Better Off Dead by Sodom, album cover

Album

Better Off Dead

Released1 October 1990

LabelSteamhammer

Popularity37.9

rock thrash metal

Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗Deezer ↗Podcast cover

Better Off Dead is the fourth studio album by Sodom, the German thrash metal band. It came out on 1 October 1990 on Steamhammer, with SPV also credited as a releasing label. It follows Agent Orange from 1989 and comes before Tapping the Vein in 1992, so it sits right in the middle of the band's early run of records.

The track "The Saw Is the Law" is the one to note here. An altered version of it was issued separately on an EP of the same name, which gives the song a life beyond the album. If you're tracing Sodom's thrash years from Obsessed by Cruelty onwards, this is the fourth chapter, and it's worth hearing for that song alone.

Better Off Dead: tracklist and credits

12 tracks · 49:10

Tracklist

1An Eye for an EyeAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:25
2Shellfire DefenseAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:23
3The Saw Is the LawAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:11
4Turn Your Head AroundBrabbs, Brabbs, Ward3:23
5Capture the FlagAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter6:08
6Cold SweatPhil Lynott and John Sykes3:11
7BloodtrailsAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:45
8Never Healing WoundAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter2:26
9Better Off DeadAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter3:44
10ResurrectionAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:50
11Tarred and FeatheredAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter3:02
12StalinorgelAngelripper, Hoffmann, Witchhunter4:41

Produced by: Harris Johns
Recorded at: Music Lab Berlin
Recorded: August 1990 – September 1990
Mixed by: Harris Johns
Mixed at: Dierks Studios
Artwork: Andreas Marschall
Labels: Steamhammer, Steamhammer/SPV
Length: 49:10

Line-up

Tom Angelripper · bass guitar, lead vocals
Michael Hoffmann · guitar
Chris Witchhunter · drums (drum set)

From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.

37.9

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497

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17k

Wikipedia views, last 12 months

178

Deezer fans (all editions)

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Releases and pressings

How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata

Source	Date	Note
MusicBrainz	1 October 1990
Wikipedia infobox	1 October 1990
Wikidata	1 October 1990
UK / Europe release	1 October 1990	earliest UK or European date

4 editions

Date	Country	Label	Barcode	Kind
1 October 1990	DE	Steamhammer	4001617762646	original
1 October 1990	XE	Steamhammer	4001617762615	original
1 October 1990	DE	Steamhammer	4001617762622	original
16 December 1990	JP	Teichiku Records	4988004026478	other

Cover art sources

deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)

Source	Size	Verdict
deezer ✓	1200×1200	upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
fanarttv	1000×1000	upscaled
coverartarchive	600×600	upscaled