The making of "1916" - Exclusive behind the scenes documentary

A lot of blood, sweat, tears and emotion went into the making of our latest music video for “1916”. We wanted to depict this heart-wrenching point in history in the best way possible and pay our respects to those who were sent to fight in the deadly Battle of the Somme. We were very lucky to work with a talented team of people who made our vision a reality, and we are beyond happy with the result. We want to say a massive “thank you” to everyone involved in the making of this video. All the hard work truly paid off.
Watch the "1916" Music Video here: • SABATON - 1916 (Offici...
➞ EXCLUSIVE MERCHANDISE: store.sabaton.net/product-tag...
➞ SUBSCRIBE for more Sabaton: sabat.one/KZbin
Listen to Stories From The Western Front: music.sabaton.net/StoriesFrom...
Sabaton discography: music.sabaton.net/discography
► Spotify: This is Sabaton: open.spotify.com/playlist/37i...
► Apple Music: Sabaton Essentials: geo.music.apple.com/us/playli...
======== Follow SABATON ==========
WEB: www.sabaton.net
• Facebook: / sabaton
• Twitter: / sabaton
• Instagram: / sabatonofficial
• TikTok: / sabatonofficial
• KZbin: / sabaton
• VK: sabatonclub
• Spotify: open.spotify.com/artist/3o2dn...
• Apple Music: geo.music.apple.com/us/playli...
• Amazon Music: music.amazon.com/artists/B001...
• Deezer: deezer.page.link/s7XZs4Jm8hVF...
• SoundCloud: / sabatonofficial
Sabaton History KZbin: / sabatonhistory
======== Merchandise ========
STORE: store.sabaton.net
• Facebook: / sabatonmerchandise
• Instagram: / sabatonstore
==================================
Sabaton is a registered and protected trademark.

[@DoctorMagicUK]

Hi all. I'm the 'punk guy' in the video and just want to say a few things about it. As history geeks we often read about soldiers, but spending a few days with the cast of soldiers here was an incredible heart wrenching experience. The filming was over three days. The first two was all the cast, hanging about and really getting to know each other. The third day was the trench warfare shoots, with just the soldiers going off to film that. We filmed in the civvy street scenes and with lots of fun and comradery. Lots of laughter, lots of bonding (and lots of marching). VideoInk’s production was incredible in getting us all to gel together. We got to know the soldiers, their humour, mannerisms and who they were. We got to know their real lives and interests. And just how young some of them were, like Private Sidney Lewis. They were kids, just boys. With hopes, dreams and ambitions. At the end of day two, we said goodbye to them and wished them the best... Day three was them going off to ‘war.’ and they were just damned kids. So many gave their lives. So many had their lives taken from them. And they were just kids.

[@derekm9806]

Lucky!

[@lionfromthenorth4580]

You all did an awesome job to make this music video a masterpiece!🤘😃

[@JohnyAngelo]

Good job yo

[@paulgould4915]

Some things go beyond... Thank you to all of you for this masterpiece. Its important I think because, even all the years later, the ripples from these battles are still felt by families worldwide. Thanks for your part Syd.

[@Nepal405]

Thank you so much for doing this

[@torrin2117]

"Can I shoot the Gun again?!" Those are the words of a true Browning machinegunner.

[@jonathanboyce1674]

My Great Grandad Henry Boyce fought at the Somme, Vimy and Passchendale. He never talked about it to my family and I never got to meet him. 2 decades after the war My Grandad George Boyce went to WW2 when his Dad found out he enlisted at 17 he cried uncontolably. Grandad said it was the only time he ever saw his father cry. My great Grandad died from heath issues from Mustard Gas three decades after the war. It's too late to get any more stories from WW1 vets. If you have any WW2 or other war vets in your family/go to a legion perhaps. Talk to them keep their memories alive. Learn from History and Metal on!

