UMUR
"Tapping the Vein" is the fifth full-length studio album by German thrash metal act Sodom. The album was released through Steamhammer Records in August 1992. It´s the successor to "Better Off Dead" from 1990 and features one lineup change as guitarist Michael Hoffmann only lasted one album and is replaced here by Andy Brings. It would be the last Sodom album to feature drummer and founding member Christian "Witchhunter" Dudek.
"Tapping the Vein" sounds like "Better Off Dead (1990)" never happened, as stylistically it´s a more natural successor to "Agent Orange (1989)", with its aggressive and brutal thrash metal sound. Some listeners even mention death metal traits, but I wouldn´t go that far, although some tracks are quite brutal in nature. Tracks like "Body Parts", "Skinned Alive", and "The Crippler", are for example dark, brutal, and aggressive thrash metal, which at times lean towards death metal, but to my ears this is still thrash metal and not death metal. Sodom as usual also play heavy mid-paced parts and tracks, and also more tradtional heavy metal oriented sections.
"Tapping the Vein" is well produced, featuring a dark and raw sounding production, and the material is well performed too. Lead vocalist bassist Tom Angelripper has a raw and often snarling type vocal delivery, the riffs are sharp and aggressive, and the rhythm section furiously pounding away. At times the whole thing sounds a little simple and direct, but there is a little more sophistication to the album if you listen closely. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.