SABATON Frontman JOAKIM BRODÉN Talks About Difficulty Putting Setlist Together

The Age Of Metal recently conducted an interview with vocalist Joakim Brodén of Swedish metallers SABATON. You can now watch the chat below.

Asked if it's difficult putting a setlist together with a discography of seven studio albums, Joakim said: "Actually, especially when supporting, like now [on the current North American tour with NIGHTWISH], we've got 50 minutes — which is very generous, because most bands only 45 in the second slot, but NIGHTWISH were very kind enough to give us 50 — it is possible, but it is so hard, because you know people are gonna be disappointed. At least when you're headlining, you're gonna play 15 songs — between 15 and 18 — and you spread them out between the albums. On [this last] European headline tour, we actually had a minimum of one song from every album. Obviously, 'Heroes' had four of five [songs in the setlist], so pretty much half 'Heroes'… I mean, it does get harder and harder. But we noticed that if something disappears in the setlist for a year or two, it doesn't really get brought back up."

SABATON released a special, three-disc limited-edition deluxe version of its 2014 album, "Heroes", in the U.S. and Canada on April 7 via Nuclear Blast.

Limited to 5,000 copies, this deluxe edition includes two discs of live audio recorded on the 2014 Sabaton Cruise in addition to the original ten "Heroes" album tracks.

"Heroes" was certified gold in the group's home country for sales in excess of 20,000 copies.

Note: The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in Sweden has revised the sales requirements for albums to reach gold status in the country twice in the last seven years — from the pre-2002 level of 40,000 to the current 20,000.

"Heroes" sold around 3,100 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 99 on The Billboard 200 chart.

Released on May 16, 2014 via Nuclear Blast Records, the "Heroes" cover artwork was created by Péter Sallai. A number of bonus tracks were made available, including cover versions of songs originally written and recorded by METALLICA, BATTLE BEAST and RAUBTIER.

"Heroes" was tracked at The Abyss, the recording studio in Pärlby outside Ludvika, Sweden owned and operated by record producer and musician Peter Tägtgren (HYPOCRISY, PAIN).