When calculating all of Sodom’s albums, The Arsonist, comes in at album #18, even with their covers albums, etc.. The long-running Teutonic German thrash metal band has had some clunkers along the way; however, Genesis XIX, from 2020, their last original full-length, showcased the band on fire ,especially with incorporating blast beats and showing a vim and vigor harkening back to their 80’s/90’s material. When Frank Blackfire returned to the fold in 2018, Angelripper was more than happy and with Yorck Segatz also on guitars and Toni Merkel’s blistering drum work.

The Arsonist slays from beginning to end. Just check out the album cover with their brutal mascot, for decades, Knarrenheinz, laying waste to the war-stung area with his flame thrower. Brutal and throw in a song aptly titled “Witchhunter”, who was the band’s original drummer for many a year ago, who passed away in 2008 – RIP Christian Johannes Dudek!! This tune has a great Motörhead punky thrash sound to it.

The title track is a short intro that blasts right into “Battle of Harvest Moon”. This song slays, and the album boasts a better drum sound than the previously mentioned album named above. With the isolated guitar riff and then right into the brutal thrash, Angelripper, even lets out a little death grunt, which signals a bit of a return to their death metal roots. Think Code Red for this one. The band is literally on fire as Blackfire then lays waste to all with a scorching guitar solo as the thrash beat never lets up and then some killer drum work as the song gets into a chest-thumping anthemic beat and Angelripper’s ever-present bass guitar is in yo face! This is an intense song and would be a killer set opener.

“Gun Without Groom” showcases the more extreme side of Sodom, which they continue to dabble in, as they did with the last album. The song starts immediately with the thrash beat, fast and tight with killer drum rolls. The chorus is then spitted and vomited forth over a blast beat. This definitely has a death metal vibe to it and the song then settles back into the scorching thrash metal speed with terrific guitar riffing. As you try and hold your breath the breakneck faster parts with the chorus return. “Sane Insanity” is another monster opening with a bombastic guitar riff and Angelripper signing in his lower registers as the galloping thrash attack continues then slows down and speeds back up. The smashing parts at the 54-second mark with the cymbals, etc..deliver some noisy chaos. These parts return, as do more killer guitar solos and Tom allowing his lower registers to breathe a lot on this song.

There are not too many slower songs; however, “Obliteration of the Aeons” is a nice brooding tune that begins a bit doomy, then speeds up with a galloping thrash speed, then slows back down. Very cool guitar melodies add to the depth of the song. The chorus moment, with the slow down, delivers a punch to the gut as it meanders back into the galloping speed. The rhythm section shines throughout this song and this is a damn heavy track.

The Arsonist shines from beginning to end and incorporates all the wonderful elements Sodom knows how to deliver when firing on all cylinders, as they clearly are on this. From scorching thrash songs to killer guitar solos and meaningful lyrics, which are modernized to go with what is currently happening in the world. The band further locks it in with a great production and album cover, and shows us all why Sodom continues to remain at the top of the thrash metal heap.

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