''Persecution Mania'' is the second studio album by German

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

band Sodom, released on 1 December 1987 by Steamhammer/ SPV. The album, while still heavily rooted in

Black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...

style, marked a beginning of a change of sound from

black metal Black metal is an extreme metal, extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include Tempo#Beats per minute, fast tempos, a Screaming (music)#Black metal, shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted Electric guitar, guitars played with t ...

. As well as defining Sodom's sound, it exemplified the thrash metal genre at a time when it arguably peaked in popularity. The album also bore similarity to the music of other German bands such as

Destruction Destruction may refer to: Concepts * Destruktion, a term from the philosophy of Martin Heidegger * Destructive narcissism, a pathological form of narcissism * Self-destructive behaviour, a widely used phrase that ''conceptualises'' certain kind ...

and

Kreator Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédér ...

, and the term "Teutonic" thrash was coined from this. Despite what the cover may imply, the lyrical themes of the album are centred more around politics and war than religion. This is largely due to guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik joining the band. He brought new songwriting aspects to the band that gave it a much more organized and clearer sound, as well as helping Sodom to carve a lyrical niche that it still practices to this day. The outro guitar lead in track 9, "Bombenhagel", is the German national anthem, "

Das Lied der Deutschen The "" (; "Song of Germany"), officially titled "" (; "The Song of the Germans"), has been the national anthem of Germany either wholly or in part since 1922, except for a seven-year gap following World War II in West Germany. In East German ...

". ''Persecution Mania'' was re-released in 2000 as part of a double pack with the ''

Obsessed by Cruelty ''Obsessed by Cruelty'' is the debut full-length studio album and the second release by German thrash metal band Sodom (band), Sodom, released in 1986. Two different versions of the album exist, the European and the American, which were released ...

''/''

In the Sign of Evil ''In the Sign of Evil'' is the first EP and the debut release by German thrash metal band Sodom, released in 1985 by Devil's Game independent label. The record is considered part of the first wave of black metal. Despite the melodic rawness, th ...

'' split. Both CD releases include the '' Expurse of Sodomy'' EP.

Track listing

The European CD release has a rerecording of "Outbreak of Evil" and the ''Expurse of Sodomy'' EP as bonus tracks. The cassette has only the re-recorded "Outbreak of Evil" as a bonus track.

Personnel

;Sodom *

Tom Angelripper Thomas Such (born 19 February 1963), better known by his stage name Tom Angelripper, is a German musician best known as the lead vocalist, bassist, main songwriter, and the only original remaining member of German thrash metal band Sodom. Biog ...

- vocals, bass *

Frank Blackfire Frank Blackfire (born Frank Gosdzik, 24 February 1966) is a German guitarist, who is best known as a member of the influential thrash metal bands Sodom and Kreator. Career Gosdzik was born in Essen. Inspired by attending an AC/DC concert, he ...

- guitars *

Chris Witchhunter Chris is a short form of various names including Christopher, Christian, Christina, Christine, and Christos. Chris is also used as a name in its own right, however it is not as common. People with the given name * Chris Abani (born 1966), N ...

- drums ;Additional musician * Harris Johns - guitar solo on "Bombenhagel" ;Production *Johannes Beck - cover painting *Harris Johns - engineering, producer

References

{{Authority control Sodom (band) albums 1987 albums SPV/Steamhammer albums Albums produced by Harris Johns