Review Summary: Can’t get enough of Persecution Mania? Then this EP will satisfy your thrash needs.
Sodom’s early EPs and demo tapes have become valuable objects for metal collectors over the years, both for their historical significance and their enjoyment value. In the early 80s, the iconic German trio didn’t play their signature belligerent thrash sound, and the war-related lyrics and concepts weren’t impregnated in their songs yet. Similar to the earliest recordings of
Kreator and
Destruction,
Sodom played a music filthy and bloody enough to be considered a precursor of black metal and be mentioned in the same breath as other early black metal staples such as
Venom (one of their major influences along with
Motorhead and
Tank, among others),
Hellhammer /
Celtic Frost and
Bathory. Some of their most essential extended-plays / 'mini-albums' include the obscure and grimy
Witching Metal demo, the gloriously devastating classic
In the Sign of Evil and this little gem present here, the transitional release, the EP that prepared us for the nuclear winter:
Expurse of Sodomy.
One of the reasons that led me to review this
Expurse of Sodomy is to give due recognition to guitarist Frank ''Blackfire'' Gosdzik, the most important and decisive guitar player in the band’s history. In their search for a new guitarist, Blackfire's arrival provided the necessary adjustment to elevate the band's creative status to its highest point. This sudden shift towards a piercing and tighter thrash sound would be reflected in the legendary studio efforts
Persecution Mania and
Agent Orange, the albums where the band went from a trio of teenagers singing
'My life begins at midnight twelve / Masturbate to kill myself' to a worldwide phenomenon and one of the most beloved and respected Teutonic thrash icons. The documentary
Lords of Depravity provides valuable information to understand how this particular lineup was born; potentially influenced by Slayer’s
Hell Awaits, the band moved a little away from the diabolic and perverted image of their humble beginnings to jump into a more refined and technical sound. With a lucrative contract with Steamhammer Records in hand, as well as the help of prestigious thrash producer Harris Johns, the classic union Angelripper / Blackfire / Witchhunter had its birth with the three-song EP
Expurse of Sodomy, released in October of 1987.
Musically, even considering this is the first of Sodom’s countless thrash assaults, the German trio already sound like seasoned veterans and professional players in the genre. The three musicians perform really confidently with this new sound and aren’t afraid to try anything, with each band member bringing something to the table. Thick riffs, flashy solos, skilled bass, precise drumming and unique vocals make the music sound very intensive, hellish and aggressive, and the three songs mold efficiently well together. The band waste no time to put all the meat on the grill with the fan-favorite ''Sodomy and Lust,'' a sinister and fast thrash number which provides some of the band’s crunchier and memorable riffs, accompanied by some impressive fills by drummer Chris Witchhunter and a distinctive, haunting Tom’s vocal interpretation that grabs the listener’s attention immediately.
The following track, ''Conqueror,'' only increases the amounts of force and insane power in a breakneck pace, with more violently distorted riffs and vocalist/bassist Tom Angelripper mastering his trademark harsh and growling vocal style, spitting dark lyrics in a wild and aggressive way slightly reminiscent of the furious and energetic performances on Kreator’s first two studio albums, especially during its strong chorus. Last but not least there's the mini-epic ''My Atonement,'' which starts with a somber and clean guitar introduction accompanied by thundering drums and ominous Gregorian chants, something you would expect from early
Testament or
Ride the Lightning-era
Metallica before building into a slower, mid-paced beast with a majestic vibe and a cruelty during its shredding, relentless guitar breaks in the middle that only Sodom has been able to offer in this and other immortal classics such as ''Magic Dragon,'' ''Reincarnation'' or the macabre one-two punch of ''Procession to Golgatha'' and ''Christ Passion.''
Although 1984’s
In the Sign of Evil has the indisputable position of being Sodom’s most acclaimed EP,
Expurse of Sodomy contains material that no metalhead who considers themselves a fan of the band should do without, and considering that it has been re-issued as a part of 1987’s classic
Persecution Mania, it shouldn’t be a very difficult task to get it. Together with
Kreator's
Flag of Hate,
Destruction's
Mad Butcher and
Tankard's
Alien, Sodom's
Expurse of Sodomy constitutes the catalog of youthful and classic German thrash extended-plays with indispensable non-album tracks, an essential tetralogy of what the Big Teutonic Four represents in general.
