Sodom – ‘Tapping The Vein’ – Deluxe Edition

Thrash Metal

Noise/BMG

Release Date – November 15th 2024

Review By Smudge Smith

32 years ago – 1992 – we were in the grip of grunge and Brit-pop. Bands either changed their sound to compete or they just hunkered down, played smaller venues to the true fans or they split. Not so Sodom they took a very different path. They became, faster, nastier verging right on death metal. Having recruited 20-year-old guitarist Andy Brings – who was still at school when he joined. And doesn’t it show that he brought a youthful exuberance to the songs and an attitude that said, ‘we’re the best – fuck the rest’.

The original recording has been given a proper boot up the rear with a superb re-mastering job. Not that the original sounded shabby, legendary producer Harris Johns did a great job, but it’s been brought right up to date. What else do get? Well, a ‘redux’ version plus live recordings from Tokyo, Dusseldorf and Cologne all from 1992 and all previously unreleased. The record company have repackaged the whole thing, and you can get all sorts of coloured vinyl and various box sets.

If you needed proof of this attitude and energy, then opener ‘Body Parts’ gives it to you with both barrels. Jeez this is brutal and shows how Sodom took their Motorhead and Venom influences and stretched them to the extreme. ‘Skinned Alive’ thrashes along on Chris Witchunter’s slamming beats and how he keeps this up is beyond me. Andy Brings just doesn’t give a flying fuck, his riffs and solo’s are vicious and manic and just what was needed. ‘One Step Over The Line’ starts with a slower chug so you can bang your head then it gradually increases the pace and gets proper punchy before we go back to the thrash on ‘Deadline’. Witchunter gives us a swinging beat on the intro to ‘Bullet In The Head’ before Tom Angelripper and Brings unceremoniously gate crash the swing and kick it up the arse with a pair of steel toe-caps. Brings brings (sorry) a wild screaming lead break and Angelripper is less ‘deathy’ on the vocals. ‘The Crippler’ is an absolute beast of a song and has been revived for their most recent tour. It’s a wonderful cacophony of vicious brutal noise that is unrelenting and pushes you up against the wall. ‘Wachturm’ is an absolute banger of a tune and again shows the hunger and energy of Brings as does the storming title track. ‘Back To War’ is another that gives it to you straight between the eyes before the opening bounce of ‘Hunting Season’ develops into a vicious call to arms. Final cut ‘Reincarnation’ brings a malevolent dark vibe that leaves you looking over your shoulder.

Disc 2 gives us all the remastered tracks and some alternate takes then disc 3 is a previously unreleased live recording from Tokyo where they give us ‘Sodomy And Lust’, ‘An Eye For An Eye’, ‘One Step Over The Line’, ‘Deadline’, ‘Agent Orange’, ‘Skinned Alive’, ‘Shellfire Defense’, ‘The Crippler’, ‘Bullet In The Head’, ‘Wachturm’, ‘Body Parts’ and a brilliant version of Bryan Adams’ ‘Kids Wanna Rock’ just for shits n giggles. This shows perfectly the energy that was in the band at the time and whoever mixed it needs a medal because it sounds awesome. Disc’s 4 and 5 are a couple of other unreleased live recordings from Dusseldorf and Cologne that are not a patch on the Tokyo gig, but they do include different sets which have the likes of ‘Ausgebombt’, ‘Bombenhagel’, ‘Exhibition Bout’, ‘Remember The Fallen’ and the classic ‘The Saw Is The Law’- although without the ‘Surfin’ Bird’ intro.

Overall, a wonderful package and a fitting tribute to the sadly departed Chris Witchhunter (Christian Dudek) who died in 2008. For me this was a bright shining light amongst some utter shyte released in the 90’s. Sodom didn’t go with the fashion unlike a lot of bands I could mention. Instead, they stayed true to their roots and produced an absolute classic.

Track Lists –

‘Tapping The Vein’ – Remaster and Redux versions

1 – Body Parts

2 – Skinned Alive

3 – One Step Over The Line

4 – Deadline

5 – Bullet In The Head

6 – The Crippler

7 – Wachturm

8 – Tapping The Vein

9 – Back To War

10 – Hunting Season

11 – Reincarnation

‘Live In Tokyo 1992’ – previously unreleased

1 – Sodomy And Lust

2 – An Eye For An Eye

3 – One Step Over The Line

4 – Deadline

5 – Agent Orange

6 – Skinned Alive

7 – Shellfire Defense

8 – The Crippler

9 – Bullet In The Head

10 – Wachturm

11 – Body Parts

12 – The Kids Wanna Rock

13 – Body Parts – Alternative Remix

14 – Wachturm – Alternative Remix

15 – Reincarnation – Alternative Remix

‘Live In Dusseldorf 1992’ previously unreleased

1 – Sodomy And Lust

2 – An Eye For An Eye

3 – Skinned Alive

4 – One Step Over The Line

5 – Exhibition Bout

6 – Ausgebombt

7 – Remember The Fallen

8 – The Saw Is The Law

9 – Wachturm

10 – Bombenhagel

‘Live In Cologne 1992’ previously unreleased

1 – Sodomy And Lust

2 – An Eye For An Eye

3 – Agent Orange

4 – Skinned Alive

5 – Better Off Dead

6 – Ausgebombt

7 – One Step Over The Line

8 – The Crippler

9 – Bullet In The Head

10– Wachturm

11– Bombenhagel