91. Soulburn - 'Noa's D'ark'

This is heady mix of Doom and Death metals with a distinctly punkish, in your face delivery. Veterans of the Dutch metal scene, they have in the past shared members with Bolthrower fanboys Asphxy. What is interesting about this record, and makes it stand out from the crowd, is the way that it drifts in and out of the contrasting styles. Tracks start slow and driven, but then morph into something distorted and menacing, before speeding up and becoming full on in your face Death. The trick Soulburn pull off is making those evolutions in sound feel genuine and pre-meditated. Yes, it’s loud and abrasive, but it is also an awfully clever record. The band manage to wander off in varied different musical directions, without it ever feelings disjointed or directionless and that is a gift