Sodom - Genesis XIX review
| Band: | Sodom |
| Album: | Genesis XIX |
| Style: | Teutonic thrash metal |
| Release date: | November 2020 |
01. Blind Superstition
02. Sodom & Gomorrah
03. Euthanasia
04. Genesis XIX
05. Nicht Mehr Mein Land
06. Glock N' Roll
07. The Harponeer
08. Dehumanized
09. Occult Perpetrator
10. Waldo & Pigpen
11. Indoctrination
12. Friendly Fire
If you were anticipating Agent Orange 2.0, this is not it.
After a massive line-up change, you never know what to expect from a band. Almost three years ago, it was announced that drummer Makka and guitarist Bernemann were out of Sodom. Bernemann's departure especially came as a shock because he had the job for more than twenty years, by far the longest time any guitarist had managed to remain in Sodom, a band that before him had a different guitarist playing on almost every album. What was also a big surprise was that Tom Angelripper decided to replace him with two guitarists, one of these being none other than Frank Blackfire, the man behind the legendary riffs and solos of Persecution Mania and Agent Orange.
However, and as much as I love Sodom, I did not jump on the hype train following this news for two reasons: a) because I was a big fan of Bernemann and b) because Blackfire had disappeared from the scene for almost three decades and resurfaced only recently with Assassin. When Angelripper stated that he "would like to start all over again with fresh and hungry musicians", it didn't make sense to me. And Genesis XIX proves that I was right not to get too excited.
The beginning of Genesis XIX is promising. The intro track is not some atmospheric filler but a mid-tempo groovy riff setting the mood nicely, and hands off the baton to "Sodom & Gomorrah", which outlines the blackened speed/thrash idiom slightly better than the hundreds of new bands out there trying to recapture that particular sound. "Euthanasia" is fast and aggressive as well and boasts the best solo of the album. The title track (which was also featured on the Out Of The Frontline Trench EP) is the album highlight, with some really good riffs and a nice "Agent Orange"-throwback part after the solo. It is indeed a song that proves that the words 'long' and 'thrash' can go together. However, after this point is where the problems begin.
While there are moments in some songs that are memorable, like the haunting melodies and the Araya-like screams of "Glock 'N' Roll", there is also too much cringe in this album, like the ending of "Nicht Mehr Mein Land" which is rehashed, second-rate Slayer. Moreover, too many songs as whole entities are largely forgettable. Tracks like "The Harpooneer" and "Waldo & Pigpen" have similar structure and duration with "Genesis XIX" but are not nearly as engaging as the latter. "Indoctrination" proves that 'fast' can also be 'generic' and "Occult Perpetrator" is just a lacklustre mid-tempo track with gang shouts; I mean, what do you need the gang shouts for in a song that really doesn't even get you excited enough to get up from a chair, let alone raise your fist, headbang and shout along? The closer, "Friendly Fire" is made for mosh pit lovers, it is a fantastic track but it arrives too late I am afraid.
I cannot explain why Sodom needed to have two guitarists, since there is nothing on the guitar front that is so exciting on this album to justify that decision, especially when the band has done much more interesting things as a trio. I often find that when Genesis XIX is quick-paced it is neither menacing nor interesting enough and when it is groovy it is not catchy enough. And it doesn't sound either hungry or fresh. The drumming in particular is really boring and, combined with the generic riffing and the uninspired soloing, it makes for an album that just hurts my jaw from the excessive yawning.
In the space of five years Sodom released four very different albums from each other that, to me, must be part of every thrash fan's collection. There was the blackened speed/thrash dynamite (Persecution Mania), the absolute masterpiece of thrash metal (Agent Orange), the thrash 'n' roll rocker (Better Off Dead), and the face-melting death/thrasher (Tapping The Vein). Now, I was not so naïve as to expect another Persecution Mania or Agent Orange just because Blackfire is back. But I expected the material to be at least as good as it was with Bernemann most of the time. Genesis XIX is not only way too inferior to Code Red, M-16 or Sodom that were released a long time ago but it is also far below the standard set by its predecessor, Decision Day.
What a disappointment.
 | Written on 21.12.2020 by Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud! |
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Comments: 38
Visited by: 225 users
| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 8629  |
*grabs popcorn*
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 61010  |
I like 2 guitar idea, can compose and are better chances fix good music, 1 guitar band somehow cant do much, Raven, Anvil, even motorhead needet one more, to mix better riffs, meliodies. 80's and youth worked fine, but to me this is better as what band did in 90's n 00's
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''  apos;'[image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Daniell _爱情_ Elite Posts: 6061  |
Written by RaduP on 21.12.2020 at 14:22 I don't think many people will rush in to defend this turd. It would take a completely infatuated, deaf fanboy to sing praise for this album. Sodom is the European equivalent of Testament - one of the most overrated classic thrash bands. Mind you, I used to be a huge fan of Sodom, but it was ages ago. After "Better Off Dead" they never released a really great album. And even before that, there were only two really good releases: "Persecution Mania" and "Agent Orange", of which I like the former much better. What put me off about "Agent Orange" was its obvious fascination with American thrash. Still, I like this album alot. "Persecution Mania" is Sodom's best, also because they were trying to do their own thing, without looking up to 'Murica.
