Sodom - In War and Pieces

Release Date: November 19, 2010
Label: SPV/Steamhammer

TRACK LISTING

Disc 1 - In War and Pieces:
1.  In War and Pieces
2.  Hellfire
3.  Through Toxic Veins
4.  Nothing Counts More Than Blood
5.  Storm Raging Up
6.  Feigned Death Throes
7.  Soul Contraband
8.  God Bless You
9.  The Art of Killing Poetry
10.  Knarrenheinz
11.  Styptic Parasite

Disc 2 - Live in Wacken 2007:
1.  Blood On Your Lips
2.  City Of God
3.  Proselytism Real
4.  Christ Passion
5.  One Step Over The Line
6.  Abuse
7.  Sodomy And Lust
8.  Ausgebombt
9.  The Saw Is The Law
10.  Outbreak Of Evil

Total playing time:  1:34:03 (2XCD)

November 20, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

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*Comments:

What can be said about Sodom? This band has been one of the rare bands that not only gets better with age, they destroy more as they go on. I didn’t think anything would top 2001’s M-16¸ but the latest release In War and Pieces seems to decimate everything within a ten miles radius with relative ease. In fact, while Sodom has never really made a bad album in its nearly 30-year existence the fact that they are able to easily amplify the catalog without sounding dated or irrelevant is nothing short of incredible. Even the mighty Venom, Kreator or Celtic Frost can’t lay claim to such an astounding body of work that is near flawless. The current CD comes in a special edition double CD with a live set from 2007’s Wacken Fest, so I’ll review each accordingly.

As for the studio album, when the title track leaked a couple of weeks back my buddy called me up and was rather excited, citing it as the best thing they’ve ever done. While I usually take these statements with salt and curious wonder I was just as excited once I heard it. It sounds much like your ‘typical’ Sodom, but much stronger than the self-titled from ’06 and just as pounding as anything from M-16 or the classic Persecution Mania. So now I am ingesting this thrash metal assault and I’m left to wonder why so many bands even bother trying to capture Tom Angelripper’s vocals; the man is ageless, and while this throaty style is nothing close to a Pavarotti, for our scene he is one of the more discernable thrash vocalists in history and is more copied today than ever before. His delivery has always been a gruff fist-to-face effort that has always worked well for him and a myriad of imitators. “Nothing Counts More than Blood” is like a German anthem that you can easily see being a pit-inducing track that will work well live. I sincerely hope they get to the U.S. sometime soon; I’m still smarting over the 1989 tour that was cancelled at the last minute.

The relentlessness of Bernemann on guitars and drummer Bobby Schottkowski creates a wall of sound that has been a constant since 1997, and it’s great to see a solid line-up in Sodom for a change. The revolving door, while prolific and competent, has been enough to induce headaches at every turn, but with this stable unit firmly in place the door seems to be closed off for a while. With a damn fine production to where everything is clear and mixed well (yes, you read correctly…Sodom has good production!) In War and Pieces is a late addition to my Top 10 list for 2010, and I’m thinking it’s going to be one of the thrash albums of the year on many lists.

“Feigned Death Throes” sounds like something that could have been an Agent Orange track with its speedy, yet crunch-heavy vibe; it’s not typical for me to say that an album is flawless, but I certainly feel that every song on this album is of the highest possible quality; it’s obvious Sodom didn’t go into this album with much in the way of uncertainty. “God Bless You” is a slow, almost grooving hit to the knees that showcases the band’s ability to literally hammer your head into the table with riff after riff of destructive velocity. Don’t let the title fool you; Sodom has not gone Christian by any stretch. If I was forced at gunpoint to pick a favorite song on In War and Pieces I would pick “The Art of Killing Poetry” for the perfect combination of power chord supremacy and the structured groove-like chorus that might be something Nevermore might have included in its repertoire. It gives me great pleasure to say that Sodom has done no wrong.  

When I discovered Sodom in 1985 it was like a whole new metal sound that was unlike Metallica or Venom, or even Bathory. I now look at the long line of albums produced by this German machine and I see the humble beginnings of some kids emulating Motorhead so severely that it was almost criminal. I would then witness what can only be described as a growth spurt that has never truly seen a slow-down, as each album offered something new to the genre that not only marks Sodom as masters, but part of the Big Three of underground German thrash/speed with Kreator and Destruction.

Every song is classic Sodom, causing worshippers to once more hail the German statesmen with accolades and ale from far and wide, praying on bended knee to all that is unholy that Sodom hits American shores sometime soon. Is it the best thing they’ve ever done? Well…it’s right up there, let me say that.

An absolute winner from start to finish.

The Wacken 2007 gig for Sodom was only a further testament as to how unlucky we here in the States are. We have yet to see Sodom on these shores save for a lone performance at Milwaukee’s Metalfest some years back. Much like early Metallica, Sodom made its reputation on some under-produced recordings, but a hell of a lot of live gigging around the country to gain a fanbase. It worked quite well, and as this blistering set from three years ago showcases Sodom commands the audience from the very first notes of “Blood on Your Lips” to the last rings of “Outbreak of Evil.”

What we have here is a more mature Sodom, as evident by the attention to delivery and form as opposed to the casually sloppy, yet classic Mortal Way of Live album in ’88. While that album lacked a certain amount of cleanliness, it made up for all of it in the sheer insanity of the performance. This gig is just as good, in an inspired sort of fashion. It’s nothing that will blow the doors off, say, Live Evil or Decade of Aggression, but it is a good look into the live animal that is Sodom. The disc pretty much tears through classics, old and new, with terminal abandon, providing the less fortunate a small glimpse into their set. “Christpassion” is definitely a standout, with a damn good solo that sounds really well-produced and fills the room. “Sodomy and Lust” also picks at the brain a bit, which is one of my favorite tracks, studio or otherwise. I personally prefer the Mortal Way of Live version much more, but this is nonetheless a smash-and-grab version that makes for great pit music. I also really enjoy hearing “Proselytism Real” live and it is one of the better tracks on here.

While it’s a fine live CD and does the Sodom sound justice in the live setting, the band has issued a few live albums in its day, so how about some demos, outtakes or forgotten tracks somewhere? Other than that, the double set is a fine pick for the stocking stuffer holiday season!        

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