SODOM release new single 'Witchhunter' as tribute to late drummer
04-06-2025
German thrash metal veterans SODOM have released a lyric video for their new song “Taphephobia”. The track will appear on the band’s upcoming studio album “The Arsonist”, which will arrive on June 27 worldwide through SPV/Steamhammer.
Watch “Taphephobia” below.
SODOM frontman Thomas “Angelripper” Such says: “Taphephobia is an abnormal phobia of being buried alive as a result of being incorrectly pronounced dead. Drummer Toni Merkel, who is also an excellent guitarist, contributed this song and helped to make the album even more versatile.”
Tom says: “Frank contributed those typical SODOM riffs and hooks again, whereas York favors more epic songwriting. As a perfect complement to both of them, Toni, who is also an excellent guitarist, contributed a number of songs and helped to make the album even more versatile.”
Watch the previously released Witchhunter and “Trigger Discipline” below.
Tracklisting:
1. The Arsonist
2. Battle Of Harvest Moon
3. Trigger Discipline
4. The Spirits That I Called
5. Witchhunter
6. Scavenger
7. Gun Without Groom
8. Taphephobia
9. Sane Insanity
10. A.W.T.F.
11. Twilight Void
12. Obliteration Of The Aeons
13. Return To God In Parts
“The Arsonist” will be released on June 27th, 2025 worldwide through SPV/Steamhammer as CD digipak, 2LP version, download and stream: https://Sodom.lnk.to/
SODOM live 2025
21.06. DK-Copenhagen – Copenhell
03.07. DE-Ballenstedt – Rock Harz Festival
In a Januari 2025 interview with Ghost Cult Magazine, bassist/vocalist Thomas “Angelripper” Such of German thrash metal veterans SODOM spoke about the band’s plans for 2025. He said in part: ”I wanna slow down everything in next year. I don’t wanna stop with the band, but I wanna slow down a little bit. It’s like (SLAYER bassist/vocalist) Tom Araya — I need more time for my family, I need more time for my hunting and I need more time for my friends and I need more time for myself. So I have to slow down a little bit.
“I need a break, because after the pandemic, we did so many shows and we did so many things because I’m busy every day with the stuff,” he explained. “I’m working 12 hours a day, maybe more. I get some health issues — I get the same, like Tom Araya, with my spine, with my neck, my ears, my eyes. I have to fix it. But I need more time. But if you’re on the road every day and all the time, you can do nothing. So we’ll see what happens. We wanna wait for the new album and wanna wait for the reaction. And we’ll see what happens.”
Angelripper added: ”If I don’t have so much shows in the next year, I have more time for the back catalog, I have more time for the new album, I have more time for this, for that. I never stopped doing my job and I never stopped doing my work, but I can’t tour so much next year. That is a problem, because you have one show or two shows in South America and you are on tour for 10 days. You waste time on airports, on hotels, on soundchecks, whatever. I need to take care of my time. I need to take care of myself.”
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