Tapping the Vein (album)

Tapping the Vein
Studio album by Sodom
Released	August 1992
Recorded	16 May – 12 July 1992
Studio	Dierks Studios, Cologne
Genre	Thrash metal death metal [1]
Length	46:11
Label	Steamhammer/SPV
Producer	Harris Johns
Sodom chronology
Better Off Dead (1990) Tapping the Vein (1992) Aber bitte mit Sahne (1993)

Tapping the Vein is the fifth studio album by German thrash metal band Sodom, released in August 1992 through Steamhammer/SPV. The album was recorded with producer Harris Johns at Dierks Studios in Cologne, Germany. The release marks the studio debut of guitarist Andy Brings and is the last album to feature original member Chris Witchhunter on drums.

The album represents a return to a heavy and fast-paced musical direction, and features notable death metal characteristics. ^[1]

Tapping the Vein received positive reviews from critics, who noted the band's efforts in modernising their sound. The album peaked at number 56 on Germany's Official Top 100 Charts, and was promoted on a tour throughout Europe and Japan in 1992.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Rock Hard	8.5/10 [2]
MetalStorm	8/10 [3]
Metal Reviews	9/10 [4]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tom Angelripper, except where noted; all music is composed by Sodom.

No.	Title	Lyrics	Length
1.	"Body Parts"	Chris Witchhunter	3:02
2.	"Skinned Alive"		2:27
3.	"One Step Over the Line"		5:07
4.	"Deadline"		3:52
5.	"Bullet in the Head"		3:01
6.	"The Crippler"	Witchhunter	4:10
7.	"Wachturm"		3:47
8.	"Tapping the Vein"	Andy Brings	5:11
9.	"Back to War"		3:14
10.	"Hunting Season"		4:28
11.	"Reincarnation"	Brings	7:49
Total length:			46:11

Personnel

Sodom

• Tom Angelripper - vocals, bass
• Andy Brings - guitars
• Chris Witchhunter - drums

Production

• Dieter Braun - cover art
• Jürgen Huber - cover art
• Harris Johns - production, engineering, recording

Charts

1992 chart performance for Tapping the Vein

Chart (1992)	Peak position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [5]	56

2024–2025 chart performance for Tapping the Vein

Chart (2024–2025)	Peak position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [6]	35
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [7]	3
Greek Albums (IFPI) [8]	65
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [9]	32

References

1. Eduardo Rivadavia. "Tapping the Vein - Sodom review". AllMusic.
2. "Sodom - Tapping The Vein review". Rock Hard (in German). 1 August 1992.
3. "Sodom - Tapping The Vein review". Metal Storm. 27 June 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
4. "SODOM - TAPPING THE VEIN". Metal Reviews.
5. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sodom – Tapping the Vein" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
6. "Austriancharts.at – Sodom – Tapping the Vein" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
7. "Offiziellecharts.de – Sodom – Tapping the Vein" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
8. "Official IFPI Charts Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Εβδομάδα: 03/2025". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 22 January 2025. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
9. "Swisscharts.com – Sodom – Tapping the Vein". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2024.