Sodom

Persecution Mania (1987) demonstrated a marked improvement over their previous efforts. With its crisp and powerful feel it proved to be their best selling too, even if the lyrics lacked the same progression by keeping their dependence on subjects of the black arts, war and bloodletting. By this time they had become an influential German thrash metal act alongside Destructor and Kreator (although their resemblance was more like Venom and Hellhammer).

1988 would see Sodom tour Europe with Whiplash, and record the first ever double live thrash metal album, Mortal Way Of Life. 1989 would see them cash in on this accomplishment with a support slot on Sepultura's European tour, a tour that served well to support the follow-up album Agent Orange (1989). In 1990 Frank Blackfire left to join Kreator with Michael Hoffman replacing him shortly after their Ausgebombt (1990) single release. Better Off Dead (1991) and Tapping the Vein (1993) would follow later, the latter more influenced by death metal than their traditional Teutonic Thrash.

Tapping the Vein saw the departure of Dudeck on the drum stool, and Andy Brings taking up guitar. Aber Bitte Mit Sahne and Get What You Deserve followed in 1993 and 1994 respectively, with the latter featuring Atomic Steif (Real Name: Guido Richter) on drums. Marooned (1994) was another live effort that followed soon after, with Andy Brings leaving with it.

After Masquerade in Blood (1995), an album that saw the death metal influences return, as well as groove metal elements, however, Atomic Steif left. Another guitarist also had to be found as the new choice, Strahli, was not around long as he would soon after be arrested and imprisoned on drug-related matters; it wasn't until January 2011 that the band had discovered he had died in Düsseldorf sometime after. Mand many thought the band itself had up and quit, until the Ten Black Years "best of..." compilation emerged in 1996, with the follow-up Masquerade in Blood (1995) featuring Strahli (Real Name: Dirk Strahlmeier; guitars; R.I.P. 2011 of drug overdose), 'Til Death Do US Part (1997) and Code Red (1999) popping out soon after featuring the new settled line-up of Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Bernemann (Real Name: Bernd Kost; guitars/vocals (backing)), Konrad "Bobby" Schottkowski (drums/vocals (backing)).

'Til Death Do Us Unite (1997) featured a controversial cover, depicting a woman's pregnant belly on one side, and a man's beer gut on the other; the pair pressing in a human skull between them. This album marked the beginning of Sodom's return to thrash metal but was still more along the lines of a thrash-crossover sound and much in common with bands like Suicidal Tendencies. It also spawned the song for which Sodom would make their most remembered music video, the highly-controversial Fuck The Police. A limited edition version featured an extra bonus CD containing a tribute to Sodom album, Homage to the Gods.

On the next album, Sodom returned to the Teutonic thrash metal sound of the 1980s on Code Red (1999).

Taking its name from the M-16 assault rifle, M-16 (2001) would be a concept album about the movie Apocalypse Now.

In 2003, a double live album was recorded in Bangkok, Thailand, titled One Night in Bangkok followed in 2006 with a self-titled, in the same style as M-16.

Decision Day (2016) would feature Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Bernemann (guitars) and Makka (Real Name: Markus Freiwald; drums/percussion).

After In War and Pieces (2010), Schottkowski leave the band due to "personal and private problems" between himself and Angelripper. The Out of the Frontline Trench (2019) EP would see Tom Angelripper (bass/vocals), Frank Blackfire (guitars), Husky (Real Name: Stefan Hüskens; drums) and Yorck Segatz (guitars). Husky would be gone for the follow-ups Genesis XIX (2020) and Bombenhagel EP, in favor of Toni Merkel.

40 Years at War - The Greatest Hell of Sodom (2022) and the 1982 EP (2023) would follow.