Sodom is a band that has earned its title since 3 decades as the “heavy artillery” of German thrash, along with Kreator and Destruction. This year they have released its latest album  “In War and Pieces” and the first thing that comes to mind once you hear it, is the difference in sound regarding the previous releases. This is at a big part due to their new producer Waldemar Sorychta (Enemy Of The Sun, Grip Inc), who gave a fresh air to the band’s sound, but in a positive way, since the job done has given a very clean outcome. This of course wouldn’t be such a positive thing itself, if it wasn’t combined with the improved playing and songwriting of the band’s members, which has also been increased tremendously, especially as far as the guitar playing, where we can hear the most melodic and technical parts ever heard by the German thrashers.

One thing that kind of alienated me, was the fact that the sound reminded me at times of a more technical version of Slayer. A classic example of that is the second track of the album, the “Hellfire”, which made me wonder for some seconds if I was actually listening to Sodom! Ok, I don’t really mean that Tom Angelripper sounds like Tom Araya now, but even the vocal lines have had some changes, creating in addition to the music and the production a Slayer- like atmosphere, if I can use this expression.

A very positive attribute of the album, is the fact that there are many variations in the tracks’ groove, altering from speed “in your face”  thrash parts, which remind us of older eras, to slower, more technical moments, always with great guitar parts included. The great guitar work of Bernd "Bernemann" Kost is one of the strongest moments of the release and I really wouldn’t believe I would ever give such credits to a member of  Sodom. Bobby Schottkowski has also done a very good work behind the drum kit, which is also favored by the clean mixing and production. The pounding, ultra sound moments are still with us, like in “Knarrenheiz”, a track that certainly reminds us which band we are dealing with. Among the songs that stand out are “Through Toxic Veins”, the self titled “In War And Pieces”, “Storm Raging Up”, “Styptic Parasite”, and “God Bless You” with the atmospheric, acoustic (!!!) guitar intro, even though there is not a single indifferent song.

I can’t really tell what the majority of Sodom fans would expect in order to like and buy the album, but for me personally “In War and Pieces” is that something that had been missing, the positive and welcome change I was asking for.

It doesn’t mean they are not thrash anymore, it means that their sound and playing skills have matured in an obvious way. The albums consists of 11 compositions with an average duration of 4-5 minutes, full of interesting ideas, changes and parts that never bore or tire you. I think that we were so full of plain rawness and speed from them, and it was about time they gave us something more than that, if they want to consider themselves a great band of the genre. If you are the Sodom fan who wants a clone of “Obsessed By Cruelty” and “Persecution Mania”, you probably won’t be very satisfied. In any other case “In War And Pieces” is just for you.