Sodom - 2 Originals Of Sodom (Persecution Mania + In The Sign Of Evil / Obsessed By Cruelty) [2000]

 

 German four-piece speed/thrash metal band, regarded as very influential to the modern black metal scene.

Sodom's original line-up consisted of Tom Angelripper, Bloody Monster and Aggressor. The band was initially formed by Tom as a desperate attempt to get out of having to work in coal mines in his home town of Gelsenkirchen. Taking inspiration from bands such as Motörhead, Tank, Venom and Accept, they released two demos which led to a record deal with Steamhammer (none of which were recorded with Bloody Monster, who was replaced by Chris Witchunter). Aggressor left the band shortly before releasing the In the Sign of Evil EP (generally regarded as an important early black metal release), and was replaced by Grave Violator, who did not last long himself, and left following the recording of "In The Sign Of Evil". A replacement was found in the form of Michael "Destructor" Wulf. They then went and recorded Obsessed by Cruelty, their full length debut. It featured music that was mostly in the same vein of In The Sign of Evil. Wulf did not last long himself, and later went and joined Kreator (this relationship would not last long either, and the man would later die in 1993 after a tragic motorcycle accident).

For the most part, the band was not taken seriously at first, as various press sources stated them as nothing more than "a second rate Venom clone with semi inventive lyrics". One member would change that. This member was Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik, who came in to fill the empty guitar spot Wulf left behind thrash metal. Frank had convinced Tom that thrash metal was moving beyond the realms of the horror/occult/satanic themes of bands like Venom, and that themes such as politics, society, and war were being embraced. Tom was already very interested in various wars, yet viewed them as stupid and outright dumb. This new inspiration culminated into Frank's full length debut with the band, Persecution Mania. The new lyrical approach and increased musicianship on the part of Frank gave the band great praise (as well as a mascot Knarrenheinz, who appeared for the first time on Persecution Mania's cover), and they soon embarked on a tour of Europe with the Swiss thrash metal outfit Coroner. After touring for the better part of 1987 and 1988, the band returned to the studio to make another album. The final product was titled Agent Orange, and it sold 100,000 copies in Germany alone. This made Sodom famous, giving them world wide critical acclaim, and securing their place alongside Kreator and Destruction as one of the great three teutonic thrash metal bands. To this date, Agent Orange has sold more than any other German thrash metal album all over the world. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 -Tracklist:

 Persecution Mania
1-1. Nuclear Winter    5:23
1-2. Electrocution    3:14
1-3. Iron Fist (Motörhead cover)  2:42
1-4. Persecution Mania    3:38
1-5. Enchanted Land    3:59
1-6. Procession To Golgatha    2:01
1-7. Christ Passion    6:11
1-8. Conjuration    3:42
1-9. Bombenhagel    5:08
1-10. Outbreak Of Evil    3:32
1-11. Sodomy And Lust    5:13
1-12. Conqueror    3:29
1-13. My Atonement    6:04

In The Sign Of Evil
2-1. Intro    0:14
2-2. Outbreak Of Evil    4:34
2-3. Sepulchral Voice    4:31
2-4. Blasphemer    3:05
2-5. Witching Metal    3:13
2-6. Intro    0:38
2-7. Burst Command Til War    2:43
2-8. Outro    0:15

Obsessed By Cruelty
2-9. Intro    1:53
2-10. Deathlike Silence    5:06
2-11. Brandish The Sceptre    2:56
2-12. Proselytism Real    3:31
2-13. Equinox    3:32
2-14. Volcanic Slut    3:21
2-15. Obsessed By Cruelty    5:47
2-16. Fall Of Majesty Town    4:01
2-17. Nuctemeron    3:00
2-18. Pretenders To The Throne    2:39
2-19. Witchhammer    2:02

 

-Lineup: 

Persecution Mania

• Tom Angelripper : Bass, Vocals, Lyrics
• Frank Blackfire : Guitars
• Chris Witchhunter (R.I.P. 2008) : Drums, Percussion.

 In The Sign Of Evil / Obsessed By Cruelty

• Angel Ripper : Bass, Vocals
• Witchhunter (R.I.P. 2008) : Drums
• Grave Violator : Guitars (tracks 1-8)
• Destructor (R.I.P. 1993) : Guitars (tracks 9-19)

 

 

 

Label: Steamhammer. SPV 310-21970

 

CD1 "Persecution Mania"
Recorded at Musiclab Studios, Berlin, October 1987
Published by Ed. Jumar except "Iron Fist".
© & ℗ 1987 Steamhammer, a division of SPV
Marketed & manufactured by Steamhammer, a division of SPV
Made in West-Germany

Kilmister is misspelled Kilminster in the credits and on the disc, inside the booklet it's spelled correctly.

CD2 "In The Sign Of Evil / Obsessed By Cruelty"
℗ 1988 Steamhammer, a division of SPV
Im Vertrieb der SPV GmbH
Made in West-Germany.

