Few bands convey that old school, groundbreaking spirit as completely as Germany’s iconic Sodom. One of the longest running Extreme Metal institutions, their influence on Black Metal, Speed Metal, Thrash Metal, and Hardcore Punk is vast and immeasurable. That they still kick ass today is a testament to their dedication as well as their refusal to conform or lose power. And that is why they have released the EP 1982; which features a brand new song meant to encapsulate the spirit with which Tom Angelripper began the band as a teen. Released on Friday, November 10, 2023 through Steamhammer / SPV, the EP is a hell of a kick to the teeth from these steely vets.
So many bands from the early days try to recapture that time frame. Many fail. The years change people, and more often than not, it affects their art. One listen to the song “1982” banishes this notion. With a pleasing stomp, Punk-like riffs and the proto-thrash they helped create along with Venom and Hellhammer, this song is instantly at the forefront of their material. Yes, it is that good. Mosh pits will seethe when that fast part kicks in toward the end… just wait.
The rest of the EP consists of re-recordings of their oldest material. This includes, “Witching Metal” which sounds massive here, while still retaining the dirtier raw edge that made it so rebellious. There is also “Victims of Death” from the demo of the same name withholds its rawness in its speed, as does “Let’s Fight (In the Darkness of Hell).” Rounding it out comes “Equinox” from 1986’s Obsessed By Cruelty. The songs are done with all the benefits of four decades of acquired music prowess and means, but damned if Sodom does not preserve and unleash the unbridled spirit of their youth. That is why Cryptic Rock can find no fault here, and gives 1982 5 out of 5 stars.
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