aaamusic | On 02, Jun 2012

Another storming Testament!
Chuck Billy and the boys have returned with an awesome follow up to 2008’s amazing “The Formation of Damnation”. With that last album being their first recording with their reformed classic line-up (drummer aside) there was a sense of coming full circle, it felt like all the fazes of their career rolled into one, it mixed the tecnicallity and melody of their classic material with the heaviness of their later albums such as “Demonic” and “The Gathering”this time around the darkness and down tuned heaviness is traded for a cleaner, crisper sound and echos their classic 80’s period – think “practice what you preach” but this is no nostalgia trip or by any means a step backwards. this is full blown Testament 2012!  opener “rise up” is destined to become a live favorite with it’s anthemic  chanting chorus, and while we’re on the subject of chorus’ “Native Blood” is simply delicious! the title track track starts slow and builds up, while the mellow ballad “Cold Embrace” shows the band can turn things down and deliver the same quality as when they are shredding.

 

Chuck Billys vocals are as clear and melodic as ever, his low growls and screams are missed but wernt necessarily needed for these songs, the drums we’re split between lamb of gods  Chris Adler and drum machine Gene Hoglan, this could have been a horrible mismatch  but both adapt and blend to Testament’s style very well and you don’t tell the difference
All in all while only slightly behind “The Formation of Damnation” this is a great addition to to the bands brilliant catalogue.

★★★★★

Joe Denby