Sodom Interview
By Lilith
Welcome to Metalheads Forever Magazine! How have you been?
I have been very busy the last month. After splitting up with the guys, I had to react very soon, the get the new line-up back in business. We spent a lot of time in our new rehearsal room to fix the new setlist and to start the new song arrangements.
First of all, after dropping Decision Day back in 2016 you’re about to be back just in the perfect time with another album. Since when have you been planning for it?
After the release of decision day, I got an option from our label SPV for an upcoming album. That was the point where I start planning the next songwriting and studio activities.
You probably have heard it a million times already but the way you made Decision Day retain that old school, classic Sodom sound along with the contemporary was just amazing. Despite the lineup changes how do you still hold your sound so intact after all these years?
I think the main difference is the way we produced this album. We recorded in different studios and rehearsal rooms. Each song was pre-produced and gave us the opportunity to change something if it was necessary. The producers (corny) studio is located in the near of my hometown. That is also a big advantage in the recording process. Corny is an old-school sodom fan and knows exactly what to do to get the typical organic sodom sound.
Pardon me for prying out of excitement but in what time of the upcoming year can we hope for the album to be released? Have you decided on a name yet?
At the time we are rehearsing new songs and ideas, but we want to work it out without any time-pressure, so we don`t talk about a release date with the record company. But, if everything will be prepared we try to release at the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020. I realize that the upcoming album could be the most important in my career. I want to make sure, that everything will be perfect and satisfying.
Your lyrics evidently seem to center more on real-life events and the things happening in today’s world. This definitely makes the audience feel more relatable to the music, doesn’t it? So any hint about what is likely to be the concept of your new album?
Yes, you`re right. But I don`t really know if the fans are getting evolved with lyrics. The music is superficial to them. But they know that there is a message. I try to handle the daily news in a lyrical way. Real life is the biggest inspiration and that will also be a big part of the next album. We are living in a world that is getting out of control. That makes me sick. Whom we can trust? All the words of freedom are gone unheard, so I am really scared about our future…I cannot change all the things, because I am not politically active. But have the chance to scream my rage out on stage…that`s like a therapy for me and keeps me to survive.
You’re known to be the “Anti-War” band, moving on from the political side, what draws you so much into wars and history?
I am interested in historical wars, military history. Productive themes for writing lyrics. But my main interest is the local history of my hometown. I collect postcards, photos, books and maps about it. After 20 years of collecting I own a huge collection of all these items.
And yes, we are an anti-war band…
So the band has been around for almost three decades, how does it feel like to look back at your earliest days?
The early days were like a revolution against the parents, teachers, and establishment and also against Posers and Poppers, who hate this music. Metal fans were a minority because music like “Deutsche Welle” and “New Wave” was very popular at the beginning of the 80th. I was in a school class with 30 pupils and I was the only one who listened to metal. That was strange, but we respected each other. I think the whole metal scene changed for worse because it’s getting more confusing in these times. This music is established and will ever be. I still miss the good old times
Following the last question, your first album sounded more in the early black/extreme side of metal – no doubt you’ve been influencing all kinds of genres ever since, but what made you change your sound from Persecution Mania onwards?
If you have different producers you will probably have different sounds. After “Obsessed by cruelty” we got in touch with Harris Johns, who recorded and also produced the new songs. That was very helpful because Harris had a lot of ideas to get a better and more professional sound. When we arrived at the studio in berlin to record” in the sign of evil”, we had no experiences to work in a studio with 24-track recorders. The man behind the desk was just an engineer and totaBerlinlly swamped with our music. The record company doesn`t want to spend the money we needed, so we recorded everything in a couple of days…but the result was satisfying to us
Tell us about your gear. I mean, what would you recommend if someone asked you for some advice on how to sound like – well, you.
I use different Bass Guitars (Fernandes Tremor, Warwick Stryker, Ibanez Destroyer), Sansamp Tech21 and a Marshall Amp. EL34…but there are also some secrets I can`t tell you,)
I’ve always wondered what you guys do outside of the band? What music are you into these days?
If I find time outside the music I go for hunting. That’s my big passion. I try to be in my own hunting district at least one time a week. I know that is completely different to the music, but I need this time to refresh and relax. I enjoy every minute in the forest, that gives me so much energy and fresh, organic venison,))
All the best for your new album, and thank you very much for taking out your precious time to talk to me. Leave a message for your fans!
Hope we will return to the US one day. The time is right and so many fans are waiting for us….but, anyway. Thanks for supporting the band all over the decades…see you soon
Your friend
TOM
MHF Magazine/Lilith
