SODOM

The Arsonist

The legendary Sodom continue to find new ways to bring German thrash metal to the masses. With this being album number seventeen, Tom and his cohorts go completely old school, recording on analogue tape. This means no studio tricks or digital overdubs—just a straight shot to the jugular across thirteen tracks of thrash goodness.

The album, entitled The Arsonist, is stripped down to the bone, providing fans with raw aggression and anger-fueled intensity. Many of the tracks feature those familiar bombastic riffs and fiery hooks we’ve come to love on a Sodom record. Guitarist Frank Blackfire continues to bring inspired lead work, along with second guitarist Yorck Segatz contributing to the thrash template. You can hear the duo erupt on a track like ‘Battle Of The Harvest Moon’, laying down blistering riff after blistering riff. Vocalist/bassist Tom Angelripper sounds positively rabid on this one, spitting venom with every word. Even the next track, ‘Trigger Discipline’, rips hard and fast and follows the thrash template to perfection. I love how they pay homage to fallen comrade Chris Witchhunter on a track that celebrates the drummer’s maniacal skills pounding those skins. The sing-along chorus really gives you the feels, and you can hear how much he was loved within the lyrics. Tom’s writing never disappoints, as he continues to write songs about war and human-propelled violence; however, this song comes across as a touching tribute.

The main riff on ‘Scavenger’ is an infectious earworm, while ‘Gun Without Groom’ is a relentless thrasher that will hit you square in the face. Both tracks detail aspects of humanity gone awry in the annals of cause and effect, over war-themed lyrics. ‘Taphephobia’ is one hell of a toe-tapper and comes replete with lyrics about the phobia of being buried alive. ‘Sane Insanity’ does its best Slayer impression with burly, throat-punched vocals in Tom Araya fashion and supplies intense riffs to the proceedings. It’s one of the better tracks on this release, and they follow it up with ‘A.W.T.F.’, which is said to be a homage to Tank vocalist Algy Ward. Again, the track is a spirited, greasy-fueled romp that no doubt continues the war-themed trend of the album. With lyrics like “escorted by a snorting tank” and “roaring guns start fighting back,” it’s clear that this evokes the chaotic struggle of warfare. The remaining tracks, ‘Twilight Void’ and ‘Obliteration Of The Aeons’, are solid thrash stompers, but the final track, ‘Return To God In Parts’, is a raw and visceral war-themed piece that heavily criticizes the brutal dehumanization of combat. The song perfectly encapsulates the essence of Sodom’s brand of thrash madness, providing a satisfying closure to the album.

Overall, The Arsonist sounds great, especially considering the analogue recording. There’s a renewed spirit of honoring the old-school sound, and the lean rawness of the songs is truly where it’s at. Lyrically, Tom Angelripper continues his affinity for exploring the devastating effects of war and how it impacts our lives. He never gets overly political, and his condemnation of warfare fits this band like a well-worn glove. It never gets old—and I thank the man for it. Sodom rule, and that’s all you really need to know at the end of the day.