FROM THE CRYPTS - CELEBRATING PAST ALBUM RELEASES in the HISTORY of HARD ROCK & HEAVY METAL…
On November 18, 2016, Soulburn released their full-length studio album “Earthly Pagan Spirit” via Century Media Records. The album was released on CD with slipcase cover (pictured below).
Following up 2014's The Suffocating Darkness, the new album was recorded in The Netherlands at Harrow Studio as well as Double Noise Studio and then mixed and mastered by Magnus "Devo" Andersson at Endarker Studio in Sweden (Marduk, Ofermod, etc.).
Background:
Earthless Pagan Spirit, takes an even darker route than its much-lauded predecessor, The Suffocating Darkness (2014). Originally, Soulburn emerged after the first demise of Dutch Death Metal legends Asphyx in the mid 90’s, when founding members Eric Daniels (guitars) and Bob Bagchus (drums) looked for a separate outlet to unleash their mutual obsession with Bathory, Venom and Celtic Frost.
After a demo and the cult Feeding On Angels debut album in 1998, Soulburn were put to rest when Asphyx returned with On The Wings Of Inferno (2000). Soulburn was dead, buried, but not forgotten...as they resurfaced in their new line-up featuring the core of Daniels and Bagchus, teaming up with Twan van Geel (Flesh Made Sin, Legion of the Damned) as vocalist/bassist and Remco Kreft (Grand Supreme Blood Court, Nailgun Massacre, Xenomorph) as second guitarist.
“First, The Suffocating Darkness consumed mankind, now the next ode to the blackest of metal, “Earthless Pagan Spirit” shall infest the souls of many.” — Soulburn
The album's opening track, Where Splendid Corpses Are Towering Towards The Sun, was made available online pre-release of the album.
Soulburn vocalist-bassist Twan van Geel made the following comment about the track upon its release;
“We are proud to present you the opening track from our upcoming album Earthless Pagan Spirit. This song is a classic ode to the supremacy of the blackest of Metal. Where Splendid Corpses Are Towering Towards The Sun ravishes straight through the high hopes of a self-proclaimed righteous people and their plastic vanity. And at the triumph of their death, scorched by the sun of their own divinity, in the serene mist from their ashen skulls, we dance.”
Critical Reception:
Earthless Pagan Spirit received positive reviews upon its release, with Olivier Badin of loudersound.com stating;
“While Hellhammer/Celtic Frost stomps and mournful leads still share the same DNA, their inner balance now swings way more in between doom and primitive black metal, as preached by Quorthon and Tom G Warrior in the 80s. But their greatest find is Legion Of The Damned guitarist Twan van Geel, here on bass. His acid, high-pitched vocals are perfect for the kind of desperate, Satanic message delivered here. This third full-length confirms the successful reinvention that was 2014’s The Suffocating Darkness while diving a tad further down the abyss.”
While Grim Lord of New Noise Magazine stated;
“Instead of sticking to a straight-forward approach, the guys decided to add a bit more doom and death to the mixture, but there’s not so much that I can say in terms of what seem to be sprinkled hints of solo throughout the mix. Again, I have no idea what either Daniels or Remco Kreft were thinking, but if you don’t want to play a guitar solo, then don’t psych me out throughout the record in order to make me assume that you’re going to. There’s even a weird acoustic piece on Spirited Asunder that feels like it’s going to erupt into a rather tasteful little solo number, but it never really does and that’s unfortunate. The album also has a filler in it’s three-minute atmosphere/electronic outro that none of us ever asked for, especially some of the elite black metal hordes out there. Some of these guys literally damn synthesizers in black metal, so if you’re one of those guys, just turn the album off after the seventh cut in order to retain your sanity. As not only a reviewer, but a musician; I can say that Earthless Pagan Spirit is an incredible Black Metal record and it definitely crawled it’s way into the ranks of my favorite Black Metal albums of the year. If you’re trying to capture a truly grim and evil black metal atmosphere, this is definitely how to do it.”
Side Note:
Previous to the release of Earthless Pagan Spirit, Soulburn released a split 7-inch EP with Desaster in 2015 featuring the track The Last Monument Of God, which later appeared as the last track on the (then) upcoming full-length studio release.
In June 2018, Bob Bagchus departed Soulburn, and was replaced by Marc Verhaar.
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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