2008 Woodie Awards
A Testament to heavy metal
Mike Toomey, Collegian Correspondent
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Arts & Living
Testament spent its late 1980s playing second fiddle to thrash metal giants Metallica and Slayer, but diehard metalheads rank Testament's work with the best of their better-known peers.
But as of late, Metallica has adopted a gritty working-class, hard rock aesthetic, and Slayer's Kerry King seems intent on converting the group into Slipknot II. Megadeth has continued to be subpar and not sell records and Anthrax's singer has changed three times by the end of this sentence.
Taken in context of the current thrash metal scene, the reformation of Testament's "classic" lineup is stirring up great expectations among metal purists, who are hoping the genre's best underdogs can still deliver the goods (Judas Priest style, of course).
From their 1987 debut, "The Legacy," virtuoso lead guitarist Alex Skolnick grabbed Testament some attention as a regular feature in guitar magazines, but the band largely toiled through five good albums in the shadows of their peers. Harangued by Atlantic Records to shift more units, Testament felt the pressure acutely. After 1992's "The Ritual," Skolnick and drummer, Louie Clemente, jumped ship.
This Tuesday, Testament released "The Formation of Damnation," their first new album with Alex Skolnick on lead guitar in 16 years. To much excitement, the roll call for "The Formation of Damnation" reads just like it did in 1988, sans drummer Louie Clemente, replaced by the technically superior, more "metal," Paul Bostaph. Guitarist Eric Peterson said the new effort recalls the classic, "The New Order," and 1999's super-heavy, death-metalesque "The Gathering." What's strange here is that Peterson is basically saying the new album is the best and worst of Testament.
The "Formation of Damnation" is not a return to metal's glory days. It's actually a very modern metal album, but more importantly, a modern Testament album. What this means is that its sound is a logical extension of their musical roots pushed by uber-clean modern production values.
Guitar freaks have always praised Testament's technically challenging, complex guitar work. Skolnick and Peterson's riffs always steamroll like all good thrash, but the attack is sharpened with some interesting note choices and the occasional use of unorthodox timing. But as far as classic Testament goes, the technical nuances in their guitar-playing don't define their music, but helps it.
In this album, it's the other way around - the technicality is what's noticeable, and this hurts the music. On songs like "The Persecuted Won't Forget" or "The Henchman Ride," it sounds like the band had money on squeezing as many notes as possible into a single measure.
In fact, production-wise, the album sounds like a death-metal album or something from Lamb of God, characterized largely by the incessant double-bass clobber of hired-gun Bostaph, a technically good drummer, who makes it very clear he has fast feet. Double-bass footwork can be wonderfully effective when used with discretion, like Slayer's "Raining Blood," or the pre-chorus in Testament's own "The Preacher," but on many of these tunes, it's overdone.
The title track is a death-metal song, with a good lead from Skolnick as its only redeeming characteristic. Chuck Billy isn't using that great rasp he has, but belching a pretty characterless cookie-monster performance.
But there is some of the magic that makes fans regard Testament as an equal of the time-tested greats. "More than Meets the Eye" is about as close to traditional thrash metal the album offers. It features a sing-a-long harmonized lick from Skolnick and Peterson, and a straight-ahead chug that powers the song. Billy's vocals are in fine form on this one and Skolnick shows us why he's a demi-god to guitar dorks everywhere.
"Killing Season" has a clattering riff reminiscent of something off of 1990's "Souls of Black" with Billy belting it out like it's, well, 1990. Skolnick offers what may be his best solo of the LP on this track. It is rock 'n' roll more than metal, but entirely menacing over Peterson's snarling rhythms. "F.E.A.R (False Evidence Appearing Real)" offers a few great moments after a note-busy start, especially with another great solo from Skolnick.
Taken altogether, "The Formation of Damnation" is a metal album with the potential to win over new fans in an ever-decreasing niche. But that doesn't mean it's good. Its sterile, in-your-face production values in tandem with Peterson's push for as many notes as humanly possible and Bostaph's hyper-kinetic drumming makes "The Formation of Damnation" amenable to kids who like extreme metal - the same kids who might not have enjoyed the more groove-based early records (read: the early records actually had a groove).
At the same time, Alex Skolnick's playing is a treat for the musician crowd. Every lead on this record has interesting melodic themes, while still being as outrageous and testosterone-fueled as a good metal solo should. And of course, all the solos require enviable technique. Those expecting "Over the Wall" or "Practice What You Preach" or anyone who thinks the only good metal sounds like 1986 might be disappointed. This barely sounds like Testament, but when it does, it sounds like the band at their best.
