Testament - Demonic [1997]

date: 01 1 2000

Another album of Oldies but goldies series. But what an album! The American thrashers are one of the underrated bands in that area that because of the exaggerate attention of the media for bands like Metallica or Megadeth. But that didn’t make Testament to give up releasing albums of a very high level and didn’t make them doing any kind of commercial compromise to sell better. A proof is the album in discussion, Demonic, released in 1997, 3 years after the excellent Low. The later had positive reactions and also brought something new in Testament compositions: subtle death metal elements. These elements are much clearer on Demonic, compositionally and especially vocally, Chuck Billy proving real skills in playing death metal. The songs on Demonic are among the most the heaviest and rawest I ever heard on a thrash album. Not fast execution, typical for Testament, heavy but modern guitars’ sounds, Eric Petterson is in his best shape, the songs have a lot of groove and the rhythm section is killer. I’ll only say that the drummer on this album is Gene Hoglan and I think it’s enough. The highlights...oh all the songs are highlights, but my personal favorites would be Demonic Refusal, The Burning Times- one of the best Testament songs ever, Hatred Rise, Distorted Lives and John Doe (typical American song). I won’t dissect each and every song, as they all use the same recipe: heavy thrash riffs, death influences, powerful vocals of Chuck Billy, the precise drums of Hoglan. The cover artwork, which I find pretty much resembling with Samael’s Ceremony of Opposites one. The album also marks the “divorce” with Atlantic, which can somehow explain this aggressiveness unleashed on this album. My advice for those who ignored this album is to get it as soon as possible and to feast themselves with a memorable experience with one of the greatest thrash legends STILL ALIVE.

1.         Demonic Refusal           
2.         The Burning Times        
3.         Together as One           
4.         Jun-Jun
5.         John Doe          
6.         Murky Waters   
7.         Hatreds Rise    
8.         Distorted Lives  
9.         New Eyes of Old           
10.        Ten Thousand Thrones  
11.        Nostrovia