S.O.D.
Rise of the Infidels Megaforce Records

by Matthew Hoffman
Staff Writer

Comments: S.O.D (Stormtroopers of Death) was formed in 1985 by Anrthrax rhythm guitarist as an avenue for his crossover ideas. It started after Ian was finished with his parts of the bands album Spreading the Disease. Ian found himself trapped on a tour bus and while drawing created a hateful character named Sargent D.

Each picture of Sargent D would be accompanied by a slogan, all of them un-PC to say the least. These would become songs like the track “Speak English or Die,” which was lambasted by many, found humorous by millions and covered by several bands around the world. To complete the ensemble Ian recruited ex-Anthrax bassist Dan Lilker and Psychos bassist Billy Milano and Anthrax’s drummer Charlie Benante.

The style of music is a hybrid of thrash and hardcore (crossover thrash) which many believe was the first time anyone successfully tried this.

Well after a brief hiatus, S.O.D is back again with a twenty-four track CD entitled Rise of the Infidels on Megaforce Records.

Four of the cuts are unreleased and the other 19- less then two minute cuts are originals performed live in Seattle at the Fenix nightclub in 1999.

It is hard to take any of this seriously as pretty much every type of person on earth is insulted by the band in this collection of hybrid hardcore.

Many of their songs are “ballads” (ha ha) remembering music legends like Frank Sinatra, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison that lasts barely thirty seconds before screaming “You’re dead.”

With the one of INXS they play give seconds of their music then scream you’re dead before proclaiming that it’s always a good idea when you are jerking off not to hang yourself. Fucking hilarious.

The coolest moment though by far is “Ballad of Nirvana/March of S.O.D" where the band plays less then ten seconds of “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and then screams "you’re dead” before soaring off into the heaviest dirtiest doom metal groove possible. Ian melts pain off of the Great Wall of China from 11,000 miles away with these sledgehammer riffs. Later in the album they play it again, as these are some pretty crazy sons of bitches. Ian says “you know we’ve been waiting, we realized the other day …that the whole purpose of S.O.D in the last 14 years was to get here on this day and play that song." This could be the greatest thing ever on recorded music as Nirvana and grunge was the worst thing that ever happened to music. Almost 20 years later and popular bands are still scared to play guitar solos cause of those flannel-wearing bastards. Living on the East Coast it’s impossible to find a channel that plays any kind of metal (without satellite). That’s the “Nirvana Effect.”

Billy Milano is outrageously entertaining throughout like with the comment “Did you get a free bowl of soup with that haircut,” to a heckling patron. Or “This goes out to all the girls here with big tits, cause with big tits come milk," as an intro to “Milk.”

Well you get the general point of the record, so if you want an ass-roaring laugh a minute good time (oh and some killer music too) pick up a copy today.

Band Members
Charlie Benante - Drums
Scott Ian Rosenfeld - Guitar
Dan Lilker - Bass
Billy Milano – Vocals

Track listing:
1. Stand Up and Fight
2. Java Amigo
3. United and Strong
4. Ready to Fight
5. Ballad of Nirvana/March of the S.O.D.
6. Sgt. D and the S.O.D.
7. Kill Yourself
8. Milano Mosh
9. Speak English or Die
10. Fuck the Middle East
11. Douche Crew
12. Ballad of Jimi Hendrix
13. Ballad of Jim Morrison
14. Ballad of INXS
15. Ballad of Frank Sinatra
16. Ballad of Nirvana
17. Ballad of Freddy Mercury
18. Cromatic Death
19. Fist Banging Mania
20. No Turning Back
21. Milk
22. Pussywhipped
23. Freddy Krueger
24. United Forces

HRH rating: 7.7/10