Mike Toomey can be reached at mjtoomey@student.umass.edu
But as of late, Metallica has adopted a gritty working-class, hard rock aesthetic, and Slayer's Kerry King seems intent on converting the group into Slipknot II. Megadeth has continued to be subpar and not sell records and Anthrax's singer has changed three times by the end of this sentence.
Taken in context of the current thrash metal scene, the reformation of Testament's "classic" lineup is stirring up great expectations among metal purists, who are hoping the genre's best underdogs can still deliver the goods (Judas Priest style, of course).
From their 1987 debut, "The Legacy," virtuoso lead guitarist Alex Skolnick grabbed Testament some attention as a regular feature in guitar magazines, but the band largely toiled through five good albums in the shadows of their peers. Harangued by Atlantic Records to shift more units, Testament felt the pressure acutely. After 1992's "The Ritual," Skolnick and drummer, Louie Clemente, jumped ship.
This Tuesday, Testament released "The Formation of Damnation," their first new album with Alex Skolnick on lead guitar in 16 years. To much excitement, the roll call for "The Formation of Damnation" reads just like it did in 1988, sans drummer Louie Clemente, replaced by the technically superior, more "metal," Paul Bostaph. Guitarist Eric Peterson said the new effort recalls the classic, "The New Order," and 1999's super-heavy, death-metalesque "The Gathering." What's strange here is that Peterson is basically saying the new album is the best and worst of Testament.
The "Formation of Damnation" is not a return to metal's glory days. It's actually a very modern metal album, but more importantly, a modern Testament album. What this means is that its sound is a logical extension of their musical roots pushed by uber-clean modern production values.
Guitar freaks have always praised Testament's technically challenging, complex guitar work. Skolnick and Peterson's riffs always steamroll like all good thrash, but the attack is sharpened with some interesting note choices and the occasional use of unorthodox timing. But as far as classic Testament goes, the technical nuances in their guitar-playing don't define their music, but helps it.
In this album, it's the other way around - the technicality is what's noticeable, and this hurts the music. On songs like "The Persecuted Won't Forget" or "The Henchman Ride," it sounds like the band had money on squeezing as many notes as possible into a single measure.
In fact, production-wise, the album sounds like a death-metal album or something from Lamb of God, characterized largely by the incessant double-bass clobber of hired-gun Bostaph, a technically good drummer, who makes it very clear he has fast feet. Double-bass footwork can be wonderfully effective when used with discretion, like Slayer's "Raining Blood," or the pre-chorus in Testament's own "The Preacher," but on many of these tunes, it's overdone.
The title track is a death-metal song, with a good lead from Skolnick as its only redeeming characteristic. Chuck Billy isn't using that great rasp he has, but belching a pretty characterless cookie-monster performance.
But there is some of the magic that makes fans regard Testament as an equal of the time-tested greats. "More than Meets the Eye" is about as close to traditional thrash metal the album offers. It features a sing-a-long harmonized lick from Skolnick and Peterson, and a straight-ahead chug that powers the song. Billy's vocals are in fine form on this one and Skolnick shows us why he's a demi-god to guitar dorks everywhere.
"Killing Season" has a clattering riff reminiscent of something off of 1990's "Souls of Black" with Billy belting it out like it's, well, 1990. Skolnick offers what may be his best solo of the LP on this track. It is rock 'n' roll more than metal, but entirely menacing over Peterson's snarling rhythms. "F.E.A.R (False Evidence Appearing Real)" offers a few great moments after a note-busy start, especially with another great solo from Skolnick.
Taken altogether, "The Formation of Damnation" is a metal album with the potential to win over new fans in an ever-decreasing niche. But that doesn't mean it's good. Its sterile, in-your-face production values in tandem with Peterson's push for as many notes as humanly possible and Bostaph's hyper-kinetic drumming makes "The Formation of Damnation" amenable to kids who like extreme metal - the same kids who might not have enjoyed the more groove-based early records (read: the early records actually had a groove).
At the same time, Alex Skolnick's playing is a treat for the musician crowd. Every lead on this record has interesting melodic themes, while still being as outrageous and testosterone-fueled as a good metal solo should. And of course, all the solos require enviable technique. Those expecting "Over the Wall" or "Practice What You Preach" or anyone who thinks the only good metal sounds like 1986 might be disappointed. This barely sounds like Testament, but when it does, it sounds like the band at their best.
Mike Toomey can be reached at mjtoomey@student.umass.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
D
posted 5/02/08 @ 5:34 PM EST
By the way new Testament album is awsome, but to accuse Megadeth of not selling any records when NOBODY is selling many records now a days is pure folley. (Continued…)
student
posted 5/03/08 @ 4:40 PM EST
its good to see an article about something else every once in a while
Tim
posted 5/04/08 @ 4:38 PM EST
I concur.
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