Sabaton unleash a new Templars version with Pop Evil frontman Leigh Kakaty
Sabaton have revisited Templars with a new guest vocal from Pop Evil frontman Leigh Kakaty, following the pair’s onstage performance of the track at Louisville’s Louder Than Life festival.
The new version of Templars, originally released in 2025 as the opening statement from Sabaton’s eleventh album Legends, is out now via Better Noise Music. Kakaty joined the Swedish metal band during their Louder Than Life set, bringing his voice to the song’s rallying refrain before the collaboration arrived on streaming services.
Sabaton vocalist Joakim Brodén said the rework grew from the band’s forthcoming North American run with Pop Evil.
“Templars was a hit with our fans when we dropped it last year to introduce our 11th studio album, Legends,” Brodén said. “This year, we wanted to do something a little different with it, and teaming up with our North American tourmates, Pop Evil, just made perfect sense.
“Having a fantastic vocalist put his own stamp on the track adds a whole new layer and gives the song a fresh energy that we’re really excited for everyone to hear. It’s also a great way to get everyone fired up for our upcoming tour in North America.”
Sabaton bassist Pär Sundström added that the collaboration offered the band a chance to hear one of their newer tracks from a different angle.
“We’ve always enjoyed finding new ways to revisit our music, and Templars felt like the perfect song to experiment with,” he said. “Leigh’s take on the track brings a different attitude. It’s exciting to see one of our songs evolve like this.”
A festival debut before the North American run
Kakaty said the track’s focus on history and conviction drew him towards the project. “When Sabaton approached me about contributing to Templars, I was immediately intrigued,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated the band’s ability to bring history to life and this song stood to that power.
“The track gave us the opportunity to explore loyalty, purpose, and the challenges that come with standing by what you believe in. Collaborating on a song with such strong storytelling was a real privilege.”
Stream Templars featuring Pop Evil here, or watch the video here.
UK arenas feature in The Legendary Tour Part 2
Pop Evil and Wings of Steel will support Sabaton on the band’s North American Legends On Tour dates, which begin in Halifax, Nova Scotia on 23 September and conclude in Fort Lauderdale on 12 December.
In April and May 2027, Sabaton will bring The Legendary Tour Part 2 to the UK and Europe alongside The Legendary Orchestra. The itinerary includes arena shows in Glasgow and Birmingham, following the group’s previous sold-out dates at London’s O2 Arena and Manchester’s Co-op Live. More information is available via Sabaton’s official website.
- 7 April 2027 – Dublin, 3Arena, Ireland
- 9 April 2027 – Glasgow, The OVO Hydro, UK
- 10 April 2027 – Birmingham, bp Pulse LIVE, UK
- 12 April 2027 – Nantes, Zenith Metropole, France
- 13 April 2027 – Toulouse, Zenith Metropole, France
- 15 April 2027 – Lisbon, MEO Arena, Portugal
- 19 April 2027 – Milan, Unipol Forum, Italy
- 20 April 2027 – Geneva, Arene de Genève, Switzerland
- 22 April 2027 – Nuremberg, PSD Bank Arena, Germany
- 23 April 2027 – Düsseldorf, PSD Bank Dome, Germany
- 24 April 2027 – Rotterdam, Ahoy, Netherlands
- 26 April 2027 – Mannheim, SAP Arena, Germany
- 27 April 2027 – Leipzig, Quarterback Immobilien Arena, Germany
- 28 April 2027 – Hamburg, Barclays Arena, Germany
- 30 April 2027 – Graz, Stadthalle, Austria
- 1 May 2027 – Budapest, MVM Dome, Hungary
- 2 May 2027 – Prague, O2 Arena, Czech Republic
- 4 May 2027 – Bratislava, Tipos Arena, Slovakia
- 5 May 2027 – Łódź, Atlas Arena, Poland
- 7 May 2027 – Tallinn, Unibet Arena, Estonia
- 8 May 2027 – Helsinki, Veikkaus Arena, Finland
