It was the perfect album for Alex' departure and it was filled with great riffs, solos and emotion and a nice heavy tone. Also they experimented on this album by writing songs with strong hooks/catchy choruses which complimented the songs greatly. I'm a fan of Testament's Skolnick era but this was their peak album IMO. I know Chuck and Eric say that they don't like the album much anymore but I love it and I know a lot of progressive metal fans of Testament feel the same way as I do.
Anyone regard The Ritual as Testament's best work?
- Thread starter progmetalgod
- Start date
Brent
True Believer
Not really, virtually no one here will say that they like The Ritual the best. In fact, they rarely play stuff from it live, and I haven't seen a set list in years where they did. I have only heard some of The Ritual, and Electric Crown seems to speak for the whole album as a mainstream metalish song. Return to Serenity is GREAT though. It would be nice if they did some stuff off it live, but I'd rather see them play more off PWYP and Souls ( They have played one song from Souls on the mini tour, and none from PWYP! They aren't as good as The Legacy and The New Order, but still shouldn't be ignored.)
I love the Ritual, best Testament album I've ever heard. And I think Low sounds like they started to head into the nu-metal direction but derailed themselves. The Ritual isn't anywhere close to nu-metal. It's just a straight-up heavy metal album with crazy solos.
Deadly Embrace
TL PREACHER
For me this album is like Testament meets Led Zeppelin......but the band at that time was being held back by Alex(from being heavier). I think it's a good album, my favorite songs are The Sermon, As The Seasons Grey. But I would'nt rate this album higher than any of Testament's first three albums. Thats impossible for me. I did like it better than Souls Of Black. And thats where the comparrison ends for me. I don't compare any Post Alex musical work, with any original Testament(first 5 albums)IMO. At the time I don't think the band was happy with the Ritual's direction. And thats why they don't play any of those songs live. Once Alex had left, they wanted to leave that behind them, & play what Chuck & Eric had in their hearts(A Heavier Testament). I know they wanted to play The Sermon, on the last Mini-Tour, but after Tempesta(unexpectively replaced Jon Allen) stepped in they threw that off the set list. And played songs Tempesta knew already. The Ritual is a solid album, but not their best work or even close to the Classic first three albums. I think about 90% of Testament fans would have to agree with me....................................... 
Immortality
Member
The Ritual is better than Souls of Black, but every other Testament album crushes it. Oh and Demonic kicks ass.
I still say it's their best work regardless how many people say it's too light for Testament and they should be heavier. (Thanks Stun for comments ) Back when they were recording the album, the band were saying how they were leaving the thrash days behind them and were focusing more on standard heavy metal, sort of like Metallica and Megadeth were doing and they were full of praise of the material they had written. But soon as Alex leaves, they contradict themselves and say they're going back to their heavy roots. Now Low was a good album but although I have their 2 albums since then, they've lost me completely.
) Back when they were recording the album, the band were saying how they were leaving the thrash days behind them and were focusing more on standard heavy metal, sort of like Metallica and Megadeth were doing and they were full of praise of the material they had written. But soon as Alex leaves, they contradict themselves and say they're going back to their heavy roots. Now Low was a good album but although I have their 2 albums since then, they've lost me completely.
Deadly Embrace
TL PREACHER
progmetalgod said:I still say it's their best work regardless how many people say it's too light for Testament and they should be heavier. (Thanks Stun for comments
Then it's time for you to get The Gathering.........& be found again!
Beast In Flames
Dionysian SadoMaso Animal
It's kidna my least fave TestAmenT album, but I still like it.
And I think Souls Of Black is TestAmenT's best album. Very underrated, IMO.
And I think Souls Of Black is TestAmenT's best album. Very underrated, IMO.
All I know is that I fucking hate the song "Ride", it sounds like the pussiest shit ever. The fact that it exists prevents me from ever liking "Low" as much.
Ride is by far my least fave song on Low, very weak as you say Stun.
I'm listening to The Gathering for the first time in ages (now playing Down for Life) and yeah it
but The Ritual is just pure HM heaven.
