32 years is a long time in anyone’s book. Way too long according to SODOM fans worldwide. But if you ask Tom Angelripper and Andy Brings, those 32 years since the original release of SODOM’s sixth album, “Tapping The Vein”, went by in the blink of an eye. With prices for the original vinyl LP skyrocketing in the collectors world and heated online fan discussions whether the re-release will ever see the light of day, the time has finally come to breathe new life into what appears to be everybody’s favorite album by Sodom, alongside “Agent Orange” and “Persecution Mania”.
“At the time it was just another album for us,“ says only original band member Tom Angelripper, but the Sodomaniacs all over the world made it a cult classic. It’s just sad that Chris Witchhunter is not here anymore to celebrate with us.” Guitar player Andy Brings, who was 20 years old and still in school when he joined the band in 1991, who wrote and recorded his first ever album with Sodom adds: “Bands don’t determine what becomes a cult, the fans do. It just happened, and we are very proud of it. 18-year-olds come up to me these days and tell me how much they love that album.”
So here it is. SODOM’s ‘blue album’ revisited (like any true classic, it can be referred to by only mentioning the color of the artwork, just ask Metallica, Weezer and The Beatles), and the package could not be more complete. With the original album remastered, it also features a complete remixed version done by Andy Brings with some additional alternative takes of three album tracks, plus three live concerts: Tokyo 1992, Düsseldorf 1992 and Cologne 1992 (Chris Witchhunter´s last show with Sodom) in the super deluxe edition. Andy: “We fought and worked very hard for this re-release, I can only hope that it was worth the wait, but I’m pretty sure it will fill every Sodomaniac´s heart with joy.” Tom: “The fans mean everything to us, and this is really just for them. Working on Tapping The Vein again brought back so many memories, both good and bad, but this is who we were 32 years ago. An amazing trip.”
“Tapping The Vein” is the story of youth, life, death, friendship and loyalty. It’s also testament to a time in your life, when everything was new and exciting, and bands and their music was all you had. When metal was pure, raw and wild. You thought that time would never come back. Until now…… SODOM’s deluxe, expanded reissue of “Tapping The Vein” will be available via Noise / BMG on November 15th, 2024.
