Testament - Formation of Damnation
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Free Music Notes for Formation of Damnation
Free Music Review: Eric/Chuck, the Page/Plant of Thrash
Hit: 5 Stars
With The Formation of Damnation, Testament delivers the thrash album of the year, hands down. Eric Peterson and Chuck Billy are rejoined by Alex Skolnick, Greg Christian and drummer Paul Bostaph to bring us the metal. Along side Slayer and Exodus, no other band has been as consistent and downright dedicated to give the fans what they want. Eric and Chuck, the heart and soul of this band, and as sadly underrated as they are portrayed, completely shine here. Old school, new school, it doesn't matter. Coming up with an album of this magnitude, takes some skill. And how Eric comes up with some of his riffs(heavy and hooky) is just amazing. Chuck, considering the past couple of years have been pretty rough, turns in an amazing performance as well. Its also really good to have Alex and Greg back in the fold. Having said that, both seem to have a renewed spirit on this one, considering Alex has not been on an album of new material since The Ritual in '92 and Greg since Low in'94. And finally, they could not have picked a better replacement than Paul Bostaph. Considered by many as just a fill in, he owns the drums here, and fits the band like a glove. I received my copy a day early, which was an additional bonus to my already anticipated excitement. In conclusion, I was eagerly awaiting this release and it lived up to my expectations ten fold. Thrash metal fans, check it out, raise the horns, and bang til your dead.Free Music Review: Doesn't get much metaller...
Hit: 5 Stars
2008 has so far been a pretty good year for good old fashioned heavy metal. Iced Earth and Metallica have both had great comebacks right when I feared that both bands might be over, and if that weren't enough, you can add to that what is possibly the best of them all with this awesome new release from Testament. Their first album of original material in nearly ten years, "The Formation of Damnation" sees them picking up right where "The Gathering" left off. This is just pure, no-nonsene heavy metal. It doesn't try to do anything but just straight out rock hard, and rock hard it does. Add to that the return of Greg Christian and Alex Skolnick, and the addition of drum chief Paul Bostaph, and you've got a damn near perfect metal album.
This album is full of crushing riffs, spine-tingling solos, wicked time changes, thunderous drumwork, and of course Chuck Billy's oh-so-metal vocals, proving that his recent health problems fortunately haven't claimed his mighty voice. Cool lyrics too, with a lot of interesting spiritual themes. The lyrical topics are plenty "metal" without ever being lame or cheesy. I like that, personally.
Yeah, there's really not too much to analyze here. This is just expertly crafted metal done as few can. Fun and heavy but still sophisticated, very modern but still plenty of classic metal influence. What more can you ask for?
Free Music Review: Ok...4 1/2
Hit: 5 Stars
It was a nine year wait for this follow-up to The Gathering, probably one of the best metal albums of the last 20 years. How do you follow an album like that? Like this.
To be as succinct as possible, F.O.D. is a stylistic step back to their classic 80's thrash style, with the addition of heavier, more modern production. It's essentially 2/3 Souls of Black and 1/3 The Gathering. There's a lot more melodic and rhythmic structure here, track 6 even sounding a tiny bit like Opeth with the off time signatures. The brutal, hammering double kick of The Gathering isn't nearly as evident here. Chuck Billy has also mostly abandoned the death-style vocals of the last 2 albums.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing? For me it's a mixed blessing. I loved 80's Testament and still do, but I personally would have liked a bit more of The Gathering's unbridled aggression here, but that's a small quibble. This is still a whomper of an album and well worth the wait. It's a crying shame that the lunkheaded populace will spend all year moaning about how crappy Metallica is and ignoring these fantastic new discs from Anthrax, Testament and other contempories who have been making amazing music all these years to virtual indifference.
Great job guys. You keep making them like this, and we will keep buying them. Just don't make us wait another nine years please ;)
Free Music Review: To Each Their Own
Hit: 5 Stars
I will start by saying that everyone has their own opinion....
That being said..I went into this album with an open ear, not rushing to judgement and not expecting the Testament of old.
I have appreciated everything they have ever done as they are THE BEST thrash band in my eyes..even Demonic which wasn't completely my thing had some killer tracks on it.
As for this album....It freakin' blew me away. There is not one bad song on this album as far as I am concerned. The lineup is tight..Alex still shreds...Eric is by far the best rhythm player I have heard....Greg still brings the thunder....Paul has always been a solid skins man....and Chuck has one of the best voices in metal...
It is very refreshing to hear metal that grooves while it pounds and to hear vocals that don't sound like dogs barking...
I am pleased that it takes on the old style with a new sense of heavy. Alot of the old thrash bands just aren't what they used to be and it is cool that Testament stayed true to their roots and released another great album.
I was listening to the new Death Angel (which is very cool) before this came out and then once this launched I almost had a flashback to the Thrash days as it seemed the cool thrash was coming back around.
Thanks guys for an amazing release. Hope to see you on tour.
Free Music Review: Top 10 Trash release of all time
Hit: 5 Stars
I've been listening to metal music since 1980 and followed all the trends and twists on the form that have surfaced. When it comes to trash I've listened to it and enjoyed for the last 25 years. There are few releases that I regard as among the best; Reign In Blood and Seasons In The Abyss by Slayer, Bonded By Blood by Exodus, Master Of Puppets and Ride The Lightning Metallica, Peace Sells and Rust In Peace by Megadeth among others.
I've always enjoyed Testament up to a certain degree but never felt they released an album worthy of a inclusion on a top 10 Trash Album list.
But with The Formation Of Damnation they have created a masterpiece of Trash Metal. Sticking to their roots but infusing it with elements of Death and Black Metal. It's catchy as hell, brutal and allt the instruments played with musical mastery.
This is the surely the best Metal release of 2008 and they have set the standard for modern metal that will be very hard to beat.
It will be very interesting to see what the "masters" Metallica will come up with in Death Magnetic. I surely hope Lars, Kirk, James and Robert are listening to this Testament relaese and sweating over how the hell they are going to top it.
Go out and get it!