apanthropy

Sodom
The Arsonist
Steamhammer / SPV
Released: 6/27/25

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1 – The Arsonist
2 – Battle of Harvest Moon
3 – Trigger Discipline
4 – The Spirits that I Called
5 – Witchhunter
6 – Scavenger
7 – Gun Without Groom
8 – Taphephobia
9 – Sane Insanity
10 – A.W.T.F.
11 – Twilight Void
12 – Obliteration of the Aeons
13 – Return to God in Parts
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Sodom are a band that need absolutely no introduction to anyone who is even remotely interested in underground or extreme music. Having been established back in 1982, and releasing their first formal EP, the iconic “In the Sign of Evil,” in 1985, the band has been consistently putting out quality speed and thrash metal for over four staggering decades. With 17 full-lengths to their name, the veteran act have withstood the test of time in a manner far better than a great many of their thrash metal contemporaries.

The Arsonist, released through the long-standing Steamhammer, sees sole original member Tom Angelripper back at the helm, executing 13 new tracks, with a line-up rounded out by Frank Blackfire, Yorck Segatz, and Toni Merkel. We live in a musical era where veteran foundational bands in extreme music are either running out of gas, disbanding, radically changing their sound profiles, or simply producing lackluster material. Sodom, after more than 40 years, are still pushing forward and crafting compositions that put many within their genre to shame.

The Arsonist, like all good thrash albums should, comes out of the gate swinging at full force. Hitting the ground running is “Battle Of Harvest Moon,” opening the album with a ripping fast power-chord frenzy, Tom Angelripper belts out vocals that sound phenomenal for four decades of wear and tear, the band exercises multiple tempos and paces and the crown jewel of the track is the razor-sharp, crisp soloing in the middle of the song that is peppered with dive-bombs and finger-tapping.

There are some serious heavy-hitters on The Arsonist, tracks such as ‘Witchhunter,’ ‘Sane Insanity,’ and ‘A.W.T.F,’ beat the listener down with galloping, thundering drums and tight, hook-heavy riff work. ‘Witchhunter’ has drummer Toni Merkel in a frenzy of roiling double-bass, ‘Sane Insanity’ is a whirlwind beating of riffs and wild firebrand soloing, and ‘A.W.T.F’ is a just a mean monster of a song with punk-like drumming and riff work capable of whipping a crowd into a rancor.

The riffs put on display by Frank Blackfire and Yorck Segatz are exactly what thrash metal embodies, there are no gimmicks, no borrowing from other genres, and no overbearing melodic sympathies; just pure, raw audio power. The soloing, across the entire album, is top-notch and really makes the songs explode. Tom Angelripper’s vocals sound excellent and Toni Merkel puts on an expert display of rhythmic choice and percussive punishment.

Label: Steamhammer
Band: Sodom

This review was originally written for Voices from the Darkside.