Celebrating 35 Years(!) of Sodom’s Persecution Mania!

Persecution Mania, the second studio album from German thrash royalty Sodom, was released on 1st December 1987 via Steamhammer / SPV. The album – while still heavily rooted in the black metal style adopted on their debut Obsessed By Cruelty – marked the moment Sodom became a thrashing force to be reckoned with!

Opening with the vicious “Nuclear Winter”, Persecution Mania instantly set out its stall as Tom Angelripper (vocals and bass), Frank Blackfire (guitars) and Witchhunter (drums) looked to political, social and war themes for inspiration.

This would become a consistent motif as time went on but was arguably perfected at the first time of asking with “Electrocution”, the title track itself and, particularly, “Bombenhagal” delivering the goods as Sodom went about delivering the tightest, meanest, leanest, collection of songs in their career.

As already intimated, Sodom‘s 2nd full length album marked a notably drastic change of sound from the clattering black metal of 1986’s Obsessed By Cruelty, to the kind of thrash metal that continues to define Sodom’s persona some 35+ years later. However, for all the plaudits and notable progression in maturity, Persecution Mania would be considered Sodom’s greatest achievement if it weren’t for the arrival of the outstanding Agent Orange just 2 years later…..but, for now, we’ll settle for celebrating 35 years of Persecution Mania; a most feral beast!

Sodom:

• Tom Angelripper – vocals, bass
• Frank Blackfire – guitars
• Chris Witchhunter- drums