Former Sabaton guitarist Thobbe Englund has rejoined the band, replacing Tommy Johansson, whose departure was announced last month. “Words can’t express how ready and how excited I am to jump back into Sabaton,” Englund told us. Englund left the band in 2016 to focus on his personal life and expand his creativity.
“Who? Thobbe fucking Englund, that’s who,” screamed Hannes Van Dahl. “The man is back! I’m happy to once again share the stage with one of my best friends! Welcome back, brother.”
“This is a full circle moment for Sabaton,” Pär Sundström said, “and we are beyond excited to have Thobbe rejoin the band. He’s a talented guitarist, songwriter and the kind guy who we have a lot of fun with. We didn’t even need to hold auditions with other guitar players. All that was needed was to spend New Year’s Eve together to know that the time was right for Thobbe’s return.”
Chris Rörland is happy. “I’m beyond excited,” he said, “and happy for the return of the king. We’ve had so many good times together, both on stage and off stage. It’s gonna be great to share the stage again. Welcome back and welcome home, my brother! Love ya!”
Joakim Brodén said that the decision was a no-brainer for both the band and the guitarist. “He knows the drill and is the perfect fit,” Joakim said. “This is a great outcome, and we think everyone is going to be psyched about the news! The time is right. Welcome back, brother.”
“It feels like I was on a short holiday,” Thobbe said. “The time is right, love is in the air, and the best is yet to come!”
Sabaton are currently preparing for a 19-show US tour with Heavy Metal legends Judas Priest, which kicks off on 18 April in Wallingford, Connecticut and wraps up on 22 May in Syracuse, New York. They are also currently in the studio working on their 11th studio album.
