After a surprisingly enjoyable release from Destruction earlier this year, I was eager to hear what Sodom would bring to the table. Like their comrades, I've found their modern catalogue somewhat uneven, though I did enjoy Genesis XIX, which dropped during lockdown—I even remember working out to it in my living room. The Arsonist features the same quartet behind that album, but the songwriting here feels much sharper. After the almost obligatory throwaway intro, "Battle of Harvest Moon" bursts out of the gate with ferocious thrash riffs and Angelripper spitting venom in his familiar, malicious style. The thrashers keep on coming with the merciless "Trigger Discipline," along with "Witchunter," "Gun Without Groom," and "Sane Insanity." Other tracks slow the pace slightly, such as "A.W.T.F.," "Scavenger," "Obliteration of the Aeons," and "Return to God in Parts."

I can't help but hear a lot of Slayer-isms throughout The Arsonist, particularly on the slower cuts. That's probably part of why the album works so well, as it grabs me by the face and ragdolls me for nearly 50 minutes. The songs drip with malice yet are packed with hooks, and while I prefer my thrash at its most relentless pace, even the slower moments here stick with surprising ease.