The Classic Metal Album Reviews:
Title: Agent Orange
Artist: Sodom
Label: Steamhammer
Release Date: 1989

Rating: 3 Skulls
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    • Reviewed by Solomon:
    When people think of "80's German thrash," Sodom is a name few will fail to mention. I'm not an expert on the Fatherland's legacy of speed metal, so I don't know how Agent Orange stands up against Sodom's peers, but I will say this record is one of the rawest instruments of terror I've been exposed to. This is stripped-down thrash metal with few bells and whistles attatched: aside from the acoustic interlude in "Tired and Red," Orange pummels the listener into submission from the first track to the last. Many will, no doubt, praise this album for its brutality and directness, and it is cool to hear metal in a primitive state, but Orange is hard for me to fully digest and appreciate. After cutting my teeth in the early days on more ornamented bands like Metallica, Queensryche, Dream Theater, etc., the cut-and-dry wickedness of Sodom leaves me wanting a bit more.

    The one-dimensional assault of Agent Orange can wear thin after a while, but this record defines metal right down to the core. Blistering speed, rapid tremolo-style black riffing, mosh rhythms, frenzied lead work, and Tom Angelripper's unmistakable bark all make for one massive head pounding. Standout tracks include "Magic Dragon", which plods along with a nice half-time groove, while "Ausgebombt" uses its title as a catchy one-word chorus. "Baptism of Fire" has to be my favorite song, as the driving intensity of the chorus is unmatched elsewhere on the album. Lyrically, Sodom shouldn't receive any awards for being poetic, but "Exhibition Bout" deserves a few points for addressing the rare topic of animal cruelty. Even while Agent Orange is "dedicated to all people...who died by senseless aggressions of wars all over the world, "Incest" and "Don't Walk Away" appear to be dedicated to other, ahem, topics. "Don't Walk Away" is a funny Motorhead ditty about the temptations of a girlfriend's mother, while "Incest" just scares me. Those poor, lonely, konfused Krauts! If you like your metal blood-rare, serve up some Sodom.
    3 out of 5

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