SODOM

PAGE UPDATED IN 2026

Reviewed:
- In the Sign of Evil/Obsessed by Cruelty (1984, EP/1986)
- Persecution Mania (1987)
- Tapping the Vein (1992)

- M-16 (2001)


IN THE SIGN OF EVIL (EP)/OBSESSED BY CRUELTY          1984/1986          (SPV)

- Standouts: Everything from In the Sign of Evil, 'Deathlike Silence', 'Proselytism Real', 'Equinox', After the Deluge', 'Obsessed by Cruelty', 'Fall of Majesty Town', 'Witchhammer' from Obsessed by Cruelty.

I don't own enough Sodom albums. Ever since I heard the song 'Agent Orange' however many years ago, I've always thought they were a pretty awesome band. I think I might make a point of picking up more Sodom discs in 2026. Still, I do have a few of their albums in my collection, and this CD packs both their 1984 EP In the Sign of Evil and their 1986 debut full-length album Obsessed by Cruelty onto a single disc. 

I'd argue that of these 2 releases, it's actually the EP that holds the more legendary status, and made more of an impact on the underground metal scene of the mid-80s. Obviously it didn't take this band long to evolve into the war-themed thrash outfit we know them as, but on this early material Sodom were very much a blackened speed/thrash metal act in similar vein to Venom or early Bathory. In favour of gasmasks and assault rifles on the album cover is a sword-wielding, medieval-looking witch hunter-type bloke! I've always loved that artwork. I've got a t-shirt of it. But anyway! In the Sign of Evil is dark, raw and evil in that cheesy, over-the-top manner that Venom brought to the table a few years prior. Tracks like 'Outbreak of Evil', 'Blasphemer', 'Burst Command 'Til War' and 'Witching Metal' are full of speed and energy, backed by an echoey low-end production with Tom Angelripper gargling and growling his way through the lyrics. There's a cool atmosphere to this EP that you just don't see on modern metal releases. It's exactly the sort of record that likely wouldn't have impacted the scene had it been recorded more cleanly and professionally. I love it.

And then on Obsessed by Cruelty, the band manage to sound even sloppier, rawer and chaotic despite coming after the EP! The drums are mixed far too loud, the playing is often amateurish and in general this album sounds like shit from a production standpoint. But you know what, it's fucking good!! I don't think I'll ever prefer it to the EP, but you can see why some of the guys in the Norwegian black metal scene loved both these releases so much. Even though Sodom are one of the leading bands of European thrash metal, I'd say it's fair to call Obsessed by Cruelty and In the Sign of the Evil early examples of black metal. Both definitely fall into the first-wave black metal category then, but both still have unique personalities. While I do feel that Obsessed by Cruelty is essentially a continuation of the EP to some degree, the difference in production gives them both an atmosphere of their own. Also, Tom's vocals sound different. On In the Sign of Evil he sounded like he was gargling tar at times. On Obsessed by Cruelty I feel like his words come through a little clearer, but he still sings in a harsh tone comparable to maybe that of Cronos from Venom. Practically every track on the debut full-length is fast to some extent - the drums pound, the guitar solos are sloppy as all hell and the riffs are uglier than a blobfish. Even 'Proselytism Real', which tries to be dark and moody still has it's share of speed later on. The title track is full of distortion and feedback, and even sounds like doom metal for the first couple of minutes - but it too picks up in pace. Same with 'Volcanic Slut' (great title) - this one is kind of fuzzy to begin with, but morphs into something chaotic later!

As I said, I think I'll always be a bigger fan of In the Sign of Evil when it comes to these 2. That EP is legendary for a reason, even if I still enjoy Venom's first couple of albums that little bit more. As much as I dig Obsessed by Cruelty, it's really abrasive. This in itself is not an issue - but if I'm not in the right mood, it sometimes means I can't sit through the whole thing in a single sitting. It's nothing to do with the songs, it's the way the drums overpower the guitars. But I still can't score this thing any less than an 8/10! This is about as 'trve' and 'kvlt' as early extreme metal gets! 

Even though I don't own enough Sodom CDs, I've had this in my collection for a very long time. It came packaged together with their 1987 album Persecution Mania (reviewed below) in a slipcase titled '2 Originals of Sodom' from the SPV/Steamhammer label. I remember trading something non-music related with my friend back when I was in college to obtain it. What that thing was I don't recall!