I'm listening to The Gathering for the first time in ages (now playing Down for Life) and yeah it
but The Ritual is just pure HM heaven.
Macabre_Transmigrant
Hooooooo!!!!!!!
Stun said:
OH DEAR ! ! ! "low" ? nu metal? hahahahahah, you fucking ideot, its not started to go nu metal , name a nu metal element - the vocals? chuck exceeds himself here (apart from the gathering) not nu in any way, the guitar 1)solos (not nu ! ) , the riffs are not nu in any way, your obviously not a guitarist (i hope your not), the drums obviously rule over other testament before cos all though those albums were some of the greatest ever, lets face it the drums were not great, the drums on low are fast fills, double bass lombardo inspired and definetely not NU!!!!, and bass? listen to "urotsokodoji"!!! ever heard "fieldy" form korn do that shit??? the ritual is easily my least favourite testament album, the vocals are chucks weakest. rule on LOW!!!!!
Whatever dude, if you think Chuck has weak vocals on the Ritual, you OBIVOUSLY don't like clean vocals that much, since his performance on that album is nothing short of stellar... well, at least to me.
And I know Low isn't nu-metal... they just started to head into that "groovier" feeling that is the main part of nu-metal. But they didn't continue in that direction, luckily. Ride was the main reason for me saying this. And another thing: the lack of great solos like on the Ritual was extremely disappointing (and another step into nu-metal's direction). Like I said, it doesn't mean that it was nu-metal....
Actually I am a guitarist/bassist. And a vocalist. And as soon as I have money for a kit, a percussionist. So really, what I'm basically trying to say is FUCK YOU. And chill out...
And I know Low isn't nu-metal... they just started to head into that "groovier" feeling that is the main part of nu-metal. But they didn't continue in that direction, luckily. Ride was the main reason for me saying this. And another thing: the lack of great solos like on the Ritual was extremely disappointing (and another step into nu-metal's direction). Like I said, it doesn't mean that it was nu-metal....
Actually I am a guitarist/bassist. And a vocalist. And as soon as I have money for a kit, a percussionist. So really, what I'm basically trying to say is FUCK YOU. And chill out...
Stun, great minds think alike
I don't consider Low nu-metal at all but I think I know where you're coming from. It's the same with Sepultura's Chaos AD where they started to go a but simpler without the solos, although Sep can't touch Testament in that dept. I'm not saying that The Ritual had better solos than the previous 4 albums but the song structures were a lot better and the riffs were very strong. Chuck's vocals were also at it's finest.I like the Ritual a lot...I love all their albums really Signs of Chaos is a kick ass intro! And I like all the songs on it....I also like Low a lot too.
If I had to rate their albums Ritual would come in 2nd to last. I don't really care for Souls that much...only like a few songs off of it.
Signs of Chaos is a kick ass intro! And I like all the songs on it....I also like Low a lot too. If I had to rate their albums Ritual would come in 2nd to last. I don't really care for Souls that much...only like a few songs off of it.
hiddenlegions
DISCIPLE
progmetalgod said:Ride is by far my least fave song on Low, very weak as you say Stun.
I'm listening to The Gathering for the first time in ages (now playing Down for Life) and yeah it
HM heaven ?????
I'm a big fan of the classic Testament (first 5 albums with Skolnick) and Souls of Black is my least fave, even though The Legacy is my fave power ballad by the band. Great soloing as ever in SOB but that's the album I least like out of the first 5, still calss though
Beast In Flames
Dionysian SadoMaso Animal
Stun said:
What we all know as 'nu-metal' right now, started some time around 95-96, which of course was after Low was released. So, I don't think the guys in TestAmenT (or anyone else in the metal world, for that matter) had any clue how 'nu-metal' sounded.
Deadly Embrace
TL PREACHER
Beast In Flames said:
I was thinking that myself, how could it even be NU-Metal, if it was not even invented or coined as a genre yet? Great point & I agree 100%.......................