[@elvwood]

Thank you for sharing. I think many of the stories we could do with hearing are never told because they have been so traumatic. My dad and his brothers were in the British army in WW2, but they had very different experiences. My dad only went into Europe after D-Day, and came back with a Belgian wife; he was involved with equipment maintenance and troop entertainment, and was quite happy to talk about it all. One of his brothers fought in the Pacific theatre, never spoke about what happened, and even as a child I could see how visibly distressed he was whenever the subject of the war came up. I will never know what happened to him. My mother was a nurse and would tell "funny" stories of her experiences, which were often quite chilling (for instance, how some wounded German soldiers they looked after were terrified whenever any of the medical staff came near because they'd been told that they would be experimented on if captured; or how one nurse lost it during a bombing raid and ran and hid, shivering - between some oxygen canisters and a glass-fronted cabinet full of surgical implements, which was about the worst possible place if a bomb were to go off nearby). Even so she didn't say everything - it wasn't until she was in the early stages of dementia that she forgot herself enough to let slip that it was a bomb that had cost her her hearing in one ear. My mother's aunt lost her husband in WW1 and then her only son in WW2. As I've said in other videos, my wife's grandfather was one of those who lied about his age in WW1 - he was only _14_ when he went to the Front! He got out alive, thanks to some amazing luck: he was wounded and taken to a field hospital, and his own father was there at the same time. He swore a lot when he saw his son, then wrote to his wife back home explaining the situation. She in turn sent evidence of their boy's age to the War Office and they pulled him out. After he came home he never spoke to anyone in the family about his experiences, another piece of history that wasn't passed down, though we have some of the letters. Let's share the stories we do have. All the best from South Yorkshire.

[@johannobel1691]

Since I'm Dutch, I don't think any of my great-grandparents fought in WW1. But I know that my grandfather fought in the Dutch army in May ´40. One of the few officers who refused to tear of his officer-markings on his uniform in his POW-camp, and where his fellow officers were treated as harsh as the regular grunts, he got all honors an officer should recieve (the old Prussian ways were still quite strong in the early parts of the war). He told this story only ones, a few years before he died. In the same story, he also told how he was in Rotterdam during the terrorbombardment of the city, and decided there was nowhere save and there was nothing he could do to improve his chances to survive it. So he just laid down where he stood as the bombs exploded all around him, and the closest bombs landed soms 50 meters on either side of him (most likely dropped from the same plane, since he said it was a line coming perfectly down the street he was in). I was too young and not yet interested enough in military history as I am now, though I doubt I would've gotten more out of him. By that time he was in his 80's, and had survived not only 2 wives, but was also recovering from a 2nd TIA (the 3rd a few years later would prove fatal).

[@johnafirth]

My great-grandfather was at the Somme. Shot and gassed, but lived til I believe the late 60s/early 1970s.

[@andrewbradimore]

I have nobody in my family that fought in WW1 but my Grandpa Fought in The Korean War i never met him cause he passed away a year before i was born my dad said my grandpa was a Canadian Armed Forces Paratrooper that went behind NK lines to Sabotage Enemy Factories he was wounded in battle but survived the war

[@loafersheffield]

@@andrewbradimore Dad's dad survived, that war. Not The Somme tho. Another battle, place, time. Covenant With Death. John Harris. Good book.

[@howardbaxter2514]

Everyone did an amazing job on this incredible music video

[@PowerRangerfan]

Truer words cannot be spoken about this music video.

[@LarryFleetwood8675]

Save for the terrible grading.

[@CosmosJack]

From Lemmy's autobiography: "I wrote the words [to '1916'] before I wrote the music. It's about the Battle of the Somme in World War I . . . it happened that I was in England, watching a programme about World War I and I had a brainstorm when they got to the Battle of the Somme. Nineteen thousand Englishmen were killed before noon, a whole generation destroyed, in *three hours* -- think about that! It was just terrible -- there were three or four towns in northern Lancashire and south Yorkshire where that whole generation of men were completely wiped out. And those towns are still suffering from it because they were never able to build their population up again. Places like Accrington, in Lancashire, were fucking destroyed. They brought five old guys back to the battlefield in this TV special. One guy, who was about ninety, said 'They told us to walk, not run, and we walked across and all the lads around me laid down. I thought there might have been an order from the rear that I hadn't heard. And then I realized they were all dead.' It's a case of the English killing more Englishmen than the Germans. Hindenberg, who later became president of Germany, said, 'They were lions lead by donkeys.' So I wrote a song about it. But I do have a lot of ambivalence about that tune. This kid wrote to me and said he played it for his grandfather, who was there, and the old man cried all the way through it. That's a very great compliment, but I'm not sure I like the guy feeling that bad for my gratification. It's an amazing thing to have happen, though, to reach back over all those years and touch somebody like that." -Lemmy Kilmister (with Janiss Garza) White Line Fever 2002

