• Reissue
  
  
• Red
  

Testament released Souls of Black in 1990, a landmark album that solidified the band's position among thrash metal's elite. Following the commercial and critical success of Practice What You Preach, this record found the band refining their assault—tighter songwriting, more dynamic arrangements, and Chuck Billy's vocals gaining newfound authority. Souls of Black stands as one of the band's most cohesive efforts, balancing the raw aggression their fanbase demanded with structural sophistication that elevated them beyond peers.

The album opens with the apocalyptic fury of "Beginning of the End," establishing immediate intent before shifting into the architectural brutality of "Face in the Sky." Tracks like "Falling Fast" and the title cut "Souls of Black" showcase Testament's ability to construct memorable riffs within complex time signatures, while "Absence of Light" and "Love to Hate…" demonstrate the band's range—crushing momentum alternating with moments of calculated menace. The record maintains relentless pressure throughout, driven by Eric Peterson's intricate fretwork and a rhythm section that refuses to settle into predictable patterns. Thematically, the album explores existential dread and societal decay without surrendering to nihilism; there's philosophical weight beneath the violence.

This reissue restores Souls of Black to vinyl with meticulous attention to the original vision. The package includes a white paper inner sleeve and a comprehensive insert preserving the original artwork and complete credits, allowing the visual presentation to match the sonic intensity. For collectors seeking the album's full impact on the format Testament originally intended, this pressing delivers the physicality and sound stage vinyl provides—particularly crucial for an album where the interplay between instruments demands that separation.

Tracklist:

A1. Beginning Of The End
A2. Face In The Sky
A3. Falling Fast
A4. Souls Of Black
A5. Absence Of Light
A6. Love To Hate
B1. Malpractice
B2. One Man's Fate
B3. The Legacy
B4. Seven Days Of May