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Sodom - Agent Orange review




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Reviewer:
9.5

758 users:
8.82
Band: Sodom
Album: Agent Orange
Style: Teutonic thrash metal
Release date: 1989


Disc I
01. Agent Orange
02. Tired And Red
03. Incest
04. Remember The Fallen
05. Magic Dragon
06. Exhibition Bout
07. Ausgebombt
08. Baptism Of Fire
09. Don't Walk Away [Tank cover]

Disc II [bonus]
01. Incest [live] [Taken from the "Ausgebombt" Single]
02. Agent Orange [live] [Taken from "Marooned"]
03. Tired And Red [live] [Taken from "Marooned"]
04. Remember The Fallen [live] [Taken from "One Night In Bankok"]
05. Ausgebombt [Taken from "One Night In Bankok"]
06. Ausgebombt [German version] [Taken from the "Ausgebombt Single"]

If you have read the Bible then you would have surely come across Sodom and Gommorah, two cities which were famous or rather infamous for the wickedness of it's inhabitants. If you have not read the Bible but still you are a Metalhead then you must have surely heard of the Biblical Sodom's Thrash Metal counterpart - Sodom, which is as much notorious for it's music and Agent Orange was the high-point in this band's resume and it is the most successful Thrash album ever released by any German band and has, till date, sold over 100,000 copies worldwide.

Agent Orange was released in 1989 and it was instantly recognised as a classic and why not? This album has all the quintessential features of a classic Thrash recipe with guturral vocals, vicious blastbeats and really strong and political lyrics. Through their lyrics you get to know that Sodom really had a story to tell and it was very dark and gloomy. The album title shared it's name with the dreaded weed killer called Agent Orange which earned a great deal of notoriety thanks to the indiscriminate use of American firepower during the Vietnam War, while listening to "Agent Orange" you can actually visualise the scene of combat with destroyed farmlands and innocent victims having their skin peeled off and reduced to deformation for the rest of their lives. "Incest" spoke of carnal depravity in society, "Remember The Fallen" is like a history lesson as it spoke of the battle of Leipzig and it spoke of the glorious but needless sacrifices made by the soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars, "Exhibition Bout" takes an obvious dig at Bull-Fighting in Spain. There is also a cover version of "Don't Walk Away" originally performed by Tank and the cover version is actually better than the original version! In fact all tracks are a must-listen for any Metal fan and not just Thrash fans as each of the songs had its own crooked story to tell.

Chris Witchhunter is awesome behind the drum-kit and his drumming has to be heard to be believed! I, personally, was blown away by his drumming on "Incest" , "Tired And Red" and "Baptism of Fire". He is like an MG-42 Machine Gun with his merciless blastbeats. Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik is a superb axe-slinger and he is brilliant with his twisted soloing in "Magic Dragon" . Tom Angelripper sings with a peculiar vocal style that is hard to emulate.

Sodom are one of the pioneers of German Thrash Metal along with Kreator and Destruction and Sodom has had a huge impact on Thrash Metal music and have inspired modern bands like Warbringer. It is hard to believe that Sodom was once considered by the press as a "a second-rate Venom clone with semi-inventive lyrics ". But classic releases like Persecution Mania and Agent Orange would change all of it and Sodom would the join the A-League of German Thrash Metal.

All said and done, Agent Orange is a Thrash Gem and not just for its rabid music but also for its intense political and social themes that it embraced. I once read in a book on Metal guitarists that German Thrash Metal was paler compared to its American counterparts and how naive I was to believe it! But no more. By my own personal experience I can say that German Thrash is as merciless and brutal, if not more, as its American counterparts.

In Loving Memory of Chris Witchhunter [R.I.P.]


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 10
Production: 8

Written by Hermann Langke | 15.07.2010




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 32   Visited by: 202 users
15.07.2010 - 16:50
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Thanks to the staff! I am indebted!
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15.07.2010 - 16:53
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.
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15.07.2010 - 16:59
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 16:53

Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.

Yeah! But if you have a problem with it there is nothing I can do. Agent Orange the song is kick-ass!
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15.07.2010 - 17:02
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Hermann Langke on 15.07.2010 at 16:59

Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 16:53

Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.

Yeah! But if you have a problem with it there is nothing I can do. Agent Orange the song is kick-ass!


Yeah, but I find it held in too high regard. But still, well-written review, even if your reviews are of albums that everyone has heard about and listened too much. XD
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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15.07.2010 - 17:07
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 17:02

Written by Hermann Langke on 15.07.2010 at 16:59

Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 16:53

Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.

Yeah! But if you have a problem with it there is nothing I can do. Agent Orange the song is kick-ass!


