German thrash metal pioneers SODOM will release a new EP, “1982”, on November 10 via SPV/Steamhammer
Flashback to spring 1982, Essen, Stauderstraße in the Altenessen district, a small musty rehearsal room in an industrial wasteland area. Three long-haired hopefuls have tuned their instruments and are hard at work, recording their first demo tape at top volume. The track they’re cutting is called “Witching Metal” and turns into bludgeoning thrash metal of the purest variety.
SODOM frontman Thomas “Angelripper” Such said: “Basically, we chose the wrong key, but we then weren’t about musical correctness, we were all about attitude. We were against the establishment, were in trouble with our teachers and training supervisors because, in their opinion, we wore the wrong clothes and listened to the wrong kind of music. At vocational college, I was the only one into metal. All the others listened to New Wave or Neue Deutsche Welle.”
That’s 41 years ago, but the influence of that formative era still affects the present, which is why Tom and SODOM wrote the track “1982”, recalling the band’s first steps both musically and lyrically. Now, “1982”, as well as re-recordings of their early songs “Witching Metal”, “Victims Of The Death”, “Let’s Fight In The Darkness Of Hell” and “Equinox” have been immortalized on vinyl and some on CD for the first time. And as any self-respecting, dynamic band would, they’ve also scheduled a tour in the spirit of that early SODOM phase in 2023 and 2024.
Track listing:
01. 1982 (Remix)
02. Witching Metal
03. Victims Of Death
04. Let’s Fight In The Darkness Of Hell
05. Equinox
In October 2022, SODOM celebrated their 40th anniversary with the release of “40 Years At War – The Greatest Hell Of Sodom,” launched under the Steamhammer/SPV label. This album, encompassing the essence of their journey, showcased a song from each of their preceding studio albums, meticulously re-recorded by SODOM‘s present lineup. The martial-themed cover artwork, skillfully crafted by Eliran Kantor (known for works with KREATOR, TESTAMENT, GWAR, and others), adorned both the CD and vinyl double LP editions, housing a total of 17 freshly recorded tracks. This endeavor was realized by the collaborative efforts of members such as Such, Frank Blackfire (guitar), Yorck Segatz (guitar), and Toni Merkel (drums).
Their previous offering, “Genesis XIX,” surfaced in November 2020, courtesy of Entertainment One (eOne) in North America and Steamhammer/SPV across Europe. The album was meticulously recorded by Siggi Bemm and mastered by Patrick W. Engel, enveloped in the distinctive cover art conceived by Joe Petagno, celebrated for his iconic creations with MOTÖRHEAD.
Angelripper, the visionary force behind SODOM, aptly characterized “Genesis XIX” as an opus that stands as one of their most formidable and eclectic studio accomplishments to date.
