David Halbe 
It seems Testament has been preparing for this musical battle since their inception. With every generation comes war. Although it may take years to fully reveal itself, a warrior knows preparation is the key to everything.
Whenever I think of thrash metal my mind inevitably falls back to ‘The Big 4’ (Anthrax, Megadeth, Metallica and Slayer). Honestly, there’s a case to be made as to why these bands are the biggest, but truth be told, I have a hard time calling them the best.
The definition of progression is: “The process of developing or moving gradually towards a more advanced state.” For all practical purposes, progression has been a deathblow to the ‘kings of thrash’.
Just think about bands like Metallica who put out four trend setting albums then morphed into a ridiculous hard rock / alternative version of themselves.
Anthrax was one of the greatest thrash acts to come out of the east coast, but now they’re a groove metal farce who re-recorded their own classic material as a last-ditch effort to revitalize their career.
Maybe Slayer was right to hang it up when they did, Repentless (2015), is a far cry from the lyrical masterpieces Jeff Hanneman once brought to the band.
There’s no doubt these bands created timeless albums but for whatever reason they’ve progressed out of relevancy. These acts aren’t big at anything anymore but letting your eardrums down.
There are exceptions to every rule, and I personally believe Testament is that exception. Often credited as one of the most influential and popular bands in thrash metal, they are a prime example of ‘progression through aggression.’
One of the leaders of the ‘second wave of thrash’ in the late 1980s, the band has existed in some form since 1983. Now, over forty years and fourteen studio albums later, Testament has remained as relevant and consistent as ever. Seemingly getting stronger and harder with each new effort, their sound is now a mixture of thrash, death and even black metal. Unbelievably, the progression doesn’t end there, the group also has no problem incorporating orchestral and progressive elements. Nowhere is this stylistic incorporation more evident than with the band’s latest effort, Para Bellum (2025).
The Para Bellum album title isn’t a reference to a John Wick movie, it’s part of a Latin phrase: ‘Si vis pacem, para bellum’ roughly translated as “If you want peace, prepare for war.”
It seems Testament has been preparing for this musical battle since their inception. With every generation comes war. Although it may take years to fully reveal itself, a warrior knows preparation is the key to everything. Para Bellum stands as a call to arms. It is an examination of mankind’s uneasy alliance with its own establishments, reflecting a modern chaos through sounds that are compelling, intense and undeniably mortal. This is Testament. Epically unfiltered and firing on all cylinders. Highlight tracks for me are: “For Love Of Pain”, “Infanticide A.I.”, “Room 117″ and “High Noon”.
Testament are one of my favorite bands ever, and I find it scandalous that a band of this magnitude has not received the true accolades they deserve.
Nobody sees Testament as some nostalgic act dependent upon songs written thirty years ago. Tapping the vein of the underground has always been part of the thought process. Knowing the trend fuels the impulse to remain relevant. Staying with the times has always been the key to the successful style of metal Testament delivers. \m/
TESTAMENT is:
- Chuck Billy – Vocals
- Alex Skolnick – Guitars
- Eric Peterson – Guitars
- Steve Di Giorgio – Bass
- Chris Dovas – Drums
