Souls of Black is the fourth album by American Thrash metal

Thrash metal

Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...

 band Testament

Testament (band)

Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...

, released in 1990. It preceded several changes in style to rather diverse styles of metal, including the traditional heavy metal sound heard in its succeeding album, The Ritual.

A re-recorded version of the song "Souls of Black" appeared on the 2008 video game Rock Band 2

Rock Band 2

Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...

.

Track listing

1. "Beginning of the End" (Eric Peterson
   Eric Peterson (musician)
   Eric Peterson is an American guitarist. He is best known as the only constant member of the US thrash metal band Testament. Eric has also formed a side-project black metal band called Dragonlord, in which he plays guitar and also sings. In Testament, Eric was originally a rhythm guitarist while...
   
   ) – 0:35
2. "Face in the Sky" (Chuck Billy
   Chuck Billy (vocalist)
   Chuck Billy is an American vocalist, who is best known as the vocalist for the thrash metal band Testament.-Testament:Chuck Billy replaced Steve "Zetro" Souza, future Exodus vocalist, in the mid-1980s when the band was still called Legacy. Following his arrival, Testament released their first...
   
   , Peterson, Alex Skolnick
   Alex Skolnick
   Alexander Nathan Skolnick is an American jazz and metal guitarist. He was a member of the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Testament from 1983 until his departure in 1993...
   
   ) – 3:53
3. "Falling Fast" (Billy, Skolnick, Louie Clemente
   Louie Clemente
   Louie Clemente, is a former drummer for the Bay Area thrash metal band Testament. He is known for being a part of Testament's original line-up.-Testament:Clemente joined Testament when they were still called Legacy...
   
   ) – 4:05
4. "Souls of Black" (Billy, Clemente, Peterson, Skolnick) – 3:22
5. "Absence of Light" (Billy, Peterson, Skolnick) – 3:54
6. "Love to Hate" (Billy, Clemente, Peterson, Skolnick) – 3:40
7. "Malpractice" (Billy, Peterson, Skolnick) – 4:43
8. "One Man's Fate" (Billy, Clemente, Peterson) – 4:49
9. "The Legacy" (Billy, Clemente, Peterson, Skolnick) – 5:30
10. "Seven Days of May" (Billy, Peterson, Skolnick) – 4:40

Credits

• Chuck Billy
  Chuck Billy (vocalist)
  Chuck Billy is an American vocalist, who is best known as the vocalist for the thrash metal band Testament.-Testament:Chuck Billy replaced Steve "Zetro" Souza, future Exodus vocalist, in the mid-1980s when the band was still called Legacy. Following his arrival, Testament released their first...
  
   – Vocals
• Alex Skolnick
  Alex Skolnick
  Alexander Nathan Skolnick is an American jazz and metal guitarist. He was a member of the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal band Testament from 1983 until his departure in 1993...
  
   – Lead guitar
• Eric Peterson
  Eric Peterson (musician)
  Eric Peterson is an American guitarist. He is best known as the only constant member of the US thrash metal band Testament. Eric has also formed a side-project black metal band called Dragonlord, in which he plays guitar and also sings. In Testament, Eric was originally a rhythm guitarist while...
  
   – Rhythm guitar
• Greg Christian
  Greg Christian
  Greg Christian is the bassist for the American thrash metal band Testament. He left the band in 1996, but rejoined in 2004.-Testament:...
  
   – Bass
• Louie Clemente
  Louie Clemente
  Louie Clemente, is a former drummer for the Bay Area thrash metal band Testament. He is known for being a part of Testament's original line-up.-Testament:Clemente joined Testament when they were still called Legacy...
  
   – Drums

• Additional background vocals by Mark Walters, Steve Quartarola, Bogdan Jablonski

• Recorded at Fantasy Studios
  Fantasy Studios
  Fantasy Studios is a recording studio in Berkeley, California at the Zaentz Media Center, known for its recording of award-winning albums such as Journey's Escape and Green Day's Dookie. Built as a private recording studio for artists on the Fantasy Records label in 1971, it was opened to the...
  
  , Berkeley, California
  Berkeley, California
  Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
  
  , USA
• Produced by Michael Rosen and Testament
  Testament (band)
  Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
  
  
• Engineered by Michael Rosen
• Assistant engineered by Vincent Wojno
• Mastered by Tom Coyne at Hit Factory, New York City
  New York City
  New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
  
  , USA
• Front cover painting by William Benson

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1990	The Billboard 200	73