Sodom – Epitome of Torture (2013)

Constantly releasing relentless albums since 1981, Sodom returns today with another fine example of in-your-face German Thrash Metal with “Epitome of Torture”. Contrary to normal patterns, this German outfit keeps getting more punishing with age and on this release they deliver an intense 40 minutes of crushing music. Keeping things simple and direct, Tom Angelripper and company are at the top of their game and they make a very clear statement with “Epitome of Torture”.

Breaking in new drummer Makka in the opener “My Final Bullet”, the band shows the same ferocity and intensity they have since the 80’s. This track is quite direct and at some points (on the song and album) Tom even sounds a bit like Tom Araya from Slayer. For all familiar with the band’s sound over the years, tracks like “S.O.D.O.M” and “Epitome of Torture” are the perfect example of the high-octane Germany Thrash Metal that the band has been perfecting with each release.

One of the most intense tracks in this release is the furious “Stigmatized”, a song that features some sort of grunts by Angelripper adding to the experience. In terms of catchiness and epic guitar work, “CANNIBAL” is one hell of a track. The epic Thrash onslaught continues with excellent tracks like “Shoot Today Kill Tomorrow”, “Invocating The Demons”, and the headbanging inducing “Into The Skies Of War”. Saving the best for last, our favorite track in this release is the brutal “Tracing The Victim”, a very powerful Thrash anthem with an awesome chorus section.

Sticking to their core roots, Sodom delivers another outstanding release with “Epitome of Torture”. For 10 songs the band constantly reminds us why they are some of the best of the genre and that you don’t have to accommodate your sound to modern standards in order to stay relevant. If you want an intense balls-to-the-wall Thrash Metal release, look no further and pick up a copy of this excellent album.

Release: May 7th, 2013 (USA)

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: Germany