There were two paths for dyed-in-the-wool metal bands in the early 90s: embrace the grunge mind virus or go into hiding to fight another day. Sodom, however, didn’t go anywhere. If anything, the German metal institution doubled down on its mission to write some of the heaviest music on the planet.
Sodom’s “blue” album Tapping The Vein – recorded amid a world filled with Cobain and Vedder clones – is a defiant middle finger to the industry and a love letter to underground sound. It might even be their best album. Tapping The Vein was recently remastered and will be available in multiple formats on November 15. Sodom is also expected to deliver masters of a new album to their label in December. Founder and vocalist/bassist Tom “Angelripper” Such talked to Decibel about writing a metal classic at a time when many thought metal was dead.
When this record came out in the early 90s, it couldn’t have been a worse time for a band like Sodom. Grunge even killed off hair metal. What was that world like for you?
We just decided to make music for Sodom fans. Lots of bands changed in the early 90s and got more commercial. We wanted to make heavy metal music and didn’t care if it was successful. Some people say this is a death metal album; others think it’s thrash.
Was there any pressure on you from the label or elsewhere to change?
People were saying metal was gone or it was dying. I told the record company we didn’t want to do grunge music. Metal bands that did that didn’t sell more copies, anyway. I thought making a new Sodom album and making the songs as heavy as possible was important. We were the heaviest band in Germany then, and we didn’t want to change anything. What could we change? We are a metal band, and our name is Sodom (laughs).
We just tried to get heavier now that Andy (Brings) was in the band. He played in a completely different style than all of our other guitarists. Many record companies wanted Agent Orange part two. They were disappointed with Better Off Dead.
This album is a cult favorite. When did you decide to reissue and repackage it?
Years ago, actually. BMG now owns the back catalog. I got an email from BMG asking me to reissue Agent Orange. I realized that they had the right to the back catalog. They started with M-16, and they did a great job. Andy had the master tapes (for Tapping The Vein), and we had many recordings from the time. We were able to do a remix. We even had a tape of the last show with (drummer) Chris Witchhunter. Working with the record company, we created a great package. We’re now talking about going over the complete back catalog.
BMG now owns the Noise Records catalog. They seem to be pretty good stewards of the material.
I think so. Our label contact is a big metal fan. He knows what fans want. I got copies of BMG’s Motörhead reissues, which were all well done. It’s the kind of stuff fans want.
How did you remaster Tapping The Vein and not lose the album’s punk energy?
You can’t change too many things. You can add more stereo effects, brilliance, and maybe more bass. A lot of times, the original album will sound better than the remastered one. People now also listen to music on smartphones. We had to do a different remaster for the vinyl version because it sounds different. I think (this version of) Tapping the Vein sounds more “straight to the ear.”
What memories do you have of recording the album?
Some of them are bad. Chris had a big problem with alcohol. His girlfriend was also religious and was trying to get Chris out of the band. We were always wondering if Chris was going to leave the band. He got drunk all the time, even in the studio. He needed two weeks to record the drums, which was very expensive. That said, I think the songs are great. Even now, we include Tapping the Vein songs in the setlist.
How did Andy’s experience with punk affect how you wrote this album and Sodom?
I’m a big punk fan, too. But if you go back to Agent Orange or earlier, there wasn’t much of an influence. When I started listening to metal, I loved punk. The Exploited and Discharge were heavier than metal! Andy was more into things like The Ramones and glam. When he joined the band and we first rehearsed, we did some cover songs. I was impressed one guitar could make so much noise. I remember many songs were done in one session because we had so much energy. It sounds death metal and punk and thrashy.
Was Tapping The Vein ever out of print?
The vinyl version has been sold out for years. It was so expensive. I’d go into the Sodom fan page and there would be a first press selling for 800 euros. We have a blood-filled vinyl for this version, which sold out in minutes. I’m not a big fan of special vinyl or colors. I think black vinyl is excellent. But record companies realize there is a collectors market for everything.
What extras did you put in?
Andy had tapes from a radio station of the last show with Chris. It was a professional recording. I think it was a bad show, and the drums sounded bad. However, Andy and I agreed that the last show with Chris is a historical document. I think the live material makes the package interesting.
What have fans said to you over the years about Tapping The Vein?
I’ve always considered it just another album, but it sounds utterly different from the other stuff. It’s special. It’s Chris’s last album, and it is a sad point for the band. There are so many good songs on it. When you play these songs for people, they still like them. We will add even more Tapping The Vein songs to our next set. I don’t want to do the whole album, but we will play a lot.
What if someone came with a great deal for a live album set?
No (laughs). We did an Agent Orange set at Maryland Deathfest. But the money doesn’t matter. I like sharing the complete Sodom history on stage. People are still asking for an Obsessed by Cruelty set (laughs).
It’s also hard to recreate an entire old album live.
It’s a lot of work, especially for a guitarist.
You’ve mostly done festival appearances in the United States. Are you considering a proper long tour?
I might slow down a bit. Since the pandemic, we’ve toured nonstop. I have problems with my neck like (Slayer bassist and vocalist) Tom Araya. I love traveling, and we could play every week. But I need a break. There were rumors that I was stopping the band, but that’s not true. I need more time with my family, friends, and myself. We’re always on the road, and I work on the band daily. I need to fix some things in my private life. But I will be coming back.
