Like a well-oiled war machine, Sabaton stormed the stage of the Bell Centre with their trademark fervour. Sabaton are legends in their own right, but tonight they were opening for one of the foremost pioneers of metal: Judas Priest.
I must admit, Sabaton is one of my favourite metal bands of all time, and I was thrilled to see them again.
They began their set in traditional fashion with the classic “Ghost Division,” followed by one of my personal favourites, “The Last Stand.”
As always, Joakim, the lead singer, was his charismatic self. He introduced the band with a touch of humour, declaring that they were not the camouflage-clad Village People but Vikings from the land of ABBA and IKEA. Following this amusing introduction, they launched into another anthem, “Swedish Pagans,” with the crowd enthusiastically chanting along to the infectious chorus.
This was followed by “Red Baron” and “Bismarck,” before ramping up the tempo with “Stormtroopers” and its blisteringly fast guitar intro.
Sabaton then delivered a Swedish military history lesson with “Carolus Rex” in their native tongue. While I would have preferred the English version, as a super fan, it was still exciting to hear it live in Swedish.
As tradition dictates, the next song, “Resist and Bite,” saw Joakim join the band with a guitar, only to discover his bandmates had pranked him with a pink Hello Kitty guitar. The entire band, crew, and audience shared a laugh, making for a cute and endearing moment. Sabaton always seem to be living the dream and enjoying their performance. After a quick warm-up with a Judas Priest riff (and the Hello Kitty guitar sounding fantastic), they delivered a stellar rendition of “Resist and Bite,” much to the crowd’s delight.
Next was “The Attack of the Dead Men,” where the band took the stage dressed as tactical chemical weapons soldiers, filling the arena with smoke. Although it’s not one of my favourite tracks from the album, I always enjoy the theatricality of it live.
As the show approached its climax, they launched into “Primo Victoria.” I always love this track live, as they play it slightly faster than the studio version, adding great intensity. This was followed by “Soldier of Heaven” and, as always to introduce the last song, the glorious whistle for “To Hell and Back,” which sent the crowd into a frenzy.
I never miss a Sabaton show—they are one of my favourite metal bands. They exude such positive energy and are always a blast to see live. Any band that features a giant tank on stage is cool in my book.
After an intro of “War Pigs” and a giant banner with the message of “Invincible Shield,” Judas Priest’s nineteenth album, the curtain rose as the band launched into “Panic Attack,” a single from the new album. The band sounded fantastic, and this track boasts great riffs and a superbly anthemic chorus. Rob Halford, clad in a shiny metal trench coat that gleamed under the lights, added to his mystique as the metal god.
Without missing a beat, they delved into one of their greatest hits, “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’,” which ignited the crowd into a frenzy of singing along.
This was followed by a blistering rendition of “Rapid Fire” from British Steel. My jaw dropped as Halford hit those high notes with incredible precision. Despite being 73 years old, the metal god remains one of the greatest vocalists of all time.
Continuing with material from British Steel, they launched into the metal classic “Breaking the Law.” The crowd cheered and sang along enthusiastically, joining in with the iconic “Oh-oh-oh” to the main riff. Having listened to this track for over 30 years, I never tire of hearing it. Next was “Riding on the Wind,” and once again, Halford’s voice sounded exceptional on this challenging track from Screaming for Vengeance.
A delightful surprise was “Love Bites,” a deep cut accompanied by visuals from Nosferatu. It was a cool and unexpected concept.
I was also thrilled with the next track, “Devil’s Child,” one of my favourite Judas Priest songs. Like many others, I sang along to every word.
“Saints in Hell” followed, with the stage bathed in red lights, creating an ominous and eerie atmosphere.
Richie Faulkner’s ripping solo led into “Crown of Horns,” a new song that blends seamlessly with the classics. Having heard it a few times before, I gained a new appreciation for it, especially with another blazing solo to close it out.
They continued with classic material, including “Sinner” and “Turbo Lover,” with a background graphic of pistons and gears. The crowd sang along to this classic 80s metal anthem.
Halford then took a moment to sit and share that he has been coming to Montreal since the 70s, reflecting on over 50 years of Priest and thanking the crowd for their support. It was magical to see everyone united in their love for metal, with fans ranging from as young as 10 to veterans who have supported Judas Priest for 50 years. This set the stage perfectly for “Invisible Shield,” a track from their new album about how metal unites us all. Although I hadn’t heard the song before, it sounded like a classic Priest track with the signature great dual guitar work.
As the lights focused on the dual guitars for the intro to “Victim of Changes,” Halford delivered a powerful finish, sustaining a high note with a spotlight on him.
A brief vocal exercise from Halford followed while the band took a moment, then they returned to perform “Green Manalishi,” one of my favourite Priest tracks. The arena was bathed in a green glow, and they delivered a fantastic performance.
The drummer then informed us they wanted to start the tour here and asked the crowd what we wanted to hear. When the crowd shouted “Painkiller,” the response was electric, with background graphics featuring old footage of Tipton’s solos.
During the encore break, chants of “Priest! Priest! Priest!” filled the air as “The Hellion” played on the PA. Giant surveillance-type lights emerged from the Judas Priest logo above the stage, and the crowd went wild for this classic.
As “Electric Eye” concluded, Halford went backstage, and the roar of a motorcycle signalled the arrival of “Hell Bent for Leather.” Halford rode a Harley on stage, filling the room with smoke as he performed the song on the bike.
Although it wasn’t midnight yet, the show closed with the anthemic “Living After Midnight.” The crowd sang along and clapped their hands, bringing the concert to a rock-and-roll finish.
I love Judas Priest and have been listening to them for so long. They always deliver an outstanding performance, and Halford remains the metal god. The show was a blast, with a varied setlist featuring some of their greatest hits, deep cuts for super fans, and standout tracks from their newest album, Invincible Shield. The performance definitely left me eager to explore their latest release even further.
Review – Jason Maher
Photos – Ryan Rumpel
