Live review: Sabaton and Amaranthe Invade Perth Australia 2025
2nd of September 2025, Metro City, Perth Western Australia
Review by Sheldon Ang
Photography by Sheldon Ang Photography
By 19:00 hours local time, the Perth army had established an offensive line extending 200 metres spanning three urban streets, as they marched towards the battlefield. Dressed in mainly black, men with long frocks and women in shorter versions were ready for battle alongside two of the biggest symphonic metal bands in modern times. The merchandise line was equally impressive, snaking across the venue as the army of fans was getting ready to arm themselves in one of metal’s greatest nights.
Perth – the first city that was about to be invaded, became a sonic warzone for the first time in 25 years – with Sabaton leading the charge. With the crowd roaring like a battalion of possessed souls, Metro City transformed into the Western Front. The Swedish power metal titans didn’t just play songs – they reenacted history, turning tales of valor and sacrifice into thunderous anthems. From the first blast of “Ghost Division” to the final salute, Sabaton were not just musicians—they’re metal historians with a mission.
Like most wars, there are allies on each side. The anticipation was equally palpable with the “opening act” – the inverted commas are used because they are equally ferocious on the war front.
Well into their second decade of redefining metal’s boundaries, Gothenburg’s Amaranthe continue to be one of the most genre-fluid and palatable acts in the scene. Across seven studio albums, the Swedish delight fused symphonic metal with pop, EDM, and balladry- creating a sound that’s as infectious as it is explosive. As Floor Jansen of Nightwish once told this writer during an interview about symphonic metal, “We aren’t about angry men with long hair screaming bullshit”. Similarly with Amaranthe, they’re a controlled, melodic unit with theatrical flair and emotional depth that can be seen in the countenance of three vocalists, arguably led by the powerhouse soprano Elize Ryd, flanked by clean vocalist Nils Molin and the ferocious growler Mikael Sehlin, whose guttural delivery adds a visceral edge to the band’s polished soundscape.
“When you have three colours in the palette instead of one, you can paint anything. It’s one of the most fun projects to write for.” Elize told Sheldon Ang Media during an interview in 2024.
At 20:00 hours, Amaranthe launched into “Fearless” and “Viral” from their 2020 Manifest album, instantly transforming Metro City into a sonic heaven. With the “Sabaton” backdrop, the performance surged through like a shockwave – each track a rhythmic strike, each chorus a cathartic release of orgasmic reverberation.
The band’s movement on stage was fluid- occasionally darting from side to side like hounds on the back of a ute (a classic Aussie visual). Their hair-propelling theatrics were like on a set of a shampoo ad, all synchronised like the four propellers of a Hercules that was about to take off. The incited crowd roared louder than the jet engines of a 747, and take-offs there were plenty. We can only hope they have great neck massagers and chiropractors.
Elize’s operatic high notes soared above the mix, her G note in the crescendo echoing like a metal rendition of Phantom of the Opera, inducing the crowd into vocal shenanigans before unleashing another wave of cheers.
Mikael Sehlin’s growls were demonic – raw, addictive, and perfectly counterbalanced by Nils Molin’s smooth vocal lines. Together, the trio revved through like the smooth piston engine of a V12 but with the growl of a Bentley, backed by Morten Løwe Sørensen’s thunderous drumming, Olof Mörck’s razor-sharp guitar work, and Johan Andreassen’s rock-solid basslines.
Despite Elize’s alluring presence, the spotlight was shared equally. No egos, just a unified front of vocal and instrumental brilliance.
The pace shifted with “Amaranthine,” a touch of vulnerability that stripped away the sonic barrage to reveal Elize’s emotive depth. Squatting on her own, she delivered a performance that felt like a scene from a Disney musical in the middle of the Norwegian forest at dusk.
The words “Like a dream, you’re my amaranthine” lingered in the air, percolating the emotion that commenced in a solo linger, then shattered by the two male singers.
To this writer, the moment was a perfect chapter of appreciating the vocals of Elize Ryd without the sonic clutter. Her haunting vocals went through a roller coaster of emotions thanks to the undulation of the clean and growling vocals. The duality between the two spectrums was beautifully balanced between strength and vulnerability.
The track was the only punctuation of the night as Amaranthe continued with Call Out My Name and Archeangel at the encore, as they slowly said goodbye to the fans. The battle was half won.
“Are you ready for Sabaton?”
Sabaton is a Swedish power metal band known for turning history into thunderous, theatrical music. Formed in 1999 in Falun, Sweden, they’ve built a global reputation by crafting epic songs about real-life wars, battles, and heroic figures – think of World War I trenches, WWII resistance fighters, and medieval campaigns, all set to blazing riffs and booming choruses.
The second half battle commenced at 21:30 hours. One by one, the Swedish special forces charged onto the stage. The drummer sat on his stool, like an infantryman entering his tank. Lights from above shone, and there he was, lifting his drumstick like a warrior who had won the war. But it was just the dawn of Western Front – the first frontier in a city that’s known for its metal predilections.
With the first attack, “Ghost Division”, “The Last Stand” and “Red Baron” kept the momentum surging, with frontman and apex warrior Joakim Brodén leading the charge like a seasoned general of the Roman Empire. He wore his signature camo pants and armored style vest draped over his well-built physique. His gravel-toned vocals and commanding presence was menacing, while the band’s precision playing gave each song the weight of a cinematic score.
