Very few of the metal bands which survived the 80s are truly relevant today.Many former innovators (i.e., Metallica, Queensryche, Megadeth)have lost either their edge.Bay Area metallers Testament, however, have proven with their latest release that they haven't lost a goddamn thing; and like a fine wine might even be improving with age.

To create a great metal album you need a superb cast of musicians, and Testament mainstays Chuck Billy (vocals) and Eric Peterson (guitar) have put together an all-pro team for The Gathering.Joining them on guitar once again is maestro James Murphy (Obituary, Death); on bass, Steve DiGiorgio (Sadus, Control Denied, Death); and on drums, Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Grip Inc.).It is hardly surprising that this album is outstanding from a technical perspective.What will raise eyebrows is the pure fucking heaviness of the record!Its no rehashing of past Testament efforts, though it does seem to mix elements of 1988's The New Order, 1994's Low and 1997's Demonic.Instead it is an album that is very modern and quite possibly the herald for a new era of thrash metal.

The bone-fucking begins on the opening track, "D.N.R.(Do Not Resuscitate)."A soft intro quickly gives way into metal the like of which I have not heard in years.Fast, heavy, brutal and precise.Fifth gear is achieved again on tracks like "Legions of the Dead" and "Fall of Siple Dome," allowing Lombardo and DiGiorgio to show off their chops at blistering tempos.They are complemented by the riffing of Peterson and Murphy which rears its head on songs like "Down For Life","Eyes of Wrath" and 3 Days in Darkness.Though some might be disappointed by the lack of solos on The Gathering.In their defense, there seems to be little room for such activity on the disc.Even when leads are taken, they are like a terrified gasp, such is the level of intensity and terror in the music.Stoking this fire is Billy, whose larger-than-life vocals alternate between titanic screams, grave-like grunts, and melodic musings.When he screams, "We live in a fucked up wolrd!" on "Careful What You Wish For."

While so many of their 80s brethren have treaded the path of shitness,Testament continues to fuck shit up.

This review is credited to:
The God

As soon as I saw this disc in the store I was thinking to myself, “Oh hell yeah, a new Testament CD!!!!” As you can see I have been out of the real metal loop for a little while, consequently I didn’t even realize Testament had a new album out. I run from the store (yes, I did pay for the album! I SWEAR I DID!) To get back to the car and throw this in my CD player. I rip the shrink wrap off go to open it up and can’t get the damn CD out. I spend the next 10 minutes getting that damn piece of tape across the top of the CD off….AAARRRGGGHHH. I finally get it open throw the CD in and realize I left the keys to my car in the store….AAARRRGGGHHH again. Ok I have the keys, the CD is finally in the player and I take a look at the inside cover and see Dave Lombard on drums?!? James Murphy on guitar?!? Oh HELL YEAH!!! And that’s when the first strains of “D.N.R.” hit me and I start getting goosebumps and then all hell breaks loose as the guitars kick in and Lombardo starts pounding till your ears bleed and doesn’t let up for another 10 tracks. If you are not familiar with the band (in this incarnation anyway) we have Chuck Billy on vocals, Eric Peterson and James Murphy on guitar, Steve DiGiorgio on bass and in my opinion the best heavy metal drummer out there right now, Dave Lombardo.

Let me start by saying that everything about this album can be summed up in one word…AWESOME!!! Chuck’s vocals have never sounded better. I love the way he mixes the clean vocals with one of the best death metal style growls I have heard in a long time. The guitar work is just killer riffs and leads from beginning to end and the rhythm section is just unbelievable. The songs range from groove oriented (Eyes Of Wrath, True Believer, 3 Days in Darkness) to pure out and out thrash that will snap your neck (D.N.R., Down for Life, Legions Of the Dead, Fall of Sipledom).

I have had this CD in my personal rotation since the day I bought it. I cant go more than week without listening to it and I swear it seems to get better each time I do. This album has got me thinking there is a God and he must like HEAVY METAL!!!!

Track By Track

D.N.R. - 10
Down For Life - 10
Eyes Of Wrath - 9.0
True Believer - 8.5
3 Days in Darkness - 10
Legions of the Dead - 9.5
Careful What You wish For - 9.5
Riding the Snake - 9.5
Allegiance - 9.5
Sewn Shut Eyes - 9.5
Fall of Sipledom - 10

Vocals - 9.5, Guitars - 9.5, Bass - 8.0, Drums - 10++, Keyboards-N/A Production - 9.0

Overall - 10+

This review is credited to:
Mystophales