Sodom
Epitome Of Torture

Sodom, a name that undoubtedly commands respect, belonging to the sacred Teutonic triad of Thrash, alongside Kreator and Destruction. A band with as many as 13 albums, of which only a few are missteps. They return in 2013 with a new album: "Epitome of Torture". From the title and cover alone, it's clear that the album will be in full Sodom style!

Opening the dances is the powerful and fast "My Final Bullet" introduced by a melodic guitar riff, which soon unleashes hell. The album continues with the self-celebratory "S.O.D.O.M", an anthemic piece with an irresistibly '80s refrain, which live will surely incite colossal mosh pits. The title track is a mix between mid-tempo and up-tempo, a truly great track that focuses on the heavy, groove-filled sound emitted by Bernemann's guitar, well supported by Angelripper’s bass and excellent drum work. Sodom returns to speed with the good Stigmatized, a short and incisive track where Angelripper's voice at times turns into a real growl.

The record continues with the less significant "Cannibal," a somewhat unsuccessful mid-tempo, before returning to hammer in only a way Sodom can with "Shoot Today Kill Tomorrow," a very fast, powerful track with a simple but effective refrain, noting the presence of vocal filters towards the end, something quite new for Sodom (not too invasive, quite the opposite!). In my opinion, here we reach one of the best tracks of the album, "Invocating The Demons," where our guys alternate slow and groove-laden parts with fast and powerful ones, with relentless tupa-tupa, all with disarming simplicity, culminating in the easy and immediate chorus sung by a truly demonic Angelripper, who here too often delves into the purest growl and scream. After a few listens, you find yourself shouting Invocating the Demons! at the top of your lungs and headbanging.

We approach the conclusion of the record with "Katyuschka," opened by an unusual polka riff and then giving way to a fast and furious track in typical Sodom style, not bad. The album concludes with the easy-listening and almost rockish "Into the Skies of War," a track unfortunately not very successful, and the overly melodic "Tracing the Victim."

A record in full Sodom style, which I'm sure will make many of you headbang! It certainly did that for me, and not a little!

The sound of the album is what one would expect from a band like Sodom, namely Thrash, but unlike other works, it focuses a lot on groove and power rather than speed, giving the album a more modern but not overly polished sound—let it be clear! It's all garnished with bone-crushing riffs. Certainly, part of the credit for this stylistic choice goes to Waldemar Sorychta, producer and guitarist accustomed to such sounds.

The band's performance is excellent, particularly the singer who is really in great shape, managing to inject power and ferocity into every word he sings, never boring, thanks to the variety with which he can sing, alternating his typical hoarse singing with parts of scream and growl (which could very well be the vocals of a Death album) with a simplicity that makes you want to quit singing extreme metal.

Truly a great album for all fans of heavy music who are not afraid of having their eardrums shattered.