Sodom + Metal Inquisitor + No Sissy Suff (Germany, 21.12.02)
Juz-Live-Club, Andernach, Germany, 21.12.02
At the beginning of 2002 in Andernach, not far from where I live, the Juz-Live-Club opened ist gates, used as youth centre and live club. Having a capacity of 600-800 people, it brought me some great gigs in 2002, among others SUBWAY TO SALLY, DESASTER, DESTRÖYER 666, BOLT THROWER, KREATOR, DESTRUCTION and many more. Early that year SODOM also had been a guest there, together with KREATOR and DESTRUCTION and they promised to be back to Andernach soon after a great gig. And see there, early November I could read on the homepage that SODOM are marching again, so there was no holding back for me anymore. This time they did not have the two killer combos KREATOR and DESTRUCTION in their backpack, but the two local bands METAL INQUISITOR from Koblenz and the 4 girls of NO SISSY STUFF from Andernach.
The latter of course had a home crowd this evening, even though at the beginning of their set there were not that many fans up front. Why? The girls look really good. Musically they played their complete album "Last Poem" (see also my review), which offers a lot from pure Heavy Metal over Death Metal up to folky influences. The crowd that had been rather stiff at the start got more active by the minute, just like the band. Each song got its applause and after the drumsolo or drummer Gudrun some could not get their jaw up again. Great how this girl hammers away on her kit. From me thumbs up for NO SISSY STUFF, they could just get a little more active on stage!
Next up METAL INQUISITOR entered the stage and with their singer had a really bouncy guy, somehow he reminded me of GAMMA RAY's Kai Hansen, just two heads taller. I had not known anything of their song material, so I let myself be surprised. And I did not get disappointed. The band plays a mix of pure Heavy and Mid-Eighties Thrash Metal. Nothing to complain about the execution or the fun factor, will get the album, because I really liked the songs. The crowd really awakened here and the first headbangers let their hair fly. Just the right warming up for what was coming up!
The Thrash gods SODOM! As the band set foot on the stage, an incredible tension built up right away. Without losing any words, the band furiously set off with "Among The Weirdcong". Now the people got into motion right away and a big pit formed immediately, which even grew during the following "The Vice Of Killing" off their "Code Red" album. Then Mr Angelripper handed out some nice welcome words to the fans and then announced "Wachturm". This song always is a fan favourite in Andernach as here we have a "HOCHBURG" of Jehova's Witnesses! Which definitely cannot laugh about the lyrics, *g*. The fans had their fun with it for sure. SODOM didn't let go during the rest of the set and fired off one Thrash grenade after the other. The sound was fat and compared to earlier times SODOM in the current line up also technically are royal! You could greatly bang to "The Saw Is The Law", "Sodomized", "Die Stumme Ursel", "Remember The Fallen", "Ausgebombt" and the ancient hymn "Outbreak Of Evil". The reaction was good and on an extremely aggressive level.
Besides "M-16" from their "new" album and some other songs, especially the obligatory "Bombenhagel" and the MOTÖRHEAD-cover "Ace Of Spades" brought some real motion into the pit again towards the end. During the, of course, expertly executed songs you always could see a guy with a camera, who captured the action on and in front of the stage. In between Tom Angelripper lifted the secret and told us that they currently are busy collecting material for their upcoming live DVD. That made the fans go nuts completely and let's see, if I'll be able to see myself on it soon. Looking forward to it. In any way SODOM fully thrashed the competition with this gig and left the fans happy, but exhausted to stumble outside into the cold night. For me one of the greatest concerts of the past year, this band is just great live. Should the guys come again, I'll be there. Big praise also on the Live-Club security, who've done a really good job. (Online February 21, 2003)
