Sodom is a German thrash metal band from Gelsenkirchen. Formed in 1982, the group was originally a trio consisting of guitarist and vocalist Frank "Aggressor" Terstegen, bassist Tom "Angelripper" Such, and drummer Rainer "Bloody Monster" Focke, the latter of whom was quickly replaced by Christian "Witchhunter" Dudek. As of 2025, Such (who has also performed vocals since Terstegen's departure in 1984) is the only remaining original member of the band, which includes guitarists Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik (who rejoined in 2018 after an initial 1986–1989 tenure) and Yorck Segatz (since 2018) and drummer Toni Merkel (since 2020).
Tom "Angelripper" Such has been Sodom's frontman since founder Frank "Aggressor" Terstegen left in mid-1984.
1982–1992
Sodom was formed in April 1982[1] by guitarist and vocalist Frank "Aggressor" Terstegen and drummer Rainer "Bloody Monster" Focke, who added Tom "Angelripper" Such on bass "about half a year later".[2] By early 1983, Focke had been replaced by Christian "Witchhunter" Dudek, with the new lineup recording the band's first two demos, Witching Metal and Victims of Death.[3] In mid-1984, Terstegen was fired after "constantly badmouthing" his bandmates according to Dudek,[4] replaced by Josef "Grave Violator" Dominic.[5] After the recording of the band's first EP In the Sign of Evil, Dominic left for personal reasons after just five months in January 1985.[5]
Dominic's replacement on guitar was Michael "Destructor" Wulf, who debuted on the band's full-length debut album, Obsessed by Cruelty.[6] He left shortly after the album was recorded, with Uwe "Ahäthoor" Christoffers taking his place on a stand-in basis.[1] During his short tenure, Christoffers performed on a re-recorded version of Obsessed by Cruelty released in the German market.[7] By the end of the year, Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik had taken over as the band's guitarist, debuting on the 1987 EP Expurse of Sodomy.[8] This lineup remained stable for several years, releasing Persecution Mania in 1987, Mortal Way of Live in 1988 and Agent Orange in 1989.[9]
In August 1989, a few weeks before the tour for Agent Orange, Gosdzik left Sodom for "personal reasons", replacing Jörg "Tritze" Trzebiatowski in Kreator.[10] For the first run of shows, he was replaced by stand-in Uwe Baltrusch from Mekong Delta,[11] before Michael Hoffmann took over from around October.[12] Hoffmann performed on the 1990 album Better Off Dead, before moving to Brazil.[13] He was replaced in November 1991 by Andy "Riff Randall" Brings.[14] The new lineup released Tapping the Vein in 1992, before long-time drummer Dudek was fired due to problems with alcohol abuse, playing his last show with the band at the end of December.[13]
1993–2010
Guido "Atomic Steif" Richter was the band's first drummer after Christian "Witchhunter" Dudek was fired at the end of 1992.
At the beginning of 1993, former Living Death and Holy Moses drummer Guido "Atomic Steif" Richter was brought in to replace Chris Witchhunter.[13] The new lineup released Aber bitte mit Sahne and Get What You Deserve, touring in promotion of the latter until the summer of 1994, after which Brings left due to "personal problems".[13] He was soon replaced by Dirk "Strahli" Strahlmeier, who performed on the 1995 album Masquerade in Blood.[13] Shortly after its recording, however, the guitarist was imprisoned for dealing drugs.[15] Richter chose to leave shortly thereafter, claiming that "Sodom didn't work as a band anymore" and blaming frontman Tom Angelripper for being "not a fair partner".[16]
In 1996,[17] Angelripper introduced a new lineup for Sodom which included Bernd "Bernemann" Kost on guitar and Konrad "Bobby" Schottkowski, the pair of whom he had met while working with them on recordings for their previous band Randalica.[18] This lineup became the most stable in the band's history, releasing the albums 'Til Death Do Us Unite (1997), Code Red (1999), M-16 (2001), One Night in Bangkok (2003), Sodom (2006) and In War and Pieces.[9][17] During 2007, the 1984–1985 lineup of Sodom with guitarist Grave Violator and drummer Chris "Witchhunter" Dudek reunited temporarily to record The Final Sign of Evil, a new version of their first EP In the Sign of Evil with some new tracks.[19] This was Dudek's last appearance with Sodom, as he died on 7 September 2008 of organ failure, caused by his ongoing problems with alcohol abuse.[20] Also in 2007, former Sodom guitarists Grave Violator, Frank Blackfire, Michael Hoffmann and Andy Brings, and drummer Atomic Steif, performed with the band at the Wacken Open Air Festival.[21]
Since 2010
Just after the November 2010 release of In War and Pieces, it was announced that Bobby Schottkowski had left Sodom due to "personal and private problems" with Tom Angelripper.[22] He was replaced the following week by former Despair and Voodoocult drummer Markus "Makka" Freiwald.[23] This lineup released Epitome of Torture in 2013, Sacred Warpath in 2014 and Decision Day in 2016.[9] In December 2017, to mark the 35th anniversary of the band, Sodom performed with former guitarists Grave Violator, Frank Blackfire and Andy Brings.[24] Just a couple of weeks later, Angelripper announced the departure of Bernd Kost and Markus Freiwald, claiming that he wanted "to start all over again with fresh and hungry musicians".[25] The pair later claimed that they had "drifted apart" from the frontman, who ultimately fired them via a WhatsApp message.[26]
At the end of January 2018, Sodom announced that Frank Blackfire had returned to the band, with new members Yorck Segatz (second guitar) and Stefan "Husky" Hüskens (drums) completing the band's new lineup — their first to date with four members.[27] This incarnation released three EPs — Partisan, Chosen by the Grace of God and Out of the Frontline Trench[28] — before Hüskens left in January 2020 due to scheduling conflicts with his full-time job.[29] He was replaced a week later by Toni Merkel.[30] The band released Genesis XIX in 2020, a re-recording of Persecution Mania track "Bombenhagel" in 2021, the re-recordings collection 40 Years at War in 2022, and The Arsonist in 2025.[9]
Christoffers filled in for a few months after Michael "Destructor" Wulf's departure in late 1985.[1] During this time, he contributed to a re-recorded version of Obsessed by Cruelty released in Germany.[7]
Uwe Baltrusch
1989
Baltrusch filled in for the first part of the Agent Orange tour after Frank Blackfire's summer 1989 departure.[11]
Timeline
Note: Thin lines indicate periods as unofficial 'stand-in' members.
Lineups
Note: Names in bold indicate new additions to the band's lineup.
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