Year: 2020
Total Time: 58:40
Label: Nuclear Blast
The time is finally here and the American “Titans” of thrash metal TESTAMENT, after 4 year they are now releasing their 13th studio album. Number 13 is usually connected with bad luck but here the exact opposite thing is happening and it is very easy to explain that. After 33 years of full career the logic says that a band either calls it quits or just exists for the sake of it, or the money, but here our beloved Indian leader and his gang, in between a global pandemic they are offering us probably the thrash metal album of the year.
The line up with the original guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson, plus the great Steve Di Giorgio and the (literally) giant Gene Hoglan on drums have done an amazing job while the final mix from Andy Sneap in England just guarantees the top notch final result.
All songs are in the classic TESTAMENT vein as we know them, but here they are not afraid to experiment and add some progressive elements, few influences from the East and bring forward the bass and some new brutal vocals. Lyrically the deal with everything this time, you can read about war, social issues horror stories and witches, anything you may like.
The album starts without a hassle, in your face as we say it with “Children of the next level”, a classic thrash metal cut and 2nd single of the album so probably you’ve heard it already, while the following “WW III” is a similar follow up. Next is “Dream Deceiver: with its very catchy chorus, guaranteed to be sung by everyone at their gigs in between merciless headbanging and moshpits. “Night of the Witch” is the first single, very heavy with subject appropriate to the title and the extreme backing vocals from Eric making it even darker, almost black metal, bringing it in the top of our playlist. “City of Angels” then shows us their new face with the bass on the lead reminding us the “Souls of Black years”. Same with “Ishtars Gate”, the bass is again and the melodies are on the front role, while the rhythmic “Symptoms” is exactly what we were talking about the great guitar work that Alex and Eric have put in the album. Next is “False Prophet” and now it’s time for Mr. Gene Hoglan to prove once again why he is on the top list of drummers since forever and now its time for “The Healers”, a song that balances between thrash metal with some death elements and is describing the personal experience of Chuck Billy with all those doctors and medicines from the period he was fighting with cancer. Moving forward we are again speeding up with το “Code Of Hammurabi” and the almost ultrasonic “Curse Of Osiris” before reaching the end with the small theatrical instrumental “Catacombs”, which I think will be used somewhere during their live set, even though I think it is somehow inappropriate for a finale the way it goes, I believe it would stand better as an intro before the first song.
In conclusion, it is quite pleasant to see a beloved veteran band like TESTAMENT going on and showing the path to the young ones. I was always wondering why, along with OVERKILL they are not part of the Thrash Metal Big 4 but it doesn’t really matter, what counts is that they are still here and as soon as we all overcome this pandemic that the nature threw in our sorry asses they will go on the road again to present it live and demolish the stages and the ears of their fans!
Rating: 8.5/10
Editor: Antonis Livanios
Related Link: TESTAMENT – Official Page
