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Sodom (band)




Thereafter their break-through album ''Persecution Mania'' was released with yet another guitarist, Frank Blackfire. A live album ''Mortal Way of Live'' followed. The next album made Sodom famous; ''Agent Orange'' was released in 1989 . This album managed to sell 100,000 copies in Germany alone. Since then, Sodom is one of the three big names of German Thrash metal; the others are Kreator and Destruction . Again a new guitarist was to be found as Blackfire also left the band to join Kreator. The replacement was found in Michael Hoffman.

In this line-up the ''Better Off Dead'' album was released in 1990. During the South American tour however, Hoffman decided to stay in Brazil and therefore was forced to quit. His replacement was found in Andy Brings and a new album was recorded, titled '' Tapping The Vein '', which was more Death Metal influenced than before. This proved to be the last album with the drummer Witchhunter who quit because of lack of interest in metal music. Atomic Steif found his way behind the drumkit.

This line-up now, recorded the next album, ''Get What You Deserve''. Out were the death metal influence, in came the hardcore influences. Despite a terrible album cover, '' Get What You Deserve '' was a major step forward for the band artistically although many fans were disappointed with the new direction. Also, this marked the beginning of less international visibility for Sodom as thrash lost it's commercial viability for the remainder of the 1990's.
At this time Angelripper also started a solo career doing metal impressions of drinking songs, German Schlagers and even Xmassy Carols . Another live album was recorded of the tour in support of this album called ''Marooned - Live''.

In the same vein as the previous album, ''Masquerade in Blood'' was released in 1995. Again another guitarist was to be found. The new axeman was Sthrahli, but he did not stay very long with the band either; he was fired due to drug problems. Also Atomic Steif left and again Angelripper needed to search for new members. These were found in the person of Bernemann on guitars and Bobby Schottkowski on drums.

The album '''Til Death Do Us Unite'' featured a controversial album cover, depicting the belly a pregnant woman and a beer gut of a man pressing a human skull together. Apparently this line-up has stabilised the band significantly and is still current. In 1999 ''Code Red'' was released and formed a return to the sound of the 1980s thrash metal. A limited edition featured a bonus CD containing a tribute to Sodom album called ''Homage to the Gods''. In the same vein, ''M-16'' was released displaying Sodoms interest in the Vietnam War . The title of course refers to the automatic rifle M16 ). A tour followed with the other two big German thrash metal bands Kreator and Destruction.

In 2003, a double live album was recorded in Bangkok , Thailand , titled ''One Night in Bangkok''. A new album simply titled ''Sodom'' is released in 2006, in the same vein as its precedessors ''Code Red'' and ''M-16''. The title was chosen as Angelripper explained because every band needs a self-titled album. The album was however delayed because the DVD ''Lords of Depravity'' took more time to compose that initially thought.

MEMBERS



Current members


  • Tom Angelripper (Thomas Such, Uncle Tom) - Vocals/Bass (''Desperados'')

  • Bobby Schottkowski - Drums (ex-Crows, ex-Tom Angelripper)

  • Bernemann (Bernd Kost) - Guitars (ex-Crows)



Former members

  • Aggressor (Frank Testegen) - Guitars (1983-1984)

  • Grave Violator (Pepi Dominic) - Guitars (1984-1985)

  • Destructor (Michael Wulf) - Guitars (later Kreator ) (1985-1986) R.I.P. in 1993.

  • Assator (Uwe Christophers) - Guitars (ex- Darkness (Ger)) (on tour in 1986)

  • Frank Blackfire (Frank Gosdzik) - Guitars (later Mystic (Bra) and Kreator ) (1987-1989)

  • Uwe Baltrusch - Guitars (on tour in 1989/1990) (also in Mekong Delta , later House Of Spirits )

  • Michael Hoffman - Guitars (ex- Assassin (Ger)) (1990)

  • Andy Brings - Guitars (later Powergod ) (1991-1995)

  • Strahli (Dirk Strahlimeier) - Guitars (1995-1996)

  • Chris Witchhunter (Christian Dudeck) - Drums (1983-1992) (see also Destruction and Bathory )

  • Atomic Steif (Guido Richter) - Drums (later Stahlträger and Assassin (Ger), ex- Sacred Chao , ex- Holy Moses , ex- Living Death , ex- Violent Force ) (1992-1996)



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