Adam's rating: 9/10 (In the Sign of Evil)
                           8/10 (Obsessed by Cruelty)

PERSECUTION MANIA          1987          (SPV)

- Standouts: 'Nuclear Winter', 'Electrocution', 'Iron Fist', 'Persecution Mania', 'Conjuration', 'Bombenhagel' from Persecution Mania, 'Sodomy and Lust', 'Conqueror' from Expurse of Sodomy.

Well it didn't take 'em long to get out of the blackened speed metal phase; Persecution Mania is a much tighter and more technically-proficient effort after the clumsy Obsessed by Cruelty. I'm not saying Sodom were ever a full-on 'tech-thrash/speed metal' outfit; they're not exactly Annihilator or Coroner when it comes to instrumentation wizardry. But compared to that ugly debut (which I still really like for what it is by the way), this is a far more accomplished record. The production too, is much more professional. The guitar tones are as sharp as a razor, and the drums don't completely overrule the rest of the instruments/vocals! Oh, and gone is the whole evil satanic imagery - in place are M16 rifles, respirators and nuclear fallout! This is the theme the band would pretty much stick with from hereon.

As soon as riff-fests like 'Nuclear Winter' and 'Electrocution' start blaring from 'ya speakers, you know you're in for a good time with Persecution Mania. The riffs are relentless; Sodom aren't really about melody. They're usually about brutal thrash riffage, throaty vocals and speed (although this particular album does make space for some musical variation here and there). I think that's part of what makes the German thrash scene so different to what has happening in the US at the time. The difference in thrash style between Sodom, Destruction or Kreator and Anthrax, Testament or Exodus etc. is night and day. Anyhow, the band do occasionally slow down at times on this record, like the heavy mid-tempo section of 'Enchanted Land' or the doomy instrumental 'Procession to Golgatha'. Also notable is the cover or Motorhead's 'Iron Fist'. This was a cool pick for a Motorhead cover - the original was a fast, punchy number, but the entire Iron Fist album is sometimes kind of overlooked when talking about their discography. I personally love that record, and Sodom do a good job of covering it here too (even if I still prefer the original). It's still fast and rock n' roll-y, but the metallic production combined with the ferocity of Tom Angelripper's vocals gives it some originality. The main riff in 'Conjuration' reminds me a bit of Motorhead too actually... a little punky as well, maybe? It's cool either way! Speaking of punk, I like the almost hardcore-influenced closer 'Bombenhagel'. It has some repetitive riffing at times, but it's there to back the guitar solos. Great album then - not one of my all-time favourite thrash releases, and not always as impressive as some of their later albums (or it's competition at the time), but still a classic.

Also included with my SPV/Steamhammer CD is the 1987 EP Expurse of Sodomy plus a re-recording of the song 'Outbreak of Evil'. They've been tacked onto the end of Persecution Mania's tracklisting. Because I've lived with this disc for so long now, I often forget that Persecution Mania is actually a 9-track album, and the last track is 'Bombenhagel'! I know the label did the same thing with my In the Sign of Evil/Obsessed by Cruelty CD, but those 2 releases sound distinctively different - you can easily tell when one ends and the other begins. The 3-track Expurse of Sodomy EP however, blends together rather well with PM seamlessly, and they didn't make a big deal out of it with the packaging either! The production is only marginally different, and the songs are pretty similar in style too. The EP was actually released before the album, so you do still hear shimmers of the old blackened style of metal they were playing prior on tracks like 'Sodomy and Lust' and 'Conqueror'. But the cleaned-up production and tighter musicianship also gives it more of the typical Sodom sound we mainly know them for. It's effectively the bridge between Obsessed by Cruelty and Persecution Mania. I don't think this EP has quite the same reputation as In the Sign of Evil, but it's still pretty damn great.

I had originally written a crappy review for this back in 2017, and I'd rated it 8.7/10. I wanted to slap a 9/10 on it this time around, but somehow I just can't. I don't own as many Sodom albums as I'd like, and even though I really do like Persecution Mania, it's not one of my absolute favourite thrash albums, nor is it my favourite Sodom release of the one's I do actually own. I just don't grab for this like I do Annihilator's Alice in Hell, Testament's The Legacy, Sabbat's Dreamweaver etc., despite how good the songs are. Still, it's a classic of the genre and certainly gets my respect.

Adam's rating: 8.5/10

TAPPING THE VEIN          1992          (SPV)

- Standouts: All of it! 