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 8629 |
Written by Daniell on 21.12.2020 at 15:24 This was our highest rated album for 2020 for a while. It's still in a pretty good position with about 150 votes. I'm fairly sure people like this album.
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046  |
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| TheDarkWizard Posts: 59  |
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| Hyamendacil1450 Posts: 73  |
Written by Daniell on 21.12.2020 at 15:24 Implying that Better off Dead was anything great. It was not. Persecution Mania and to a lesser degree, Agent Orange were their best efforts. Their third best album was, ironically Code Red, but the album after it received critical acclaim by riding on its trail, despite the fact that the songwriting was weaker and the production wasn't as powerful. I think people are also a bit hypocritical and overreacting with this album. It is played safe and feels very retro, very 80-ish. It caters to nostalgia, many tunes and riffs feel as if they were unearthed from 80s recording sessions. But then again Sodom has been releasing average albums for over 15 or 20 years, if not more (can't remember when Code Red was released) which mostly consisted of the odd good/great song, 2-3 more solid ones and the rest being filler tracks. The previous album was exactly the same. The one before it also, the same. Another aspect is Tom's deteriorating vocal ability. The vocals sound weak and buried in the mix as well. The scream in track 6 is pitiful. Sodom should get a new vocalist. Not only Sodom has this problem, but also Kreator's Mille's vocals sound funny, almost as if he is witch in heat. Voivod's Snake is in the exact same situation. This is hardly a turd though. Average, mediocre? Of course. Outright awful? Nah. There is FAR worse stuff out there. Compared to that, Sodom's new album is passable. Offers nothing new, but it ain't repulsive to the ear.
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| KaninStryparn Posts: 141  |
To be honest, i haven't heard much of sodom before this album. But i like the album.
---- Heavy Metal is the law that keeps us all united free A law that shatters earth and hell
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 8629 |
Written by KaninStryparn on 21.12.2020 at 16:40 You owe it to yourself to listen to In The Sign Of Evil, Persecution Mania and Agent Orange.
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| KaninStryparn Posts: 141 |
Written by RaduP on 21.12.2020 at 16:55will do!
---- Heavy Metal is the law that keeps us all united free A law that shatters earth and hell
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| AndreMarcos Posts: 218  |
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| musclassia Staff Posts: 7041  |
^nah, but I thought it might be a bit less boring than it was - In War And Pieces was only 10 years ago and is a lot better than this album
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| Roman Doez Hallucigenia Posts: 916  |
Never liked Sodom, even their classic albums, this is just the final nail in the coffin for me
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| skeksis25 Posts: 187  |
Well, its not their best. I enjoyed a lot their previous ones. And i dont consider this band overrated!
---- https://metalstorm.net/users/list.php?list_id=7023
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Haven't listened to this yet myself but you do a good job explaining the reasoning behind your low score so I think it's justified regardless of what my opinion will be. You weren't nearly inflammatory enough to generate a war in the comments section, much to my chagrin. We need a little hate to counteract all that mushy love and affection in the anniversary article.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| sgtrobo Posts: 577  |
Damn, harsh! I like the album, a solid 8/10 for me. I'd say they still are the best German thrash band primarily because Kreator has been so hit-or-miss.
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046 |
To avoid any misunderstandings, I love Sodom and consider them to be a great thrash band, one of my favourites even. The rating of this album and the review is based on the fact that I will never revisit it (I tried it already more than a dozen times and it was a chore every single time - I would not give so many chances to a band that I don't respect an awful lot). I might spin "Sodom & Gomorrah", the title track or "Friendly Fire" again in the future but that's about it. And even this is not very likely since I very rarely listen to individual songs, I don't really do playlists and predominantly listen to whole albums. Yes, I know I have a 2020 playlist in my signature but this is more a way for me to keep track of stuff regarding the MSAs and I also thought others might find it helpful to hear songs that I liked this year. I have never listened to it though, as a playlist. Now, I just reminded myself that I want to add "Friendly Fire" to it. I would really like someone who enjoys this to tell me what it is exactly that they find enjoyable. It is obvious from the album's rating here that the majority's opinion is different to mine and I am curious about what it is that people find in it.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 61010 |
Written by nikarg on 21.12.2020 at 23:44 Its not as I enjoy it as old their old, but only fact I like is 2 guitars, because of there would be one, it would be million times worst. Somehow 2 guitars gave some variation in their sound, a bit rich, its like put meet on fire, or make marinade and spices and take beer.