[@suntiger745]

I think the decision to include soldiers from different wars/eras was a very good one. With Motörhead's original, the song is very stripped down, vulnerable and haunting, and it fits very well as the perspective of one soldier at the Somme. With Sabaton doing a more bombastic style with their tribute, the song is... more. So even as the lyrics stay the same, the theme expands. Like listening to the original and then going: Yes. And this is every war. And then showing that. In addition that gives the opportunity to shine a light on some other historical figures both well known and less well known, as well as referencing several previous Sabaton songs. Mixing in the metal-heads (and punks and rockers) could have been jarring, but somehow it mixes really well. It feels fitting, like the fans both love the music, but also help keep the memories alive.

[@michaelgmillhollin2818]

The actual music video is amazing. As far as this "behind the scenes" video is concerned, I have to say it is one of the very best I've ever viewed. The reason I say that is, there is very little "band" in the forefront or "band" doing all of the talking. Nope...this behind the scenes video is actual those behind the scenes....we're seeing and hearing a bit of their perspective, their emotions, their experiences surrounding their roles in making this video, from the directors, actors, extras, all the crew, etc. I've seen a lot of behind the scenes videos where, like I mentioned, its all "the band"....well I see "the band" in the actual video and I get a deeper appreciation for it by just watching those whose endeavors created the end result.

[@joshualeodorfman]

Wow! That’s awesome to read, thank you so much. I really wanted to keep the style in the same tone of respect as the music video. Have a good day Michael. (I made this film 🤓)

[@yosefzanerva806]

One of the men who fought in the Somme was a certain J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and many other novels. My his memory never fade from our hearts and minds.

[@miafranlund6982]

Big shoutout to all who participated in the making of the video. You all did an amazing job!

[@Kim.Chaos.Possible]

What an incredible experience for everyone involved. It's an enormous production, with so many moving parts, and yet it feels much more intimate than any of your other videos. And I am absolutely in awe of everyone keeping a secret this huge. Even with the most ironclad NDAs something always gets spoiled. Good on ya everyone for keeping your mouths shut and letting us experience it the way it was meant to be. All hail the Black Country. 🖤🤘🏻

[@HereticalKitsune]

So many great and colorful actors who often get overlooked. Such a huge production!

[@stefanmoller9381]

Yes, this song grabs you when you hear it and so does the music video. Young men go to war and nobody can change it. Sabaton knows her craft and we are grateful for that.❤

[@leeleedivinelight]

Once again pleasure taking part me and my fiancé loved every minute of it means the world to have been able to work with yourselves and mötorhead and to be apart of it and the meaning of the video was amazing to honour my relatives who did this for real, thank you for letting us take part you guys rock🤘

[@tutnichtnotig1297]

Bad ass song. Bad ass cover. Bad ass video. Thx from germany.

[@furicd446]

Votre commentaire l'est effectivement 👎.

[@midsommars]

Both thrilled and startled to see my place of work and my colleagues in a Sabaton video! So glad this was so much enjoyed by everyone it came out amazing ♡

[@Sabaton]

It's been our privilege 😉

[@actionman9451]

Lemmy and all those soldiers and other divisions past and present would be proud and honoured that you have kept their stories alive. Thank you Sabaton and everyone involved in the making of this music video for honouring their legacy.

[@clashof6d192]

am i the only one who recognized the song at the very end? i watched this for the 5th time now and finally realized what it is: "an immortal soldier soldier finds his home. proven under fire. over trench and wire, he's unbreakable" - the unkillable soldier some parts are missing yes but its another part of the song

[@tanin5]

The music video was so heartwrenching and also heartwarming but seeing how it was all made... wow... So many different people coming together to make such an epic video... Thank you, all of you. And thank you Sabaton for making a tribute for both Motörhead and all the soldiers throughout of history who gave their lives for their people.