 
 

 

 

 

 

Tom Angel Ripper (bass / vocals)

 

 

 

Chris Witchhunter (drums)

 (Dec 18th, 1965 ┼ Sep 7th, 2008)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sodom - Get What You Deserve (1994)

  

Sodom is a Speed / Black Metal (early) and Thrash Metal band of German origin. It was founded in 1981 in the city of Gelsenkirchen by Thomas Such (Tom Angelripper) on bass and vocals, and Frank Testegen on guitars. Their name was inspired by the movies "Saló or the 120 days of sodom" and in the movie "Sodom and Gomorrah".

They are part of the German big 4 together with his compatriots Destruction, Kreator and Tankard. Sodom considered one of the bands that defined the sound of Thrash Metal and was also a key band for the creation of extreme Metal. Sodom is also the most successful Thrash band in Germany, having sold more than 8 million records worldwide.

Furthermore his album ''Agent Orange'' is the best selling Thrash Metal album in the history of German Thrash and it also became a Metal classic.

 The lyrics of their songs were at first about Satanism, blasphemy and the occult but since his album ''Persecution Mania'' his lyrics are based on Wars, political themes and death.

The band has their own mascot named Knarrenheinz. In German Knarren means pistol and Heinz is one of the most popular names in Germany. He is a soldier who always wears an oxygen mask and is the protagonist of several Sodom covers.

 

 

-Tracklist:

Side A:
1. Get What You Deserve     03:44
2. Jabba the Hut     02:29
3. Jesus Screamer     01:42
4. Delight in Slaying     02:40
5. Die stumme Ursel     03:47
6. Freaks of Nature     02:07
7. Eat Me     03:22
8. Unbury the Hatchet     02:28

Side B:
9. Into Perdition     02:46
10. Sodomized     02:43
11. Fellows in Misery     02:18
12. Tribute to Moby Dick     04:21
13. Silence Is Consent     02:30
14. Erwachet!     02:17
15. Gomorrah     02:19
16. Angel Dust (Venom cover)     02:40

44:13

 

 -Line up:

• Tom Angelripper : Bass, Vocals, Lyrics (tracks 1, 2, 4-6, 8-11, 13, 15)
• Andy Brings : Guitars, Vocals (backing), Lyrics (tracks 3, 7, 14)
• Atomic Steif : Drums.

 

 Label: Steamhammer.

 Recorded in Autumn 1993 at T&T Studio, Gelsenkirchen.

Produced by Sodom & Wolfgang G. Stach.

Engineered by Wolfgang G. Stach.

Assistant engineered by Oliver Grobe-Parwig.

 Photography by Rene' Bonsink.

 

 

Sodom - Agent Orange (1989) LP PIC (2005)

 

Sodom was formed by Tom Angelripper and Aggressor in 1981 in the western German industrial town of Gelsenkirchen. They were mostly influenced by bands like Motörhead, Tank, Raven, and Venom.

They soon found a drummer called Bloody Monster who was, however, quickly replaced by Chris Witchhunter, with whom they released two demos, Witching Metal and Victims of Death in 1982 and 1984, before signing a deal with SPV GmbH. After a gig in Frankfurt in 1984 (with Destruction and Tankard) Manfred Schütz of SPV GmbH came to the band and spoke the legendary sentence "You guys are so bad, you will sell a lot of records!". This led to the recording of their debut EP In the Sign of Evil. Missing was Aggressor, who had left the band. He was replaced by Grave Violator (recommended to the band by Kreator's Mille Petrozza), who also wouldn't stay very long. A full album's worth of material was intended to be recorded for In the Sign of Evil, but problems with the label meant the release was truncated to an EP.

In Grave Violator's place, Michael Wulf joined, just to leave the band shortly after the recordings of what would be their first full-length album Obsessed by Cruelty in 1986 to join Kreator (where he would last only one show). He later died in a motorcycle accident in 1993. Obsessed by Cruelty was entirely re-recorded (also in 1986) with another short-time guitarist at the stipulation of the record company, though confusingly both versions ended up being released. The new recording (featuring an additional song called "After the Deluge") was used by Steamhammer for the European release, but for the American release through Metal Blade, the original rejected recording was accidentally used instead. Mislabeled re-issues of the album over the years have only served to further muddy the waters and the original recording has ended up being more widely heard.

After Obsessed by Cruelty was released, the band abolished their Satanic image and replaced it with the (pacifistic-motivated) war theme that can be found on most of Sodom's records. With their new guitarist Frank Blackfire, the most legendary Sodom line-up recorded two albums (plus a live album, Mortal Way of Live, the first of various Sodom releases which had a censored cover in Germany): Persecution Mania (which was the first Sodom album produced by the band's long-time producer Harris Johns, and also had the first cover that featured the band's mascot "Knarrenheinz") and Agent Orange (including the single "Ausgebombt"). This album made Sodom the first German thrash band to ever enter the charts (it reached number 36 on the German Media Control charts).

VMLP018

-Tracklist:

Side A:
1. Agent Orange     06:04    
2. Tired and Red     05:26    
3. Incest     04:40    
4. Remember the Fallen     04:21

Side B:
5. Magic Dragon     06:00
6. Exhibition Bout     03:36
7. Ausgebombt     03:05    
8. Baptism of Fire     04:04
9. Don't Walk Away     02:55

 

-Line up:

• Tom Angelripper: Bass, Vocals, Lyrics
• Chris Witchhunter (R.I.P. 2008): Drums, Percussion, Vocals (backing)
• Frank Blackfire: Guitars, Vocals (backing).

