The official Royal Carnage TESTAMENT thread

[Erik]

That's it, someone start a TESTAMENT thread.. please. This band should be discussed in a true roundtable all its own.

TESTAMENT RULES. I mean, look at what happened to their peers, such as Metallica... and then how very fresh Testament still feel. In 2003, Testament are more heavy, brutal, fast and plain great than ever, (although maybe they didn't really top the first three albums with "The Gathering", you'd be insane to deny its greatness) wearing Marduk and Mayhem shirts, starting BM side projects and very much following and appreciating the current metal scene while still not disappointing their old-school fans. It's remarkable, really.

TESTAMENT RULES. I cannot wait until the Wacken concert... Basically, that's my main reason bandwise for going to Wacken... The lineup is otherwise not as good as last year.

TESTAMENT RULES because they care about their fans and stuff. I mean... You could see "First Strike Still Deadly" as an attempt to cash in on old songs because a new album's not coming out in a while, but when you consider that basically it was the fans that wanted the songs recorded with better production in the way the songs are now played live, and even let the fans decide in online polls what songs would be on the disc, to me it really seems like a labour of love for the fans.

And of all TESTAMENT albums that RULE, "The New Order" rules the most IMO. I haven't heard "Souls Of Black", "Demonic" or "The Ritual" though, but I am told those are not really the most essential Testament albums anyway. Because of my limited knowledge of quite a few of their albums, I'm not going to attempt ranking 'em. "The New Order" is my favourite though. "Eerie Inhabitants" could very well be the greatest thrash metal song ever. One of 'em, at least.

 

[Nate The Great]

I have everything from 'Souls of Black' forward. I bought 'Souls' when I was just a wee lad. That cover was all I needed to make me buy it. 'The Ritual' is damn good. Don't let anybody lie to you. Plus Alex Skolnick has one of the best solos ever on that album.

My favorite is most definitely 'The Gathering'. 'Demonic' is pure death vocals. It's still an excellent album, though.

I was a HUGE Alex Skolnick fan when I first starting playing guitar. You have to get 'The Ritual' and hear what he does on that album.

 

[HarmonyDies....]

TESTAMENT RULES!!!!! LONG LIVE THRASH METAL!!!! The New Order is a truly excellent album phyre. My thrash band had a show recently. GOod times. =)

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

Testament does truly fucking rule. One of the greatest thrash metal bands to ever grace this mudball. And yes, their first 3 albums + "The Gathering" all are essential listening. Nice thread phyre/Erik!

 

[JayKeeley]

Seen them twice. Clash of the Titans '90, and Gods of Metal (a couple of weeks back). Both times they were excellent - great sound quality, meaning they really take their time in getting that sound check right.

I like the new stuff - but old is better IMO. "Over the Wall"? "Into the Pit"?

You want an example of where Alex Skolnick sounds incredible? "Confusion Fusion" <- jazz madness!

Oh and Souls of Black can get boring at times, but that's probably because it had to live up to Practice...and never could. Guitar solo to title track is astounding.

Wacken baby!

 

[Papa Josh]

Got every single last one of 'em...

Live at The Filmore with James Murphy is absolutely essential if for no other reason than to hear him play the solos on all of the classics. Also, Return To The Apocalyptic City features former Forbidden guitarist Glen Avelais.

Demonic is brutal, pure and simple. The Ritual was their attempt to follow Metallica's black album footsteps. An ok record, with fucked production, mainly w/ the drums... very weak. Louie Clemente never was that great of a drummer though.

Low is one of my favorite thrash albums and it came out in 1994!

 

[bloodfiredeath]

No band, and I mean no band, has come close to standing the test of time for me than Testament. They were the first concert I ever went to back in 89, and the most recent concert I've been to (Metal Gods)... and both were friggin amazing.

Chuck and Eric have been able to do what very very few can do, be a relevant aggressive metal band for a very long time.

Favorite albums:
Every album! Except...

Weakest albums:
Souls of Black
Ritual

Good, but not great albums. I know everyone likes to go apeshit for Skolnick (he was brilliant on the early albums), but him leaving the band was the best thing to happen to them, IMO.

 

[JayKeeley]

Good, but not great albums. I know everyone likes to go apeshit for Skolnick (he was brilliant on the early albums), but him leaving the band was the best thing to happen to them, IMO.

Thing is, you've got to remember that guitarists received a lot more of the spotlight back in the late 80's:

Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Alex Skolnick
Marty Friedman
Paul Gilbert

etc. You know, all the wizz kids.

I think that's why Alex Skolnick was so well recognized for his talents - he matched those other geniuses, and he wasn't playing pop metal.

He auditioned for Ozzy you know (along with Marty Friedman) and they both lost to Zakk Wylde.

 

[Papa Josh]

Thing is, you've got to remember that guitarists received a lot more of the spotlight back in the late 80's:

Joe Satriani
Steve Vai
Alex Skolnick
Marty Friedman
Paul Gilbert

etc. You know, all the wizz kids.

I think that's why Alex Skolnick was so well recognized for his talents - he matched those other geniuses, and he wasn't playing pop metal.

He auditioned for Ozzy you know (along with Marty Friedman) and they both lost to Zakk Wylde.

Probably because there's more feeling in Zakk's playing. Don't get me wrong, I love Skolnick's work with Testament, but there was definitely more feeling when James Murphy came on board.

Speaking of guitar whizzes, I'd really like to hear the new cds George Lynch put out, the one with him and Jeff Pilson, and the Lynch Mob one wher he re-does old Dokken songs and Lynch Mob cuts.... to bad Mr. Scary himself is supposed to be such a big asshole.

I met Malmsteen on the Eclipse tour.. major asshole.

 

[JayKeeley]

Probably because there's more feeling in Zakk's playing. Don't get me wrong, I love Skolnick's work with Testament, but there was definitely more feeling when James Murphy came on board.

Sure - Zakk was the next best thing to Jake for Ozzy style mayhem.

I met Malmsteen on the Eclipse tour.. major asshole.

reputation precedes him then...

 

[Papa Josh]

Sure - Zakk was the next best thing to Jake for Ozzy style mayhem.

Yeah, Zakk was made to play with the Ozz.

reputation precedes him then...

Man, this guy teased a handicapped person by dangling the poster he'd just signed over the person's wheelchair, just out of reach..

I don't know, he was pretty hammered, not to mention 2 and a half hours late... not even an excuse.

 

[NAD]

I learned the intro bassline to Souls of Black before ever hearing a single Testament song.