Sodom is a thrash metal band from the western German industrial town of Gelsenkirchen, formed by Tom Angelripper and Frank “Aggressor” Terstegen in 1981. Going through several line-up changes, vocalist and bassist Tom Angelripper is the only constant member of the band. Sodom is one of the “big four” of Teutonic thrash metal along with Kreator, Destruction, and Tankard.

They were mostly influenced by bands like Motörhead, Tank, and Venom. Reportedly named after Venom’s song “One Thousand Days in Sodom”, the band continued as a three-piece in the Motörhead-fashion. Sodom’s earlier style greatly influenced many late 1980s and early 1990s black metal bands. In the Sign of Evil is regarded as an important early black metal release.

After their first full-length album titled Obsessed by Cruelty, Frank Blackfire joined the band to fill the guitar spot Michael Wulf had left behind. Sodom replaced their Satanic and occult image with War theme and thrash metal style. The new lyrical inspiration culminated into their second studio album, Persecution Mania, where the band’s gas-masked mascot Knarrenheinz appeared for the first time on the artwork. Their 1989 album Agent Orange made Sodom the first German thrash metal band to enter the charts and sold 100,000 copies in Germany alone.

After problems within the band, Blackfire left Sodom. Former Assassin’s guitarist Michael Hoffmann joined the band as the replacement. With a new line-up, the band released the album Better off Dead in 1990. During the album’s tour, Hoffmann decided to quit. Andy Brings replaced him, and the fifth studio album was recorded, Tapping the Vein, with more of a death metal style. In 1992, Drummer Chris Witchunter was kicked out of the band. The next three albums bypass the death metal sound of Tapping the Vein in favor of a more crossover-influenced approach.

From 1997 to 2010, Sodom had a consistent line-up of Tom Angelripper, drummer Bobby Schottkowski, and guitarist Bernemann. After the album ‘Til Death Do Us Unite, Sodom unleashed their ninth studio album, Code Red, which was a full return to the Teutonic thrash metal sound of the 1980s. In 2001, Sodom released a concept album titled M-16 about the Vietnam War. They also released a self-titled album in 2006. The record label Steamhammer floated the idea to Tom Angelripper to get ex-members Chris Witchhunter and Grave Violator to re-record In the Sign of Evil with the new tracks and the result became The Final Sign of Evil. Chris Witchhunter passed away on 7 September 2008 from liver failure after a long battle with illness.

In 2018, Tom Angelripper announced the new Sodom’s lineup as a four-piece. He was rejoined by guitarist Frank Blackfire and added Yorck Segatz as the band’s second guitarist.

Members

Current

Tom Angelripper – bass (1981–present), vocals (1984–present)
Frank Blackfire – guitars (1987–1989, 2018–present)
Yorck Segatz – guitars (2018–present)
Toni Merkel – drums (2020–present)

Past

Chris Witchhunter – drums (1981-1992, 2007-2008)
Frank Testegen – vocals, guitars (1981–1984)
Rainer Focke – drums (1981)
Grave Violator – guitars (1984–1985)
Michael “Destructor” Wulf – guitars (1985–1986)
Uwe Christophers – guitars (1986)
Uwe Baltrusch – guitars (1989–1990)
Michael Hoffmann – guitars (1990)
Andy Brings – guitars (1991–1995)
Guido Richter – drums (1993–1996)
Dirk Strahlmeier – guitars (1995–1996)
Bernd “Bernemann” Kost – guitars (1996–2018)
Bobby Schottkowski – drums (1997–2010)
Markus “Makka” Freiwald – drums (2010–2018)
Stefan “Husky” Hüskens – drums (2018–2020)