Across the venue, punches were thrown in perfect synchrony, but not the kind that we see in the neighbouring Northbridge streets on a Saturday night. Rather, they are in harmonious unity, like a scene of the opening ceremony of the Seoul and Beijing Olympics to the drums canonically pummeled by Hannes Van Dahl.
Yeah, yeah, yeah as the voices of redemption echoed across.
The setlist tore through the night, with the likes of “Bismark” hit early, followed by “Soldiers of Heaven”, offering a moment of reflection, in tribute to the Alpine troops in WW1 .
By the second half, more offensive songs were called upon through the likes of “Attack of the Dead Man” and “Carolous Rex” had fans chanting in Swedish, followed by “Stormtroopers” and “Christmas Truce”, with the latter offering some kind of equanimity. Swedish flags were getting relayed between the balcony and the floor. More synchronised punches followed. 100kg men were surfing and thrown overboard.
Throughout the night, guitarist Chris Rörland and Tommy Johansson were trading solos like dueling commanders, as if taking time out of war to chastise the enemy. The ups and downs of the guitar heads were swung like a sword fight, sometimes the stage lights criss-crossing as they were part of the battle from a visual sense.
As the war was close to being over, the five consolidated their strategy in a summary through the dramatic “The Art of War” which fused Sun Tzu’s ancient Chinese wisdom into the battlefield, followed by a tribute to ANZAC that induced the true sense of Australian patriotism in “Cliffs of Gallipoli” as Joakim carried one of the fans’ flags in solidarity.
The metal assault stretched into overtime by thirty minutes. By 23:30, peace was declared.
Sabaton and Amaranthe are on tour across Australia. Tickets are available from Destroy All Lines
Fans’ Corner
By Jessie Ellis
Sabaton took to the stage for the first time in Perth last night and did not disappoint!
Their dedication to historical accounts of war in their music is second to none. What set these story tellers apart, is not the glorification of war but the preservation of the lessons learned throughout history through bloodshed and battle. Every verse a different perspective that transcends continents, ideologies and cultures. Every chorus a call to remember the fallen and to reflect on the heavy price humanity has paid throughout antiquity.
25 years since Sabaton’s last visit down under, their timing a much-needed arrival in the wake of divisive protests on our national stage. These Swedish historians sang from the heart and in doing so, set the tone for unity and a reminder that those who would forget the past are doomed to repeat it. Absolute powerhouse of a performance, looking forward to seeing them again in the future.
By Katrina White
It was my first time seeing Amaranthe and Sabaton live. Both bands were amazing! Was blown away to see strong crowd participation here in Perth (especially on a Monday night!) I was excited to finally get to see the three talented lead singers of Amaranthe work their magic = Elize and Nils with their strong, clean vocals and Mikael’s harsh/growled vocal style. Their music is unique and uplifting. Really enjoyed Sabatons powerful guitar riffs and dynamic drumming! Joakim’s onstage antics and humor had us cracking up
By Donna Macdonald
I would’ve gone just for Amaranthe, never thought it would be coupled with a band that has been on my bucket list for years. The powerhouses of Elize & Nils make it worth it on its own. It was great to see their growler out with them this year. The songs are catchy, upbeat & fun, especially Drop Dead Cynical, which is my favourite.
A
Setlist – Amaranthe
Intro / Fearless – from Manifest (2020)
Viral – from Manifest (2020)
Digital World – from Massive Addictive (2014)
Damnation Flame – from The Catalyst (2024)
Strong – from Manifest (2020)
Maximize – from Maximalism (2016)
PvP – from PvP (Single, 2021 – featured in esports events)
The Catalyst – from The Catalyst (2024)
Re-Vision – from The Catalyst (2024)
Amaranthine – from Amaranthe (2011)
The Nexus – from The Nexus (2013)
Call Out My Name – from Massive Addictive (2014)
Archangel – from Manifest (2020)
Setlist – Sabaton
Ghost Division – from The Art of War (2008)
The Last Stand – from The Last Stand (2016)
Red Baron – from The Great War (2019)
Fields of Verdun – from The Great War (2019)
82nd All the Way – from The Great War (2019)
Resist and Bite – from Heroes (2014)
Order of War – from Weapons of the Modern Age EP (2022)
Soldiers of Heaven – from The War to End All Wars (2022)
Dreadnought – from The War to End All Wars (2022)
Attack of the Dead Men – from The Great War (2019)
Carolus Rex – from Carolus Rex (2012)
Stormtroopers – from The War to End All Wars (2022)
Christmas Truce – from The War to End All Wars (2022)
Night Witches – from Heroes (2014)
The Art of War – from The Art of War (2008)
Cliffs of Gallipoli – from The Art of War (2008)
Swedish Pagans – bonus track on The Last Stand (2016)
To Hell and Back – from Heroes (2014)
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Dallas Does PR, Destroy All Lines, Amaranthe and Sabaton for the media accreditation
About the writer/photographer: The founder of Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) has been accredited to more than 200 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), Coldplay (Perth), Backstreet Boys, KISS, Iron Maiden, RHCP, P!NK etc with reviews shared by the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Roxette, Tina Arena, UB40, Delta Goodrem and Tina Arena on social media. He has interviewed rockers Suzi Quatro (pictured below), Ace Frehley (KISS), John Steel (The Animals), Frank Ferrer (Guns N Roses), Phil X (Bon Jovi), Andrew Farris (INXS) and of course Tommy Buoy of Yachtley Crew plus over 70 artists. He’s also a contributor on Triple M Radio as a music journalist.
