“The devil is in the detail,” as the old saying goes. Translated to Sodom vocalist/bassist Tom Angelripper’s sharp-tongued and highly critical powers of observation, you might also say: the worst perversions often hide behind seemingly harmless terms. What are we referring to? For example to ‘Katjuscha’, one of twelve hard-as-nails songs which Sodom present on their latest studio album, Epitome Of Torture. After all, Sodom’s ‘Katjuscha’ has little to do with the same-named folk song by Mikhail Isakovsky, but is about the Russian rocket launcher which has been responsible for death and destruction thousandfold. “The Katjuscha has been produced since World War II and is still used today,” the Sodom frontman explains. “It’s been responsible for the death of more people than Stalin’s organ. To name such a deadly weapon after a girl is as grotesque as giving the atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima the code name ‘Little Boy’.” It’s obvious that Sodom 2013 haven’t changed their scornful view of the world, presenting an album in Epitome Of Torture that is as uncompromising as ever in musical as well as lyrical terms. “Unfortunately there’s still plenty of inspiration for angry lyrics around,” says Angelripper.
The bitter thrash metal attack ‘Waterboarding’, which deals with torture methods, fits perfectly into this context. “It always surprises me how inventive – in the most negative sense of the word – people can be when it comes to torturing others,” states the vocalist, who recorded Epitome Of Torture together with guitarist Bernemann and new drummer Markus “Makka” Freiwald. “At the same time, Epitome Of Torture features not only typical Sodom numbers, like the title track, our new hit ‘S.O.D.O.M.’ and ‘Stigmatized’, the toughest Sodom number in ages, but also two or three recordings which are slightly more moderate and melodic than what people have come to expect from us,” Tom Angelripper points out. He is referring to songs such as ‘Cannibal’ and ‘Tracing The Victim’, which allow guitarist Bernemann to present his impressive musical skills, as well as ‘Into The Skies Of War’, on which Angelripper allowed himself to be inspired by icons such as Motörhead and Tank: “Luckily, it’s impossible to hide my influences.”
Epitome Of Torture was produced by Waldemar Sorychta, whose expertise as a sound engineer and audio magician thoroughly benefitted Sodom’s 2010 release In War And Pieces. Tom Angelripper: “Waldemar is an exceptional producer, who always succeeds in evening out an artistŽs weak spot and promoting his strengths. He doesn’t let you get away with anything, he knows all our weak spots. Which occasionally makes working at the studio a little demanding, but at the end of the day it’s all worthwhile, as the result shows.” The Sodom frontman describes the sound on Epitome Of Torture as “hard-as-nails and contemporary, without ignoring our tried-and-tested old-school attitude.”
The new album will be available worldwide through SPV/Steamhammer in four different formats: as a limited-edition DigiPak including two bonus tracks and a poster, in a regular jewel case, as a double gatefold colored vinyl with three bonus tracks and for download. The cover artwork featuring Sodom‘s popular “Knarrenheinz”logo was developed by graphic designer Meran Karanitant, who has caused a stir with his work for Six Feet Under, Hatebreed and Dimmu Borgir, among others.
Release Dates are: Germany April 26th, Europe April 29th and US/Canada May 7th!
Tracklisting:
Limited Edition Digipak:
1. My Final Bullet 04:40
2. S.O.D.O.M. 03:46
3. Epitome Of Torture 03:31
4. Stigmatized 02:56
5. Cannibal 04:19
6. Shoot Today – Kill Tomorrow 04:01
7. Invocating The Demons 04:25
8. Katjuscha 03:43
9. Into The Skies Of War 03:51
10. Tracing The Victim 04:46
11. Waterboarding 05:06 (bonus track)
12. Splitting The Atom 04:28 (bonus track)
Jewel Case:
1. My Final Bullet 04:40
2. S.O.D.O.M. 03:46
3. Epitome Of Torture 03:31
4. Stigmatized 02:56
5. Cannibal 04:19
6. Shoot Today – Kill Tomorrow 04:01
7. Invocating The Demons 04:25
8. Katjuscha 03:43
9. Into The Skies Of War 03:51
10. Tracing The Victim 04:46
2LP (coloured vinyl):
LP 1
Side 1
1. My Final Bullet 04:40
2. S.O.D.O.M. 03:46
3. Epitome Of Torture 03:31
Side 2
1. Stigmatized 02:56
2. Cannibal 04:19
3. Shoot Today – Kill Tomorrow 04:01
LP 2
Side 1
1. Invocating The Demons 04:25
2. Katjuscha 03:43
3. Into The Skies Of War 03:51
Side 2
1. Tracing The Victim 04:46
2. Waterboarding 05:06 (bonus track)
3. Splitting The Atom 04:28 (bonus track)
4. Ace Of Spades 02:36 (bonus track)
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