September 6th, 2026 - A Back Draught for the Arsonist

 

Guten tag and happy Sunday, thrashers, metal maniacs, and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here pairing a delicious Back Draught American Style Pilsner from my friends at Ogden Beer Company and the fast, furious, and heavy hitting "The Arsonist", the most recent album from the mighty Sodom!  Hell yeah!

Album Info:

• Artist: Sodom
• Title: "The Arsonist"
• Recorded: August through December 2024 at "Staudio-Studio" in Essen-Altenessen, Germany and Studio "Zeche König Ludwig" in Recklinghausen, Germany
• Release date: June 27th, 2025 (17th studio album from Sodom)
• Record company: Steamhammer / SPV
• Production: Toni Merkel, Sebastian "Sebel" Breidecker, and Sodom
• Album cover art: Zbigniew Bielak
• Personnel: Tom Angelripper (bass and vocals), Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (guitars) and backing vocals, Toni Merkel (drums and backing vocals), and Yorck Segatz (guitars and backing vocals)
• Guest musicians: Stian Hiller (choir vocals on "Battle Of Harvest Moon" and "Witchhunter") and Alan Kassab (choir vocals on "Battle Of Harvest Moon" and "Witchhunter")
• Musical style: Thrash metal
• Sound: This is classic Sodom... fast, fiery, aggressive as hell, and just as angry, but with a fresh, more modern approach!  Sodom is a juggernaut... Angelripper's vocals are gripping and harsh, and totally perfect!  The guitar work of Blackfire and Segatz is fiery, crushing, and furious!  And Merkel's machine gun drumming coupled with Angelripper's thunderous bass is the embodiment of thrash metal perfection!
• Major themes: War, fire, anger, hate, death, violence, evil, darkness, the occult, power, mythology, etc.
• Tracks: 

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"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Ogden Beer Company (Ogden, Utah) 
• Website: http://www.ogdenbeercompany.com/ 
• Brew: Back Draught American Style Pilsner
• Style: American Pilsner
• Serving: 12 ounce can
• ABV: 5.0%
• Pour: The Back Draught pours a clear, bright golden-yellow hue with a 2-finger, bright white, frothy head with great retention and lots of soapy, sudsy lacing.
• Nose: The nose is a characterized by grainy, malty, and slightly fruity aromas.  There are aromas of freshly cut hay, lightly toasted white bread, Pilsner malt, light biscuit, and a hint of apple.
• Taste: Well-balanced, the Back Draught is a nice blend of bready, grainy, malty, and subtly fruity flavors.  There are notes of toasted white bread, crackery biscuit, .
• Mouthfeel: Light in body and well-carbonated, the mouthfeel is of the Back Draught is crisp and smooth with a dry, clean finish. 

Overall pairing: The inviting and crushable flavors and aromas of the delicious Back Draught American Style Pilsner from Ogden Beer Company is a great brew for the crush whilst banging your head and shaking your fists to the heavy-duty thrash metal onslaught that is the legendary Sodom!  'Nuff said!

Make sure to check out my recent interview with ex-Sodom guitarist, Andy Brings here: https://youtu.be/QzmN0eWnIqU

Prost and hails!!