Yeah, but I find it held in too high regard. But still, well-written review, even if your reviews are of albums that everyone has heard about and listened too much. XD

thanks! Okay, next time I will write about a relatively unknown album!
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15.07.2010 - 17:23
Rating: 10
Pap
Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.
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16.07.2010 - 02:47
Rating: 10
sbgmetal
Indeed witchhunter was a beast behind the kit by far my favorite thrash drummer! agent orange along with tapping the vein and m16 are my favorite sodom albums
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16.07.2010 - 04:44
Rating: 10
KM1485
Excellent album. I like so much songs: Tired And Red, Remember The Fallen, Magic Dragon... This album was the first that I listened of Sodom, in cassette tape format. Amazing cover art work.
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+++ I'm a slave to the power of Iron Maiden +++
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16.07.2010 - 14:13
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.
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16.07.2010 - 14:39
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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16.07.2010 - 15:58
Rating: 10
Pap
Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better
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16.07.2010 - 17:18
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 15:58

Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better

I do not know that whether there was any band before Sodom which spoke of war and carnal depravity and all that stuff.
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16.07.2010 - 17:25
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 17:18

Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 15:58

Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better

I do not know that whether there was any band before Sodom which spoke of war and carnal depravity and all that stuff.


I was talking to Nibir, not pap.

Anyway, those themes are nothing new. They've been there since, about, the beginning of metal. Black Sabbath's Paranoid album.
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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16.07.2010 - 17:33
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 17:25

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 17:18

Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 15:58

Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better

I do not know that whether there was any band before Sodom which spoke of war and carnal depravity and all that stuff.


I was talking to Nibir, not pap.

Anyway, those themes are nothing new. They've been there since, about, the beginning of metal. Black Sabbath's Paranoid album.

They were never ever so vocal or caustic about it.
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16.07.2010 - 17:49
Rating: 10
Pap
Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 17:18

Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 15:58

Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better

I do not know that whether there was any band before Sodom which spoke of war and carnal depravity and all that stuff.

At first i 'm sure that you noticed it but just to avoid any misunderstanding my post was an answer to VezzyRattlehead 's comment. I don't know if there is a band that has made an album which deals with the subjects you mentioned in such an extent as Sodom but definitely there are songs that have a similar approach. Your observation really captured my interest and searching in google i found that there was a forum in metal storm in 2007 called Metal Songs About War. Just checking it you will see that there are some famous metal songs released before Agent Orange. However this doesn't decrease the value of Agent Orange regarding its lyrical content.
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17.07.2010 - 08:57
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 17:49

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 17:18

Written by Pap on 16.07.2010 at 15:58

Written by vezzy on 16.07.2010 at 14:39

Written by Hermann Langke on 16.07.2010 at 14:13

Written by Pap on 15.07.2010 at 17:23

Nice review for a classic album. The only part that i want to comment on is your reference to Warbringer that i must confess that i ignore. I think that Sodom have inspired a lot of famous death and black metal bands along with Warbringer as you say. Definitely the title track is a masterpiece.

Thanks! I said about Warbringer because they speak of pretty much the same stuff as Sodom.


Apparently you seem to be convinced that Sodom's lyrical themes are "oh so deep and never as touched before". Quite wrong, actually. Takes a bit of research and you get the inspiration.

I never claimed something like that. In the review it is clear that the lyrics are really interesting and deal with war, there s no clue that they are unique or that they assert the prize of originality. You should read the review better

I do not know that whether there was any band before Sodom which spoke of war and carnal depravity and all that stuff.

At first i 'm sure that you noticed it but just to avoid any misunderstanding my post was an answer to VezzyRattlehead 's comment. I don't know if there is a band that has made an album which deals with the subjects you mentioned in such an extent as Sodom but definitely there are songs that have a similar approach. Your observation really captured my interest and searching in google i found that there was a forum in metal storm in 2007 called Metal Songs About War. Just checking it you will see that there are some famous metal songs released before Agent Orange. However this doesn't decrease the value of Agent Orange regarding its lyrical content.

Yeah! I know now. Sodom could qualify as a War Metal band!
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17.07.2010 - 11:17
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
..."War metal"?

lolno
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Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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17.07.2010 - 12:01
Rating: 8
Angelic Storm
Melodious
I definitely dont rate this album quite as highly as the reviewer, and in fact think its a bit overrated. I prefer both the preceding ''Persecution Mania'', and the succeeding "Better Off Dead" over "Agent Orange". I also prefer the last 3 Sodom albums, and "Tapping The Vein" over it. Ive never got why so many call this one Sodom's best... :\

The title track is amazing, and a total classic. I also love ''Tired And Red'' and ''Exhibition Bout". (Quite possibly one of Sodom's most underrated songs.) But overall, I find it a bit weak, and its eclipsed for me by several of their other albums. "Ausgebombt" is a decent song, but its very similar to ''Bombenhagel'' off the previous album which I think is a better song.
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17.07.2010 - 15:45
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by vezzy on 17.07.2010 at 11:17

..."War metal"?

lolno

I have created this genre!
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17.07.2010 - 15:57
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Angelic Storm on 17.07.2010 at 12:01

I definitely dont rate this album quite as highly as the reviewer, and in fact think its a bit overrated. I prefer both the preceding ''Persecution Mania'', and the succeeding "Better Off Dead" over "Agent Orange". I also prefer the last 3 Sodom albums, and "Tapping The Vein" over it. Ive never got why so many call this one Sodom's best... :\

The title track is amazing, and a total classic. I also love ''Tired And Red'' and ''Exhibition Bout". (Quite possibly one of Sodom's most underrated songs.) But overall, I find it a bit weak, and its eclipsed for me by several of their other albums. "Ausgebombt" is a decent song, but its very similar to ''Bombenhagel'' off the previous album which I think is a better song.