 

 

 

 

Label: Vinyl Maniacs.

Limited to 1000 copies.

 Recorded at Musiclab Studios, West-Berlin, March/April 1989.
Mixed at Horus Sound Studios, Hannover, April 1989.

 Producer, Engineer, Mixed by Harris Johns.

 Layout: Janette Andersson.

 "This album is dedicated to all people - soldiers and civilians - who died by senseless aggressions of wars all over the world".

 

Sodom • M-16 (2001)

 

Sodom is a German thrash metal band formed in 1981. Original line-up were Tom Angelripper, Chris Witchhunter and Aggressor. Receiving inspiration by bands such as Motörhead and Venom, they released two demos which led to a record deal with Steamhammer. Aggressor left the band shortly before releasing the In the Sign of Evil EP, and was replaced by Grave Violator, who did not last long himself. On the debut album Obsessed by Cruelty he was replaced by Destructor. However, after the release Destructor left the band to join Kreator.

Thereafter their break-through album Persecution Mania was released with yet another guitarist, Frank Blackfire. A live album Mortal Way of Live followed. The next album made Sodom famous; Agent Orange was released in 1989. Since then, Sodom is one of the three big names of German Thrash metal; the others are Kreator and Destruction. Again a new guitarist was to be found as Blackfire also left the band to join Kreator. The replacement was found in Michael Hoffman.

In this line-up the Better Off Dead album was released in 1990. During the South American tour however, Hoffman decided to stay in Brazil and therefore was forced to quit. His replacement was found in Andy Brings and a new album was recorded, titled Tapping the Vein, which was more death metal influenced than before. This proved to be the last album with the drummer Witchhunter who quit because of lack of interest in metal music. Atomic Steif found his way behind the drumkit.

This line-up now, recorded the next album, Get What You Deserve. Out were the death metal influence, in came the hardcore influences. At this time Angelripper also started a solo carreer doing metal impressions of drinking songs, German schlagers and even Xmassy Carols. Another live album was recorded of the tour in support of this album called Marooned - Live.

In the same vein as the previous album, Masquerade in Blood was released in 1995. Again another guitarist was to be found. The new axeman was Sthrahli, but he did not stay very long with the band either; he was fired due to drugs problems. Also Atomic Steif left and again Angelripper needed to search for new members. These were found in the person of Bernemann on guitars and Bobby Schottkowski on drums.

The new album 'Til Death Do Us Unite featured a controversial album cover, depicting the belly a pregnant woman and a beer gut of a man pressing a human skull together. Apparently this line-up has stabilised the band significantly as this still the current line-up. In 1999 Code Red was released and formed a return to the sound of the 1980s thrash metal. A limited edition featured a bonus CD containing a tribute to Sodom album called Homage to the Gods. In the same vein, M-16 was released displaying Sodoms interest in the Vietnam War. The title of course refers to the automatic rifle M16). A tour followed with the other two big German thrash metal bands Kreator and Destruction.

In 2003, a double live album was recorded in Bangkok, titled One Night in Bangkok. In 2006 Sodom released their Album "Sodom" and after the release the band played a lot of shows all over the world.

In 2007 comes "The final Sign of Evil". On this record the original Line up with Chris Witchhunter, Grave Violator and Tom Angelripper acting very old school. In Wacken the band played a really special Set at the Wacken Open Air with Old Members like Andy Brings, Atomic Steif, Grave Violator and a lot of more. This show will be a part of the long waited second Part of the Lords of Depravity DVD.
Drummer Legend Chris Witchhunter died at age of 42 in September 2008.

 

Limited Edition, Digipack

 

-Tracklist :

1.  Among the Weirdcong     05:08
2.  I Am the War     04:07
3.  Napalm in the Morning     05:57
4.  Minejumper     03:11
5.  Genocide     04:49
6. Little Boy     04:09
7.  M-16     04:49
8.  Lead Injection     06:24
9.  Cannon Fodder     03:54
10.  Marines     03:55
11.  Surfin' Bird (The Trashmen cover)     02:39

Bonus Tracks: 

12.  Witching Metal     3:14
13.  Devils Attack     3:13

 

 

 

-Line up: 

• Tom Angelripper: bass, vocals, lyrics

• Bernemann: guitars

• Konrad "Bobby" Schottkowski: drums.

• Harris Johns: acoustic guitar (track 11)

 

 

 

 

 

 Label: Steamhammer.

 Sticker on frontcover:"This exclusive package contains The New Studio Album With 2 Bonus-Tracks!"

 Track 12 taken from the "Witching Metal" demo. Recorded in 1982.

 Track 13 taken from the "Victims of Death" demo. Recorded in 1983.

 The intro to the song "Napalm in the Morning" is taken from the soundtrack to Apocalypse Now (1979).

Recorded at Spiderhouse Studio, Lütte, in July 2001 by Harris Johns.
Mixed in August 2001.
Masterd at Musiclab Mastering.