We all know that good music is always also a question of sound. To this end, the human factor is crucial — along with the right equipment, of course — after all, it’s about authenticity and individual personality. With that in mind, German thrash metal band Sodom have come to a logical conclusion: To enable the most natural production possible, the drum parts on their latest album The Arsonist were recorded using a 24-track analog tape machine.
No studio tricks, no digital overdubs, or, to quote frontman Tom Angelripper: “No plastic! The difference in sound compared to today’s standard drum productions is amazing and has had a positive effect on all the instruments. Naturally, time and effort as well as costs were also higher, but we’re happy to fork out for a superior result.”
The first single and lyric video, “Trigger Discipline,” the toughest song on The Arsonist, is released today. The song sounds equally martial and is about a sniper who has completely lost control of his actions and shoots people indiscriminately. Watch the lyric video below.
However, it’s not only the complex production process that testifies to the band’s exceptional creative spirit, but also their diverse songwriting, which saw all four Sodom musicians — the aforementioned Tom Angelripper (vocals, bass), Frank Blackfire (guitar), York Segatz (guitar) and Toni Merkel (drums) — involved in the development of the material onThe Arsonist.
Tom Angelripper continues, “Frank contributed those typical Sodom riffs and hooks again, whereas York favors more epic songwriting. As a perfect complement to both of them, Toni, who is also an excellent guitarist, contributed a number of songs and helped to make the album even more versatile.”
The Arsonist will be released on June 27, 2025, worldwide through SPV/Steamhammer as a CD digipak, 2LP version, download, and stream. Find the pre-order info here.
