left behind a huge legacy. He built the largest contiguous empire in history, stretching far beyond Mongolia, and his influence only grew after his death. Honestly, we couldn’t have picked a more suitable subject for the new direction SABATON is heading in! ‘Hordes of Khan’ hits hard, and it’s heavy for good reason. We know our fans crave heavy music, and we’re pumped to see how they react to this one. Hopefully, it’s a track they’ll be blasting on repeat!”
As bassist Pär Sundström explains, “Joakim wanted to write a proper heavy metal song, and as we’ve seen from past releases, a lot of our fans appreciate pure fucking heavy metal! That’s what ‘Hordes Of Khan’ is, and when you listen to it and close your eyes, you can imagine Genghis Khan on his horse, galloping to battle. Joakim composed the music and I actually wrote the lyrics for this one. When I started to work on them, I realized the melody was pretty complicated. Honestly, they were some of the most difficult lyrics that I’ve ever written. All in all, I’m very happy with the result, especially as Joakim has said that parts of the lyrics are some of SABATON’s best to date.”
The music video for “Hordes of Khan” is set in the year 2045. It was filmed in London at two different locations, the Natural History Museum and Harrow School, and follows the main character–a young girl–who plays in a heavy metal band and loves SABATON, but she won’t ever have the opportunity to see the band play because in 2039, all wars have miraculously ended. The world is now peaceful, and war is obsolete and therefore, so is SABATON. The girl hears about a museum that’s featuring a SABATON exhibit with all of the band members’ musical instruments. The girl and her band sneak into this museum to check it out. Once inside, they are greeted by a hologram telling the story about the musical instruments of SABATON that contain magic that brings history to life. The kids take no notice, pick up the instruments and begin to play.
Once the music begins, a ferocious Genghis Khan comes to life along with five other legendary soldiers played by the band members. Their mission is to stop Genghis before he escapes the museum to take over the world.
“When reflecting on all of the music videos we’ve ever created,” says Pär Sundström, “our ‘Hordes of Khan’ music video was the most exciting in a lot of ways, even though ‘Christmas Truce’ is a much more emotional topic and story. I think this one specifically contains much more depth and action, and in combination with the locations and the actors, I’m confident that it will resonate with everyone!”
The children acting in the music video had their work cut out for them. They didn’t just want it to look like they were playing the instruments, they actually wanted the kids to really play the instruments and perform the song correctly. They thought it was going to be super challenging, but in this case they all learned the song by heart and performed it. “We were really proud of them all! What people see in the video is playback, but all of them know their parts and they can play ‘Hordes Of Khan’ for real,” Sundström continues. “We loved seeing that happen! Our ex-drummer Daniel Mullback’s son played the drums and acted in this music video as well, and he absolutely nailed it. Another amazing drummer in the making!”
SABATON have always had a signature focus on writing songs about historical battles, wars, and acts of heroism that have solidified their impact with their loyal and longtime fans. SABATON have accumulated more than three billion streams across all streaming platforms and almost two billion views on YouTube.
SABATON 2025 Tour Dates
Mon 9/1 – Perth, AU – Metro City
Wed 9/3 – Adelaide, AU – Hindley Street Music Hall
Fri 9/5 – Melbourne, AU – Margaret Court Arena
Sat 9/6 – Sydney, AU – Hordern Pavillion
Sun 9/7 – Brisbane, AU – Fortitude Music Hall
Tue 9/9 – Auckland, NZ – Powerstation
Wed 9/10 – Auckland, NZ – Powerstation
Mon 10/6 – Istanbul, TR – Zorlu Performing Arts Center
Wed 10/8 – Chișinău, MD – Chișinău Arena
Fri 10/10 – Almaty, KZ – Baluan Sholak Arena
Fri 11/14 – Cologne, DE – Lanxess Arena
Sat 11/15 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes Benz Arena
Sun 11/16 – Ostrava, CZ – Ostravar Arena
Tue 11/18 – Zurich, CH – Hallenstadion
Thu 11/20 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
Fri 11/21 – Vienna, AT – Stadthalle
Sat 11/22 – Krakow, PL – Tauron Arena
Mon 11/24 – Stuttgart, DE – Schleyerhalle
Tue 11/25 – Frankfurt, DE – Festhalle
Wed 11/26 – Esch Sur Alzette, LU – Rockhal
Fri 11/28 – Paris, FR – Accor Arena
Sat 11/29 – Lyon, FR – LDLC Arena
Mon 12/1 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
Tue 12/2 – Antwerp, BE – Sportpaleis
Thu 12/4 – London, UK – The O2 Arena
Fri 12/5 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Sat 12/6 – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Mon 12/8 – Hannover, DE – ZAG Arena
Tue 12/9 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
Thu 12/11 – Oslo, NO – Unity Arena
Fri 12/12 – Gothenburg, SE – Scandinavium
Sat 12/13 – Stockholm, SE – 3Arena