Persecution Mania is next up as Sodom's best. Agent Orange - the album had a venom to it. That venom wasn't quite followed up in the later releases. Better Off Dead was good but not great and Tapping The Vein was raw. I think "Bombenhagel" was a twisted version of the Battle of Britain!
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18.07.2010 - 11:37
Rating: 9
vezzy
Stallmanite
I actually also think "Persecution Mania" is better, but for some reason disliked their self-titled (might give it another listen).
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29.07.2010 - 09:41
Rating: 7
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Staff
Written by Hermann Langke on 17.07.2010 at 15:45

Written by vezzy on 17.07.2010 at 11:17

..."War metal"?

lolno

I have created this genre!

Not really, as it's not actually a genre. Secondly, I remember first seeing it labelled on some Destroyer 666 albums at a CD store 2 years ago.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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29.07.2010 - 09:44
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Doc G. on 29.07.2010 at 09:41

Written by Hermann Langke on 17.07.2010 at 15:45

Written by vezzy on 17.07.2010 at 11:17

..."War metal"?

lolno

I have created this genre!

Not really, as it's not actually a genre. Secondly, I remember first seeing it labelled on some Destroyer 666 albums at a CD store 2 years ago.

I was kidding! i
Loading...
29.07.2010 - 09:46
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Hermann Langke on 29.07.2010 at 09:44

Written by Doc G. on 29.07.2010 at 09:41

Written by Hermann Langke on 17.07.2010 at 15:45

Written by vezzy on 17.07.2010 at 11:17

..."War metal"?

lolno

I have created this genre!

Not really, as it's not actually a genre. Secondly, I remember first seeing it labelled on some Destroyer 666 albums at a CD store 2 years ago.

I was kidding! I know that the genre may have existed.
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09.06.2011 - 17:06
Beastofmetal456
Account deleted
This is 95% masterpiece, 5% weak vocals, especially on Incest. My favorites here include:
The Title Track
Tired And Red
Remember The Fallen
Exhibition Bout
IMO, it deserves an 8. I'll give it a 9 anyway. Best album I heard in a while.
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12.11.2012 - 07:17
Rating: 10
Hermann Langke
Brahmastra Corps
Written by Guest on 09.06.2011 at 17:06

This is 95% masterpiece, 5% weak vocals, especially on Incest. My favorites here include:
The Title Track
Tired And Red
Remember The Fallen
Exhibition Bout
IMO, it deserves an 8. I'll give it a 9 anyway. Best album I heard in a while.

Incest is that anthem which will make a pit look like a prison riot!
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01.04.2017 - 00:20
Rating: 9
Redel
Moderator
Written by Hermann Langke on 15.07.2010 at 16:59

Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 16:53

Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.

Yeah! But if you have a problem with it there is nothing I can do. Agent Orange the song is kick-ass!


Hahahahaha! Best response I ve read in quite some time on MS.
+1, man! Album is a classic, title track a masterpiece.
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04.04.2017 - 09:58
Daniell
_爱情_
Elite
Written by Redel on 01.04.2017 at 00:20

Hahahahaha! Best response I ve read in quite some time on MS.
+1, man! Album is a classic, title track a masterpiece.

You're responding to a post that is 7 years old...
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04.04.2017 - 19:22
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Written by Hermann Langke on 15.07.2010 at 16:59

Written by vezzy on 15.07.2010 at 16:53

Ah, what do we have here? Another review from you, the "master" of done-to-death metal reviews! Well, yes, Agent Orange is a thrash classic and great album but the title track is kind of overrated. Still, "Ausgebombt" and "Baptism of Fire" ftw.

Yeah! But if you have a problem with it there is nothing I can do. Agent Orange the song is kick-ass!


I agree, title track is badass and probably the best song here.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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04.04.2017 - 22:55
Rating: 9
Redel
Moderator
Written by Daniell on 04.04.2017 at 09:58

Written by Redel on 01.04.2017 at 00:20

Hahahahaha! Best response I ve read in quite some time on MS.
+1, man! Album is a classic, title track a masterpiece.

You're responding to a post that is 7 years old...

....on an album that is 27 years old!
Timeless album, ...... timeless comments.
It is ..... a classic!
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