Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty (1986)

Sodom - Obsessed by Cruelty (1986)

Tracklist front / back album covers

U.S. version

Side Obsessed

1. "Intro"   1:53

2. "Deathlike Silence"   5:06

3. "Brandish the Sceptre"   2:56

4. "Proselytism Real"   3:31

5. "Equinox"   3:32

Side Cruelty

6. "Obsessed by Cruelty"   5:47

7. "Fall of Majesty Town"   4:01

8. "Nuctemeron"   3:00

9. "Pretenders to the Throne"   2:39

10. "Witchhammer"   2:02

11. "Volcanic Slut"   3:21

Total length:   37:48

German version

Side one

1. "Intro (The Rebirth...)"   0:56

2. "Deathlike Silence"   5:18

3. "Brandish the Sceptre"   2:56

4. "Proselytism Real"   3:25

5. "Equinox"   3:36

6. "After the Deluge"   4:54

Side two

7. "Obsessed by Cruelty"   5:05

8. "Fall of Majesty Town"   4:04

9. "Nuctemeron"   3:02

10. "Pretenders to the Throne"   2:37

11. "Witchhammer"   1:36

12. "Volcanic Slut"   2:58

Total length:   40:27

 

Sodom Band Members / Musicians

Tom Angelripper – vocals, bass

Destructor – guitar (except "After the Deluge")

Ahäthoor (Uwe Christophers) – guitar (on "After the Deluge")

Witchhunter – drums

Production

Bobby Bachinger – engineering

Obsessed by Cruelty is the debut full-length studio album and the second release by German thrash metal band Sodom, released in 1986. Two different versions of the album exist, the European and the American, which were released by Steamhammer and Metal Blade Records.

Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen, formed in 1981. They have gone through many lineup changes, leaving bassist/vocalist Tom Angelripper as the only constant member. The band is currently composed of Angelripper, guitarists Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (who was a member of Sodom from 1987 to 1989 and rejoined in 2018) and Yorck Segatz, and drummer Toni Merkel. Along with Kreator, Destruction and Tankard, Sodom has been referred to as one of the "Big Four" of Teutonic thrash metal. While three of those bands (except Tankard) created a sound that would influence the death metal and black metal genres, Sodom's early music style would greatly influence many late 1980s and early 1990s black metal bands more than others.

Sodom has released seventeen studio albums, three live albums, two compilation albums and seven EPs. They achieved their first commercial success with their fourth studio album Agent Orange (1989), which was one of the first thrash metal albums to enter the German album charts, where it reached number 36. Their most recent studio album, Genesis XIX, was released on 27 November 2020. Sodom is one of the best-selling thrash metal acts of all time, having sold over two million records.

Sodom Band Members / Musicians

Tom Angelripper – bass (1981–present), vocals (1984–present)

Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik – lead guitar (1987–1989, 2018–present), rhythm guitar (1987–1989)

Yorck Segatz – rhythm guitar (2018–present)

Toni Merkel – drums (2020–present)

Christian "Witchhunter" Dudek – drums (1981–1992) (died 2008)

Frank "Aggressor" Testegen – vocals, guitars (1981–1984)

Rainer "Bloody Monster" Focke – drums (1981)

Josef "Grave Violator" Dominic – guitars (1984–1985)

Michael "Destructor" Wulf – guitars (1985–1986) (died 1993)

Uwe Christophers – guitars (1986) (died 2022)

Uwe Baltrusch – guitars (1989–1990)

Michael Hoffmann – guitars (1990)

Andy Brings – guitars (1991–1995)

Guido "Atomic Steiff" Richter – drums (1993–1996)

Dirk "Strahli" Strahlmeier – guitars (1995–1996) (died 2011)

Bernd "Bernemann" Kost – guitars (1996–2018)

Bobby Schottkowski – drums (1997–2010)

Markus "Makka" Freiwald – drums (2010–2018)

Stefan "Husky" Hüskens – drums (2018–2020)

Sodom Discography Full

1986 Obsessed by Cruelty

1987 Persecution Mania

1989 Agent Orange

1990 Better Off Dead

1992 Tapping the Vein

1994 Get What You Deserve

1995 Masquerade in Blood

1997 'Til Death Do Us Unite

1999 Code Red

2001 M-16

2006 Sodom

2007 The Final Sign of Evil

2010 In War and Pieces

2013 Epitome of Torture

2016 Decision Day

2020 Genesis XIX