[@calebwhymark1789]

Thank you for this video. Tbh the biggest thing for me is to see that Joakim was actually singing during the makings. How much of it was used in the final recording who knows but it’s great to know they’ve kept with the ‘no bullshit, everything as real as possible’ feel that sabaton gives off. Enjoyed watching this just as much as the actual music video

[@AlexHoro69]

What can I say? This is great! Powerful and global. Sabaton is the best and forever in my heart ❤️

[@zaadworks]

Sabaton deserves the best, this is a masterpiece

[@jonno55]

The video it self is heartwrenching. Seeing how it's made, jeez, all participants deserve a medal.

[@JimmyOlsson]

From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all involved in this incredible project! And thank you Sabaton for spoiling us not only with an absolutely epic music video once again but also this fantastic behind the scenes documentary! You truly are on another level! 🤟😎❤️

[@joshualeodorfman]

Wow thanks Jimmy! Glad you enjoyed seeing how it was all made. (I made this film)

[@JimmyOlsson]

@@joshualeodorfman It was such a pleasure!

[@ninjaturtle574]

Blessed to have had this happen in my City, Hope it didn't disappoint & come back to the UK soon can't wait to see y'all live again. Made me Think of my Grandad, whose Army helmet I still have in my possession

[@Northman-from-the-North]

Good job everyone involved, you really did a great music video about some serious topic. Sabaton 🤘❤🇸🇪

[@sunny_yes_its_me]

👍 WOW, this is sooo impressive. So many different people work so nice and hard together for a great result. Thank you for sharing this with us and taking us back in history. Never thought it would have been so much work. Just can say it, as at the end of this video: it is really spectacular 🔥 perfect 👍❤

[@sonoftheempire5015]

It's so beautiful to see the effort from everyone that poured into this project and the result is fantastic. You can really feel their passion when you watch the video and it's such a great way to pay tribute in my eyes

[@ralphbranham8663]

EVERY video of yours , I hear , see , and read , I ALWAYS give a thumbs-up . I am Great Grandson , Grandson , and Son of Veterans . I am also a Veteran as well as one of my Brothers .

[@Littlefaewitch]

I must say I couldn’t help but shed a few tears while watching this powerful music video. Truly amazingly done. Kudos to everyone who was involved in making it. ❤

[@taika.melissa2798]

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this!

[@crazyhercules9442]

Literally exactly what I’ve been waiting for. Thank you so much, Sabaton. And thank you for all you do.

[@furicd446]

Merci pour votre vidéo. Un très très grand respect à sabaton 1916 et toutes les autres sont magnifiques. Ils nous permettent de continuer de ce souvenir et d'honorer tous ces hommes. ❤🤘🇨🇵🇸🇪. Sans eux beaucoup d'histoires tomberaient dans l'oubli.

[@RobloxVipen]

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG

[@ErikWidlund]

Watched the music video more then 20 times. And you made me cry. Beautiful !

[@gabrielacocosh]

I was waiting for this! Love it! Thank you for all of your hard work! ❤🤘 Still can't watch the video without crying..

[@thomasjeavons1003]

I live next to the black Country living museum. So happy to see it.

[@joshualeodorfman]

The aim was to make you feel as if you were there each-day with these awesome creatives from all parts of the world. To see how much love and time went into the 1916 music video✌🏻

[@Michelleyatesmuha]

Your editing work is amazing, as always dude 🤍

[@joshualeodorfman]

@@Michelleyatesmuha Thank you matey. Shoutout to Michelle - one of the BEST Makeup-Artist in the game and it clearly shows in this production!

[@roonekoos6146]

If you have a group of really dedicated people together, Sabaton and actors who really care, you get an amazing end product ❤️❤️❤️

[@Tassilago]

What a treat! Amazing to see so much good people working together. Really heartwarming. And just as much of a tribute to the fallen soldiers as the finished video. Excellent work. Thank you to everyone.

