All wars must come to an end. For the Deciblog and Sodom, this week is our final week we assault to your sensitive senses in the form of streaming thrash metal madness from our favorite German legacy act. Though Kreator and Destruction get props, too.
For week 7, we’re capping off things with a two shotgun salute with “Knarrhenheinz” & “Styptic Parasite”. These are the last two cuts on Sodom’s new album, In War and Pieces, which, as you’ll find if you read the full post, is out now in fine record stores and online hovels (sorry, must defend the brick and mortar dudes as mush as possible).
If you’ve missed the previous posts and we begrudge for doing so, just search for Sodom in the search bar. We promise all search results are SFW. But before you venture into our dirty-clean vaults to stream some awe-inspiring Teutonic thrash, check out the track explanations from Mr. Angelripper.
About “Knarrenheinz”: “In actual fact is produced by coincidence. When we rehearsed this song, I didn’t have any idea for the lyrics. As sample vocals I shouted “Knarrenheinz” into the microphone, which my co-musicians liked a lot. The idea was born instantly to dedicate this song to our long-time mascot. He decorates lots of our album covers. Since 1987. The guitar riffs are really fast, as well as the singing, which have nothing to do with songs like “Ausgebombt” or “Bombenhagel”, but presses ahead with the tradition to sing German lyrics and pull out all the stops time and again. I think, this song almost is the reincarnation of evil, and even I break out in cold sweat when I listen to it. The lyrics describe the scenes on our album covers and Knarrenheinz’s adventures in the fight for a better world.”
About “Styptic Parasite“: “At the end of the album a true groovy thunderstorm with razor-sharp guitar riffs and constantly pumping drum beats awaits us. This song takes stock of, and illustrates in an impressive way, what we’ve been living and suffering for almost 30 years: METAL! It is an eternal fusion of all the musical influences of each one of us – simple, unapologetic and intended to save part of the spirit of days long gone. The close seems chaotic, remains elusive and leaves quite some space for interpretation, which we artists would like to concede to you.
“No one is born evil. Society, personal environment and not least the commercial media landscape are able to suspend the moral and ethical values of many people. Sex and violence still are guarantors for high audience ratings, which – like many other things – reflect the material domination of our society. Through commerce and greed, the personality of the individual becomes increasingly minor, and its contribution to our social community is only measured by its financial due. Each man chooses a different way to cope with this situation. In fact, the human being, his emotional state and self-realization is neglected or even oppressed. Man is forced to subdue his needs by the pressure to perform and work beyond his performance limits. Many people retreat, but some show the feelings which exist in the depths of their inner lives. This can be expressed in many different ways. It’s not really unnatural to express aggressions and give free rein to one’s rage.
“The different personalities only differ in the way they handle and restrain their aggressions and in the strength of their self-control. Of course this also depends on personality traits. Aggressions can manifest themselves externally, but also internally. That’s why the song begins with the words “Distinction of hatred finally revealed the fears that you dread”, because hatred and aggressions often are only a sign of insecurity and fear. Certain dispositions pander the development of an “evil man”, whose sorrow and anger are directed against other individuals. But hopefully we all agree that there’s evil inside all of us. Aware of this, we can try to evolve a competence in handling this, which many of us fail to. This becomes clear with the line “unseen or in disguise”. This wrath, desperation and fear may exist in every one of us, but remains unseen most of the time or puts on a masquerade by confident appearance and establishing in the social system. It could also be a literal disguise in the form of an office suit, which many people wear at work. But it sometimes does not remain unseen and people backslide, kill, hurt themselves, commit suicide – again and again society is claiming victims like that. They show us: ‘There’s evil spreading out of my soul’.”
“The Art of Killing Poetry”
[audio:https://www.decibelmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Sodom-Knarrhenheinz.mp3]
“Styptic Parasite”
[audio:https://www.decibelmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Sodom-Styptic-Parasite.mp3]
LAST CONTEST WEEK LOSERS: That’s not all we have in store for you Sodomites (sorry, couldn’t resist) the world over. Nope. We added a nice little incendiary cherry on top of the sputtering cans of “mommy I want to go home now”. That’s right. Each week, dB*** and SPV/Steamhammer will be giving away one (1) copy of Sodom’s In War and Pieces on blood red gate-fucking-fold vinyl. Winners have already been announced (see below).
What do you have to do?
1. Listen to Sodom.
2. Email us at this email: [email protected].
That’s it! Two steps and you could be a lucky vinyl-celebrating bastard. Include your first name, last name, address, and email in your message.
WINNER WEEK 1: Stephen M. from Belle, WV.
WINNER WEEK 2: Tim A. from Kettering, OH.
WINNER WEEK 3: Nevin P. from Berwyn, IL.
WINNER WEEK 4: Dustin B. from Monroe, LA.
WINNER WEEK 5: Rudy L. from El Paso, TX.
WINNER WEEK 6: Jordan B. from Harrisonburg, VA.
** Sodom’s new album, In War and Pieces, is out now on SPV/Steamhammer.
*** Fulfillment of contest prizes not by Decibel Magazine, The Deciblog or Red Flag Media.