Sodom's Tom Angelripper - My 5 Favorite Albums When I Was a Teenager

Tom Angelripper, longtime leader of German thrash vets Sodom, is here to tell you all about his five favorite albums back when he was a teenager.

Born on Feb. 19, 1963, that puts his teenage years between 1976 and 1982. That was a halcyon era where hard rock gradually morphed into heavy metal and when punk eased the barrier to entry for playing abrasive music with loads of attitude.

What as Tom obsessing over back then? We'll find out in just a moment further down the page!

But first...

What You Need to Know About Sodom

From: Germany

First Album: Obsessed by Cruelty (1986)

New Album: The Arsonist (2025)

It's been more than 40 years since Tom Angelripper started the band, whose earliest releases helped spearhead the black metal movement with those primitive sounds. After Sodom's first full length in 1986, the band's lyrical content shifted from the occult and blasphemy to themes of war, death, religious politics and other things of that nature.

Thrash is so often the perfect vehicle for bringing the horrors of war to life, directly for us all to confront and think about more deeply. That's what Sodom continue to do on The Arsonist, their 16th album, which is out June 27.

The album was recorded on 24-track analog tap as Sodom were delighted to abandon today's digital production values in favor of old school tactics.

"No plastic! The difference in sound compared to today's standard drum productions is amazing and has had a positive effect on all the instruments. Naturally, time and effort as well as costs were also higher, but we're happy to fork out for a superior result," Angelripper boasts.

Sodom, "Witchhunter" Music Video

READ MORE: 10 Bands Whose Bassist Is the Only Original Member Left

The Arsonist is a release many fans will cling to in a special way, unsure if this will prove to be the band's last. Angelripper revealed earlier this year that the band will be going on indefinite hiatus as he seeks to focus on relationships with friends and family at home, as well as his passion for hunting.

Now 62 years old, Angelripper has earned the right to spend his time however he pleases. It's been an incredibly success and influential career and it all started back with the rock and metal albums he loved as a kid, which you can see below!

Get your copy of Sodom's new album 'The Arsonist' from the Loudwire Record Shop via the buy button below. Follow the band on Instagram, X and Facebook.