Sodom
Decision Day
SPV/Steamhammer
2016
“Decision Day” is what, the fifteenth or so album by the German Thrash stalwarts and with more and more people either hanging it up or worst yet snuffing it up (ie Lemmy); it’s kinda good and reassuring to know that Onkel Tom and his trusty comrades are still at it and giving it their all.
Having probably explored every mode and tempo of traditional blackened thrashing heavy metal, Sodom did show a bit of an experimental and slightly more melodic tendency in the last couple of albums that did raise some eyebrows that on “Decision Day” doesn’t seem to have completely gone away, but is a lot more incorporated in the constant brutal and punishing rhythms in a way that is completely seamless. Here Sodom seem to be following a more “European” and more brutal approach than in their past couple of efforts, yet at the same time it all seems to be a bit more “planned”… as if there’s a method to the madness going on all around.
There are also a bunch of great tracks on offer, from the go with the primal and brutal “In Retribution” that the band released on a magazine EP a while ago as a “taste” of what was to come, to the more melodic, but quite rhythmical and pleasing “Rolling Thunder” with its hellacious chorus and cool lead, to the explosive title track and the completely Motorhead-tribute-paying “Calligula” that manages to deliver a chorus straight from the mouth of hell that would make the old-man proud no doubt.
“Who is God” philosophically and rhetorically muses, just keeping things hot for the 1-2 attack of the boiling yet paradoxically melodic “Strange Lost World” and the totally blackened, yet still melodic “Vaginal Born Evil” that’s a bit like the baby antichrist spouting out the first little blasphemies… cute… until it vomits a river of blood on you…
“Belligerence” and “Blood Lions” continue hitting the nails that crucify you with endless mayhem and without remorse… while “Sacred Warpath” screams its bloody gore, before it gets a bit carried away in its own lead melodies.
“Refused to Die”, that closes the album, mucks about a bit with some satanic stuff, before it spews out its bile rather slowly and painfully…
A rather uneventful speedy track, “Predatory Instinct”, is included as a bonus on certain versions along with a five track DVD.
Hence… well-done gentlemen on delivering the best album you‘ve done in the last few years and an album that can proudly place itself next to the band’s classics without feeling half baked, in a time that most of the old thrash bands struggle to deliver or are doing predictable and “safe” albums, Sodom manages to deliver the goods, following their own “rules”… Respect!
Having probably explored every mode and tempo of traditional blackened thrashing heavy metal, Sodom did show a bit of an experimental and slightly more melodic tendency in the last couple of albums that did raise some eyebrows that on “Decision Day” doesn’t seem to have completely gone away, but is a lot more incorporated in the constant brutal and punishing rhythms in a way that is completely seamless. Here Sodom seem to be following a more “European” and more brutal approach than in their past couple of efforts, yet at the same time it all seems to be a bit more “planned”… as if there’s a method to the madness going on all around.
There are also a bunch of great tracks on offer, from the go with the primal and brutal “In Retribution” that the band released on a magazine EP a while ago as a “taste” of what was to come, to the more melodic, but quite rhythmical and pleasing “Rolling Thunder” with its hellacious chorus and cool lead, to the explosive title track and the completely Motorhead-tribute-paying “Calligula” that manages to deliver a chorus straight from the mouth of hell that would make the old-man proud no doubt.
“Who is God” philosophically and rhetorically muses, just keeping things hot for the 1-2 attack of the boiling yet paradoxically melodic “Strange Lost World” and the totally blackened, yet still melodic “Vaginal Born Evil” that’s a bit like the baby antichrist spouting out the first little blasphemies… cute… until it vomits a river of blood on you…
“Belligerence” and “Blood Lions” continue hitting the nails that crucify you with endless mayhem and without remorse… while “Sacred Warpath” screams its bloody gore, before it gets a bit carried away in its own lead melodies.
“Refused to Die”, that closes the album, mucks about a bit with some satanic stuff, before it spews out its bile rather slowly and painfully…
A rather uneventful speedy track, “Predatory Instinct”, is included as a bonus on certain versions along with a five track DVD.
Hence… well-done gentlemen on delivering the best album you‘ve done in the last few years and an album that can proudly place itself next to the band’s classics without feeling half baked, in a time that most of the old thrash bands struggle to deliver or are doing predictable and “safe” albums, Sodom manages to deliver the goods, following their own “rules”… Respect!