[@gunrunner7224]

May the stories be told and never forgotten. Hope to see you guys live again when your back in Philadelphia for another tour.

[@NataschaS195]

Great and interesting documentary. Thanks a lot for sharing this with us. ❤ And thanks for making these phenomenal great music videos 😁

[@jregns]

Spectacular video! Thanks to all involved! ❤

[@gabiwinter1870]

Congratulations👍 very nice work!! great video Sabaton, you guys are awesome!!👍❤️

[@emilybieniek2052]

This is such an amazing video. It always makes my eyes misty. Thanks

[@moreaumary8748]

Thank you thank you thank you for this clip which brings together all the different fans (disabled, shy, badly assuming their taste for metal...) You are the best and we humbly thank you

[@mikehall5815]

What an awesome video! It was truly amazing!👏👏👏👏

[@Neoentrophy]

Amazing work, a real masterpiece

[@troyanderson7826]

So happy for all the Artists with Sabaton

[@AgostosSossos]

This looks absolutely amazing. It's a behind the scenes for god sake, why does it have to be this good?!

[@joshualeodorfman]

Hahaha that was mint to read thank you! (I made this)

[@konwalia283]

Jest to niesamowite zobaczyć od kuchni jak jest tworzona historia przez najlepszy zespół Sabaton..Pozdrawiam z Polski 🇵🇱🇵🇱🇵🇱

[@Kubz0n]

Ale na chuj po Polsku piszesz?

[@konwalia283]

@@Kubz0n na ch*j to się w wodzie stoi ,jestem Polakiem to i po Polsku pisze masz jakiś z tym problem ? To nie czytaj !

[@Kubz0n]

​@@konwalia283 Wyświetlił mi się ten komentarz kurwa jako pierwszy i to wkurwia jak widzisz Polski kurwa język pod Angielskojęzycznym filmem

[@nightmaredogepl463]

@@Kubz0n ale ty masz problemy xD

[@Kubz0n]

@@nightmaredogepl463 Czy my zamierzamy robić tu kurwa debatę polityczną w komentarzach?

[@veroniquegoethals1982]

WOW masterpiece of video and music !!! !!!

[@vlinder6329]

Incredible respect for this amazing Video... So many people and all the work to make this FILM a success.

[@SyverReborn]

The video was well and truly worth the effort, bloody powerful stuff

[@human_collector0]

I think these past 3 years I cried the most about the people we lost.

[@lorriredmon8212]

This is such a moving video and the telling of the number of dead is literally breathtaking! Thank you for this education.

[@annewatkins1434]

This was outstanding. Thank you so much. My grandfather was in WW1 and was affected by mustard gas. Most of my uncles were in WW2 and some came home with horrible injuries. And my older brother was a Marine in the Vietnam war. He died from Agent Orange related health issues. I'm very proud of them all

[@GoldenWachin]

Great video, Sabaton! I'm looking forward to the next amazing story

[@carls8286]

Simply awesome work and result!

[@cmendla]

Fantastic documentary. I love the actual music video and this added layers of perspective to that

[@PetterVessel]

You guys did it perfectly. Class!

[@williampower99]

Motorhead fan for 40 years and I know Lemmy would love this cover

[@SkipSpotter]

What a treat to watch. That was bloody marvellous, and very powerful & moving. Cheers guys.

[@nikhum322]

Very, very well done, and the end result is much more then "just" a music video. The insanity of this and many other battles must be remembered and learned from, but the persons that need to learn never do.....

[@Quadraxis]

See you all tomorrow in Oslo for the live show!! Can't wait to hear you guys live for the first time!!

[@icyfox8558]

Fascinating. Keep up the great work

[@HaterJone99]

You guys were amazing last night in Oslo, not that I didn’t expect that from you as you guys are my favorite band! ❤

[@georget.571]

Truly Great work, phenomenal tribute to all of them. Keep working, because this is it.

[@jben6]

Thank you for this and for indirectly making history (parts of it, at least) easier to teach. Music is such a powerful tool.