Damn, this is nasty! I dunno if I'd call Tapping the Vein all-out death metal, but death-infused thrash metal seems fitting! Aye, this is some seriously heavy, intense shit. The guitars appear to be tuned far lower now, giving them a big, beefy and intimidating presence. 'Body Parts' and 'Skinned Alive' really up the ante with their buzzsaw riffing, breakneck drumming and Tom's near-enough death metal growling! Same goes for other absolute beasts such as 'Deadline', 'Hunting Season' and 'The Crippler'. But the album's not always fast - when it slows down, things get arguably even heavier with the surprisingly atmospheric and doomy 'Reincarnation'. This track is still heavy in it's own right of course, just a different kind of heavy. There's also the chugging tempo of 'One Step Over the Line', and the monstrously heavy introduction to the title track - although this one does still rip you to shreds once it gets going. A song that stands out the most for simply being different than the rest is 'Wachturm'. It sounds very Motorhead-influenced, only with added anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs! 'Bullet in the Head' has kind of a hardcore aura going on too; the riffs and structure are super-fast yet simplistic, and Tom's vocals are more shouty and less growly... but the heaviness of the production still keeps it in-line with the rest of the album. Speaking of production, it sounds a little bit like Persecution Mania's to me, but with a slightly higher budget. There's a bit more low-end to speak of here which brings out the instruments more clearly, yet also contributes to the brutality of the overall sound. It's spot-on for this kind of thrash. 

Not a very long review required here because put it simply, Tapping the Vein owns. I love it. I don't know if I can call it peak thrash - most of the S-tier, platinum level thrash records for me do have at least a bit of melody in them. I do have a soft spot for tuneful solos and guitar leads in thrash for example (hello Rust in Peace!). But when it comes to pure, unrelenting riffage, savage vocals and high-octane energy that barely catches a breath throughout the duration of 46 minutes, then Tapping the Vein has gotta be a contender for one of the 'greatest brutal thrash albums of all time', if such category exists!! 
Adam's rating: 9.1/10

M-16          2001          (BMG)

- Standouts: 'Among the Weirdcong', 'I Am the War', 'Napalm in the Morning', 'Minejumper' 'Little Boy', 'M-16', 'Cannon Fodder'

A concept album about - unsurprisingly - war! This is Sodom after all. The war in question is the Vietnam War, and you can kind of guess this from the album title alone and the Huey helicopters on the album cover. And no, Sodom aren't paying tribute to the contemporary soundtrack of the time; don't expect covers of CCR, Buffalo Springfield, Jimi Hendrix or the Stones - even if they do cover The Trashmen's 'Surfin' Bird' on this album!! Concept album or not, the actual music within this album is exactly what you'd expect from Sodom - kick-ass thrash fucking metal from the year 2001, when nu metal was dominating the market!

Opener 'Among the Weirdcong', along with 'Agent Orange', was one of the first Sodom tracks I ever heard back in the day. It came with a 3-CD thrash compilation I still have called This is Thrash. It wasn't until a few years ago when this album was re-released by BMG for it's 20th Anniversary that I finally got hold of M-16 however! But anyway, this killer track totally sets the mood for the rest of the album, and I really like the appropriate military-style drumming at the beginning. 'I Am the War', 'Cannon Fodder' and 'Minejumper' are all-out thrash assaults, and are almost comparable to the death-thrash style of Tapping the Vein. 'Napalm in the Morning' starts off with a sample of Robert Duvall's quote from Apocalypse Now (naturally), but this track actually brings down the speed a couple of notches. It's a mid-tempo metal song that keeps the tracklisting interesting. 'Genocide' along with the title track itself, are similarly mid-tempo - but the riffs on both have a lot groove to them that gets my head a'bangin'. They're still really heavy even if they aren't fast. Meanwhile 'Lead Injection' is a nice blend of speed and mid-tempo grooves. 'Little Boy' though is far nastier than the title suggests, and is probably one of the most intense tracks on this album! 'Marines' - the last 'proper' song on the album - is a little different however; there's a teensy whiff of modern metal riffing to my ears... and also a surprising amount of melody to the music (by Sodom's standards anyway). I like it, but it definitely wouldn't have worked as well if it had been sandwiched between songs like 'I Am the War' and 'Cannon Fodder'. I can take or leave the cover of 'Surfin' Bird' - it's kinda fun, sure, and it serves a purpose given the Vietnam War-themes of the album... but it is just a cover of what was a pretty silly song in the first place!

M-16 is an extremely competent latter-period Sodom album. Erm, that's if you can even call it 'latter-period' at this point - it's going on 25 years old now! Christ, how is 2001 25 years ago now!! Scary! Either way, the band throw in a nice portion of heavy, groove-infused mid-tempo thrash songs with the usual breakneck thrashers, all topped off with a gnarly production job. The result is a nice and balanced Sodom record.

Adam's rating: 8.2/10