Dutch blackened death metallers SOULBURN reveal a new  glimpse into their forthcoming offering, “Quantifying Cosmic Doom”, set for release on June 12th via Testimony Records. Behind the fifth SOULBURN album, “Quantifying Cosmic Doom”, lies a long journey that never followed a straightforward road but travelled through many dimensions and took hidden paths. Yet the Dutch metal extremists have undeniably reached a dark and beautiful peak.

Built upon a solid foundation of death metal, “Quantifying Cosmic Doom” seamlessly adds walls of melancholy that are chiselled out of doom bedrock and crowns towering riffs with the fierce and spiritual flames of black metal. A wide range of musical variability as well as the masterful storytelling that runs like a golden thread through the epic songs give SOULBURN away as experienced veterans who are utterly confident and passionate about their extreme craft.

SOULBURN rose from the ashes of ASPHYX in 1996, one of the times when the Dutch death metal pioneers fell apart before reuniting sooner or later. This involved some back and forth until guitarist and mastermind Eric Daniels, drummer Bob Bagchus, and PENTACLE frontman Wannes Gubbels firmly settled under the new band name. Their acclaimed debut album “Feeding on Angels” (1998) doubled up as a statement of musical intent as it contained a stripped down but deadly concoction of doom-laden black metal, which quickly established them as a devastating musical force. Following an extended period of consolidation, SOULBURN gradually coalesced into solid core with Daniels, Bagchus, GRACELESS guitarist Remco Kreft, and former LEGION OF THE DAMNED member Twan van Geel (also GOTT) as vocalist and bass player. This manifested physically into the sophomore full-length “The Suffocating Darkness” that was released in 2014 and again widely praised, particularly for its ostensive old school ethics. Finally, SOULBURN were on track, pushing forward hard, and only two years later followed up with the vicious third album “Earthless Pagan Spirit” (2016) and cemented their growing reputation with the two-track EP “Carpe Noctem” (2018). The following switch from Bagchus to GRACELSSS drummer Marc Verhaar could not stop this deadly bullet-train either. Building upon their – by then – well-established fanbase, SOULBURN emphasised the old school and raw aspect of their sound, which was seamlessly joined with a wide range of metallic influences across genres, with the next full-length “Noa’s D’ark” (2020). The Dutch also established themselves firmly as a sought-after live act performing across Europe as well as overseas. Highlights include sharing stages with UNLEASHED, ASPHYX, and GOD DETHRONED as well as touring in South America with MORK and in Germany with SODOM.

With “Quantifying Cosmic Doom”, SOULBURN renew the dark pact with their loyal following of delivering extreme and harsh metal that always pushes to new frontiers while staying true to its core values of black, death, and doom.

Recording, production, mix & mastering by Erwin Hermsen & Fons van Dijk at Toneshed Recording Studio, Horst (NL). Drum recording by Jörg Uken at Soundlodge Studio, Rhauderfehn (DE). Guitar recording by Tom Meier at Tom Meier Studio Recording & Live Sound, Enschede (NL). Cover artwork by Manuel Tinnemans.

Coming on Digipak CD (hand numbered, lim. 500), Jewelcase CD, MC, Gatefold 2-LP with obi strip (black), Gatefold 2-LP with obi strip (grey with black splatter, lim. 250) and in digital formats.

Tracklist:
01. The Braveheart of Nightmares
02. Powehi, the Embellished Dark Source of Unending Creation
03. A Pyramid Absurd
04. An Impious Journey Through the Cathedral’s Mouth
05. Stalactites of Molten Flesh
06. M87 – What Hopes To Be Born?
07. Iconox Spew Black at the Razor’s Edge
08. Down Among the Stars
09. The Desolationist
10. In the Very Time That Will Rot Us
11. An Innocuous Swathe of Sky

Delve into the track “In the Very Time That Will Rot Us” below:

Vocalist Twan van Geel states: “In my book, ‘In the Very Time That Will Rot Us’ touches upon Soulburn’s essence. This track digs up some old roots, just before the album sneaks into its grand finale. Eric’s signature riffing at the end very much inspired me while writing the lyrics. The brain always works best with riffs that simply and solidly rock!”

Guitarist Eric Daniels adds: “This powerful song is highly evocative! I just love as to how Twan’s lyrical vision turns this track into an authentic and exciting Soulburn banger.”

Line-up:
Twan van Geel – Vocals / Bass
Remco Kreft – Guitars
Eric Daniels – Guitars
Marc Verhaar – Drums

[Photograph:  SM / De Schaduwzijde]