[@Sabaton]

It definitely is! We're more than happy to help, thank you for counting on us 😎

[@007Marke]

A sad story, bur necessary to be told and remembered... a wonderful tribute to Lemmy and Motörhead, and another masterpiece in your list, gentlemen! It was a wonderful experience to hear this life in Hamburg, giving me goosebumps.. THANK YOU, and please go on for many, many years to come! Love and greetings from Germany.

[@eslimeyer5621]

Absolutely love this!!!!, I'm getting chill typing this hahah. Thank you sabaton.

[@lionfromthenorth4580]

And what a masterpiece this music video turned out to be!!🤘😃 Kudos to everyone involved!♥️

[@ericmats4662]

they made an awsome video thou, good job to everyone involved

[@WorldWarFanatic1123]

Hi Sabaton! I am a huge fan of your band! Your songs are absolutely fire!! Keep up the good work❤❤❤

[@McCullogh]

I loved the music video, one of the best I have ever seen and with Lemmys amazing lyrics it made me so emotional. And to see all the hardworking people (actors, make up artists, caterers, sound engineers etc.) doing their professions so excellent to give us these things to enjoy is not something I really think about normally when watching a great video. Thanks Sabaton and Video Ink for this lovely insight behind the scenes and that we get to meet some of the unsung heroes. 😍

[@yueheras2951]

Amazing team the band the crew, every one to make this possible

[@andrejsasd8904]

It is amazing to see behind the scenes videos and see "how the sausage is made". :)

[@Albin5fdp]

I will see you guys live in 3 hours!!!🤘

[@jabo6733]

You got the correct people as they all did such a wonderful job.

[@GhastlyGhostrider]

An absolutly amazing production! The finished video goes above and beyond! An emotional heavy-hitter! Awesome work from every single one of you! Also Im extremly jealous of the Metal Army that could join in! I would LOVE to be i a Sabaton video! Thank you SABATON! And Motörhead! And everybody else that made this epic masterpiece!

[@mariemetal4ever]

Wow! Watching this was a great way to spend my Saturday night. I got goose bumps watching the scenes in No mans land. Really interesting and it was wonderful to see how engaged everyone was in making the spirit of the song come alive. Thank you Sabaton ❤🤘🇸🇪

[@CarinaLenita]

This was really interesting to see, thank's for showing us. 😁🤘🤘🤘

[@nilshult5115]

Wonderfull work from all parts.

[@ed5310]

The job done by everyone was fantastic!❤

[@josepsamarrafarre]

Congratulations for everyone involved, even those who were out from the final cut. Splendid job to be enjoyed by fans around the world now and in the future because this is an important video that has been filmed for future generations. My only regret is that Indy didn't make a cameo in this masterpiece...

[@Tormentium]

Fantastic song. As always.

[@alexamerling79]

Such a beautiful rendition

[@arielbro2024]

Amazing work!

[@Magnumaniac]

Utterly brilliant video, for a brilliant song. The subject matter treated with the respect it deserves. Really nice to see the Black Country Living Museum featured - my late father volunteered there for many years, and it is still very familiar to me. As for the framed photo of Lemmy being carried through the streets - well that just finished me off!

[@annawinn2549]

Amazing 👏

[@Mrjobe_]

Awesome!!

[@Igorilianu]

banger song, props to sabaton for making all the time great music vids in actual places, like this one and the seven pillars of wisdow

[@erikcyprich5422]

Amazing ♥️👏👏👏

[@chrisfinoc6236]

Adore this band! Love this song! Can't wait to see y'all at the Fillmore in Maryland again!

[@jenniferparker5189]

I love how they finished out this video to an instrumental version of "The Unkillable Soldier".

[@swetlanakuhn9668]

😍 😍 😍 😍 😍 Sabaton ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ I love you so much 😍

[@andreasgaming9765]

Nice :) I love this song great job guys

[@debbiescott7657]

I loved the song, I cried the first time I heard it

[@kevinsturges6957]

All those beautiful people working together. ❤

[@that1swede164]

My friend Troy introduced me to you guys, you can thank him for another fan for life!

[@Sabaton]

Definitely 😎 That's what true friends do

[@TenkoBerry]

This is great.👍