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;'[image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046 |
Written by Bad English on 22.12.2020 at 08:45 Ok, I see what you are saying but I personally don't hear that richness. As I said in the review, there is nothing on the guitar front that is so exciting to justify having two guitar players. The riffs are largely derivative and some of the solos make Kerry King's solos sound like they were played by Malmsteen. And Tom himself said - when he announced the two guitar players - that the main reason for doing this was to have more options at live shows (which is bullcrap imo). Anyway, in the studio you can do whatever you want even with one guitarist, just look at all these one-man bands. Look at what the guy in Kvaen did, a band you recommended to me, one guitarist and he is absolutely killing it with the instrument. Now, that is rich, not the latest Sodom. It's not a matter of how many, it is a matter of who. At least that's what I think. If you want a thrash example of just one guitarist doing wonders both technically and composition-wise, check out the next issue of Clandestine Cuts.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 61010 |
Written by nikarg on 22.12.2020 at 09:39 Well maybe if there would be one guitar player it would sound worst. After M16 this is best album, IMO, better as Desctruction anyway. But we cant compare this to 1992 Tapping The Vein and before, those were great. Somehow I liked M16 when it was out,
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die'' apos;'[image] I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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| Ball Fondlers Posts: 511  |
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| Enemy of Reality Account deleted |
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| Hyamendacil1450 Posts: 73 |
Written by Guest on 22.12.2020 at 11:37 Thrash has been stale for 2 decades, if not 3 if we refer to the 80s thrash bands only. Expecting anything of quality from the classic thrash bands is like hoping to find fish swimming in sand. There has been the odd good album coming up, such as Sodom's Code Red, but that is the exception. Personally I am more harsh on new, young thrash bands who shamelessly ape the oldies with no intention to refine or innovate. They are content with being cover bands essentially. Kreator has devolved into a cheese-oriented power/thrash metal band. Which partly explains why the band has seen a popularity resurgence and is among the few thrash bands that tend to be liked by power metal fans. Their last 3 albums were stink-bombs. Testament is recycling their own brand of thrash but avoid the trappings of power metal. However, that doesn't say much. Their 2008 reunion album was decent, but what followed after that was a string of below average albums, full of fillers. The band is content to dish out albums without any sort of drive or plan to deliver a measure of quality. The only pro is that Chuck's vocals are never boring nor annoying. Whereas Mille's vocals have seriously devolved. You pinpointed the only good song on this album though, Waldo & Pigpen is good stuff. The only tune worth listening here. There are 3 more sections with brief interesting sections (tracks 4-6), the rest is filler material. Anyway, how do you innovate thrash while confining yourself to its genre limitations? I don't know the answer. Neither do almost all old or new thrash bands.
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| tominator At best deranged Contributor Posts: 1061  |
It's solid and works well enough for background music but it isn't exactly bursting with creativity/inspiration. To be honest the only "thrash metal" record I was really blown away by in the last couple of years was Paladin's record last year. But that's as much (extreme) power metal as it is thrash metal. At least thanks to that mix it was a pretty unique and varied experience. (Especially the vocal department was damn impressive). Best thrash album I've heard this year is probably Schizoprenia's Voices. That was a really nice EP.
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046 |
Written by tominator on 23.12.2020 at 03:09 Yeah, that Paladin record was sweet and power-ful and this year's EP by Schizophrenia is strong, I love the Demolition Hammer influence on it. I also really liked Flotsam And Jetsam and Sacred Reich last year. Still listen to them. Written by Guest on 22.12.2020 at 11:37 Exactly. Written by Hyamendacil1450 on 22.12.2020 at 13:54 Thrash was stale already in the '80s imo. Very few bands stood out and had a unique sound of their own, the rest were just copycats riding on the bandwagon. Some of those copycats were amazing though.
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| tintinb Posts: 1814 |
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046 |
Written by tintinb on 23.12.2020 at 08:55 I couldn't agree more. Sacred Reich came back after 23 freaking years and what did they do? Did they release an hour-long album to fill the gap of all this absence? No. They kept only the good stuff, released a 30-minute album and the result was very, very good. Not all-killer, but definitely no-filler. It's exactly the same thing that Metallica should have done with Hardwired and there are hundreds more examples like that. I guess self-editing is not easy to do.
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| TRB Posts: 1 |
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| nikarg Staff Posts: 7046 |
Written by TRB on 24.12.2020 at 09:13 I don't know how an EP can be compared with an LP. But I would happily listen to the EP again (as opposed to the LP) even though this is mainly due to the fact that it has "Agent Orange" and "Bombenhagel" on it. The production on the EP is slightly grittier, less polished, and I prefer that too. Written by TRB on 24.12.2020 at 09:13 In what way? The only difference I hear is that the 2020 version takes longer to start, the rest is the same.
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| JavierPaper Posts: 218  |
It isn't agent orange 2, but still being a good album, 8/10 for me
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