Testament- The Gathering vs TFOD

[Nebulous]

I have a feeling I know how this will turn out, but I'd still like to open it up and discuss it.
I've loved The Gathering since picking it up afew years back, both the production and material.
With my love for that album I had really high hopes for TFOD, but up to this point I've failed to enjoy the whole album and would rate the production at a much lower level that The Gathering.
What specifically doesn't sit well with me is where the Gathering was crushing all the way through, TFOD plods along at times. The mix on TFOD is also oddly cluttered IMO. The kick and toms are great, but snare and OHs are abit over the top, the bass isn't really adding much to the mix and the guitars seem to dominate abit over the vocals. The overall mix also seems to have a tinny bit too much high frequency energy going on.
Conversely I found The Gathering to be 100% suited to the material, and the mix and individual sounds seemed to breathe and work much better together.
I loved that the Recto didn't fight with Chucks vocals and even the subtleties of Chucks growls and the delay/ verb stood out within the mix. It gave it so much depth.

The Gathering for me all the way.

 

[NicholasDWolfwood]

tfod isn't a good album imo. the mix is too cluttered and honestly the material just doesn't fit into a 2009 testament album imo.

the gathering on the other hand, was almost perfect. I think the bass could have cut through more, especially with someone like digiorgio playing on that record but that was about it. the material is amazing too.

 

[slashvanyoung]

That's a tough one. Especially because it almost feels like two different bands... It's definitely easier for me to put - let's say - The Gathering and Demonic up against each other or Practice... and Souls... etc.

Love em both. But The Gathering is what I'd call a modern classic (though often overlooked)... hard to compete with that.

Edit: And I also prefer the production on the Gathering.

 

[Fragle]

the gathering, no doubts about that.

i also agree that TFOD doesn't sound like a 2008(7?) testament album....way more oldschool. coming from a crusher like the gathering this is quite a letdown...if you get past that there's some cool stuff though, but it's mainly the heavier songs i enjoy....title track is just great, so is henchman ride.

production wise we should probably start by saying that it's a GOOD MIX.....this isn't some amateur stuff, this is sneap quality.
that said, i also agree that it isn't one of his standout mixes (like the gathering ^^)....i think the drums sound GREAT, especially the snare has a great punch, but the guitars are kinda weird imho...like too much high mids, sometimes sounds like a wah engaged, almost.

 

[Ermz]

Yeah I feel you guys about the production on TFOD. It doesn't really suit the band half as much as The Gathering's did.

That being said, I really dig the material on TFOD. I'm not the biggest Testament or thrash fan by any means, but I can really jam out to TFOD any day of the week. The Gathering is fantastic too, and simply because it sounds heavier and more death metal would get my vote of preference. I'd still spin either all day!

Plus, you know how much I dig audible delays and verbs, Dan...

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I'm loving both.
I do really like the sound/mix of tfod!
I like the music better on the gathering

 

[Nebulous]

Plus, you know how much I dig audible delays and verbs, Dan...

As do I! Like I said above, on the Gathering it gives it so much more depth, unlike many thrash albums.

It still baffles me why track 11 was kept of TFOD though...
I was listening to it on the way home again and the album seems to get better with more volume *insert cliche metal comment*

 

[dan weapon]

I fucking love both.

I wish the Gathering had a few more faster-paced songs like DNR though.

 

[DanLights]

The gathering is awesome. Like Nicholas said, give more presence to the bass and you got yourself a perfect thrash mix. You can't neglect it that way when you have steve digorgio doing the friggin thing. Why'd he pay the best bass player ever if it ain't heard well? Still, better than TFOD

 

[slashvanyoung]

I wish the Gathering had a few more faster-paced songs like DNR though.

Yeah, D.N.R. and Down For Live rip your head off and then it drops pretty heavy into some groove monsters with Legions... and ...Sipledome basically being the only faster ones throughout the rest of the record.

But songs like 3 Days..., True Believer etc. are excellent nonetheless, don't get me wrong.

 

[Nebulous]

Regarding the material on The Gathering: I found that it worked well even when it wasn't all at full pace because they weren't trying to be anyone else or trying to repeat anything else they had done previously. It was like they took a clean slate and made it their own.
The songs were written so well it took me about 6 months to realise that not every song had a solo Silly to not have noticed and to even mention it now, but the songs were that good, I didn't feel like there was anything missing from them.

 

[Nebulous]

Wow, I'm actually surprised at the results here. I though that it would be alot closer, or TFOD would win.

The Gathering FTW!

 

[kaomao]

The gathering hell yeah

 

[Jind]

Wow, I'm actually surprised at the results here. I though that it would be alot closer, or TFOD would win.

The Gathering FTW!

I'm not surprised at all - I think that "The Gathering" is a true classic of thrash metal, it has stood the test of time as one of Testament's best discs. While TFOD is a good thrash album in itself, it just does not have the track record yet - but i still imagine if we give TFOD ten years like we've had with "The Gathering", it will still not win out over the latter.

Jind

 

[HollowmanPL]

buhahha you gotta be kidding

THE GATHERING!! \m/

 

[lordcthulhu]

Not a big Testament fan by any means, but some songs off The Gathering are fantastic (some filler though, imo). I really couldn't get into TFOD at all. I also dig the production on The Gathering better than TFOD, especially bass and drums (Jesus, those Lombardo tom-fills). It doesn't hurt that Steve DiGiorgio was playing on it, of course - actually I wish the bass was a touch louder.