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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
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3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
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Band
Sodom
Title
The Final Sign of Evil
Type
LP/EP
Company
SPV/Steamhammer
YOR
2007
Style
Thrash
9/8/2008 - Review by: Vinaya Saksena

Sodom
The Final Sign of Evil

Company: SPV
Release: 2007
Reviewer: Vinaya
Genre: Thrash

  • Hilariously bad



  • Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear! Now this is just too much. Having long harbored a passing interest in thrash, I thought it would behoove me to check out one of the bands considered among the German contingent of the genre's originators. Yes, Sodom's music is fairly new to me, and yes I am aware that many fans are already griping that this re-recording and expanding of the band's In the Sign of Evil debut EP from '84 isn't exactly their best work. And for the band's sake, it's a good thing this information has gotten out somewhat via their fans, because on evidence of this album alone, the idea of these guys as innovators in the thrash and black metal subgenres (or anything else for that matter) would be, frankly, laughable.

    On its own face value, in fact, The Final Sign of Evil is just that--an absolute hoot. Much like those pentagram-bearing Venom albums of old, this masochistic twelve-tracker is so hilariously bad that, through a truly twisted set of ears (and accompanying sense of humor), it's good! The vocals are troll-like, the guitars loveably muddy and erratic, and the playing of long-lost drummer Chris Witchhunter is just about the sloppiest I've heard on a CD with worldwide distribution in recent years--and understandably pretty low in the mix. The lyrics are a violent, Satan-courting joke, almost like the first Running Wild album without the intelligence and command of the English language.

    Of course, the informal nature of this release means that not much more can or really should be expected. The motivation behind it was apparently bringing In the Sign of Evil to its originally intended full-length status and allowing one last hurrah for the original lineup, so I guess it serves its purpose. And through the bush-league racket of tracks like 'Blasphemer," 'Bloody Corpse" and the awkwardly titled "Burst Command 'til War" (huh?), it also serves to entertain in a perverse fashion, like a Muppet throwing a drunken tantrum. Gotta love it!



    • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
      1.5 :AVE RATING

    ALL REVIEWS FOR: SODOM
    TITLE
    DOR
    COMPANY
    REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
    Lords Of Depravity P1
    2006
    SPV/Steamhammer
    Eric Compton3/14/2006
    -
    The Final Sign of Evil
    2007
    SPV/Steamhammer
    Vinaya Saksena9/8/2008
    1.5

    ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: SODOM
    INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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