Thomas “Angelripper” Such, the grizzled veteran of German thrash metal, has finally admitted what we all knew deep down: being a metal legend is exhausting. In a new interview with This Day In Metal, Tom dropped the bombshell that he’s dialing back SODOM’s touring schedule—because apparently, headbanging until you’re 63 isn’t as sustainable as we thought.
“I have two kids. My daughter is 31, and my son is 28,” Tom explained, as if we wouldn’t have guessed his age by the number of wrinkles on his leather jacket. “So now I could spend more time with them and doing other things. I’m gonna do the re-releases for BMG. I also do some other things. I start writing new lyrics. I have new ideas for new songs already. You never can stop it. The only thing I stop is touring and all that stuff.”
Ah yes, the classic “I’m not retiring, I’m just… not touring” move. It’s like saying, “I’m not quitting drinking, I’m just never going to a bar again.” Sure, Tom. We believe you.
Tom went on to lament that it’s “a shame” he and his bandmates haven’t toured in support of their latest album, 2025’s “The Arsonist.” Because nothing says “supporting your album” like sitting at home drinking coffee and doing “home office.” Who needs sold-out arenas when you’ve got a spreadsheet and a hunting rifle, right?
“I know that we are gonna lose a lot of money because [we are not playing] all the festivals — just in Germany, we have 50 festivals around — and I know we’re gonna lose, I especially will lose a lot of money, but I don’t care,” Tom said, proving once again that metalheads are the only people who can casually mention losing thousands of dollars like it’s a minor inconvenience. “I’m 63 years old. I have to calm down a little bit doing other things. My doctor said, ‘You’re in a very good condition, but calm down a little bit. Do other things.’ But I know being on stage, it’s my life — it’s the biggest part of my life. But I don’t wanna waste so much time for traveling around. Sitting on airports and hotels, backstage. If you are at my age, you think about the next years, what you’re gonna do.”
Translation: “I’m tired, and I want to hunt things instead of playing ‘Agent Orange’ for the 10,000th time.”
Tom also took a moment to complain about the U.S. visa process, because nothing says “first-world problems” like whining about paperwork. “Visa, especially to go to the U.S., America, it’s so much paperwork to do,” he groaned. “And it’s so hard to get to U.S., America, just for a couple of shows. And I don’t wanna live in U.S. I just wanna make a couple of shows and go back home. I don’t wanna stay there. But it doesn’t matter. They don’t take care. You have to do all the paperwork.”
Oh, poor Tom. Having to fill out forms and pay $2,000 for a visa. The horror! Maybe try being a little less metal and a little more organized? Just a thought.
When asked if this was a “full retirement” or if he plans to eventually come out and play a few shows with SODOM, Tom compared himself to Tom Araya of Slayer. Because nothing says “I’m not retiring” like comparing yourself to someone who literally retired. “No, no, no. It’s like [SLAYER’s] Tom Araya. You remember when he stopped doing this, he talked about the same [thing]. He said, when [they] release a new album, [a] Slayer album, they are touring worldwide. And he said, ‘I’ve never been home and I never seen my kids growing up.’ So that’s the same.”
Sure, Tom. We get it. You want to spend time with your family. But let’s be real: you’re just tired of headbanging and want to sit on your couch with a beer. And honestly? We respect that.
So there you have it, folks. SODOM is taking a break, and Tom Angelripper is trading in his leather pants for hunting gear. Because nothing says “I’m still metal” like killing animals in the woods. Stay brutal, Tom. We’ll be here waiting for your triumphant return… or not. Whatever.
