Introducing myself...

[Epica]

I thought I'd make this introduction, since my name on all other boards is Bloodstone, but appearently that name was already taken. If you were wondering if I own the record "Epica" by Kamelot; no, I don't. But it has some cool stuff on it. I just thought the name was kinda cool.

The story about how I stumbled upon the mighty Testament is quite funny. I listen to Iced Earth a lot, it's one of my favorite bands. So I told my sceptical friend to try to download an Iced Earth song. He asked; "Which?". I said; "Try Burnt Offerings!" (now most of you know the rest of the story, don't you?) So he downloaded it, but he only found a song called Burnt Offerings by Testament. He listened to it, and found out that it kicked ass! He let me listen to it, and I found that it kicked ass too! He downloaded a few more songs at random, Disciples of the Watch, Trial by Fire and Into the Pit. Holy s***, we both thought, they kicked even more ass!
I checked out the band on allmusic.com, and bought The New Order the next day.

This was about 2 months ago. I now own the following (in the order I bought them):

The New Order
The Ritual
Low
Practice What you Preach

My top 10 Testament songs (not in order):

Trial by Fire (my very favorite Testament song, it has the best riff EVER)
Eerie Inhabitants
Practice What you Preach
Sins of Omission
The New Order
Electric Crown
Perilous Nation
Disciples of the Watch
Shades of War
Into the Pit

Favorite Testament album: The New Order (so far, at least)

So, what are your favorite Testament songs?
Any ideas on which Testament album I should by next?

 

[hiddenlegions]

pick up "First Strike Still Deadly" and "The Gathering" next. You can't go wrong with those , the production and songs are awesome. Welcome to the Testament board.

 

[stefan86]

You gotta get The Gathering.
And if you think Trial By Fire is heavy in its original form you'll love it on First Strike Still Deadly so get that one too.

 

[Epica]

You gotta get The Gathering.
And if you think Trial By Fire is heavy in its original form you'll love it on First Strike Still Deadly so get that one too.

Sorry, I've heard FSSD Trial by Fire, along with another bunch of songs from that album, and I thought most of them were worse than the originals.
The thing is, while the songs have rawer distortion, they lack the speed of the old versions. That isn't always a problem, sometimes I want a more laid back feel, but my main issue with FSSD is Chuck Billy. I don't know what you guys think, but I think he has become MUCH worse than he was before. Actually, on New Order he just slays, on that record he was the best thrash vocalist ever, IMO. But after Low he just wasn't as good as in days of the old. Maybe I'm spoilt, of course, he is far better than most of today's "growlers". I'm not just terribly into death metal, it could be that. Another thing is the overall production on FSSD. Although it is very good, IMO it isn't near the shining production on New Order. Although it sounds as though they worked on a low budget, the guitar, drum, bass and vocal sound on New Order is just slaying. Alex Perials simply did a hell of a job here.
So that's pretty hard to beat.

Actually, not all FSSD were worse than the originals. I heard Burnt Offerings, and it was actually slightly better on FSSD. And that was the only song from Legacy I heard, so maybe the Legacy songs is more of an improvement than the New Order ones.

I will buy FSSD eventually, don't worry. But I'll have to buy Legacy first, IMO you shouldn't hear re-recorded versiojns before you hear the original versions.

 

[Epica]

BTW, I should add that the only post-Low stuff I've heard is Riding the Snake off The Gathering, a so-so cover of Rapid Fire and these FSSD versions I mentioned previously. So maybe I should STHU. Keep in mind, that I'm not saying Chuck is a crappy singer, he is by no means that, I'm just saying he's not quite as good as in the past.

 

[hiddenlegions]

BTW, I should add that the only post-Low stuff I've heard is Riding the Snake off The Gathering, a so-so cover of Rapid Fire and these FSSD versions I mentioned previously. So maybe I should STHU. Keep in mind, that I'm not saying Chuck is a crappy singer, he is by no means that, I'm just saying he's not quite as good as in the past.

<In Lumburgh voice from Office Space> Um ... yeah ...... I'm gonna have to disagree with you there Peter ........

IMO , Chuck has gotten MUCH better than before, he has way more of a range. He can still sing way high , and now crushingly (is that even a word, ha) low , he is by far one of the most versatile metal singers ever. I really dig the death metal style vocals he sings (ie: dog faced gods) , nothing can top that. Even though the FSSD songs are a little slower, they are better in the fact of how they are still fast and heavy , but have more of a heavy groove.

I highly DISAGREE that Chuck has gotten worse. That's insantity bro.

And what kind of dope were you smokin' when you wrote that ?

 

[Epica]

<In Lumburgh voice from Office Space> Um ... yeah ...... I'm gonna have to disagree with you there Peter ........

IMO , Chuck has gotten MUCH better than before, he has way more of a range. He can still sing way high , and now crushingly (is that even a word, ha) low , he is by far one of the most versatile metal singers ever. I really dig the death metal style vocals he sings (ie: dog faced gods) , nothing can top that. Even though the FSSD songs are a little slower, they are better in the fact of how they are still fast and heavy , but have more of a heavy groove.

I highly DISAGREE that Chuck has gotten worse. That's insantity bro.

And what kind of dope were you smokin' when you wrote that ?

Yes, I guess the groove on all of the old Testament songs is the main improvement. But IMO, FSSD trades thrash for groove. I mean, that's not a bad thing, it depends on what mood you're in.

I guess my issue with Chuck is his frequent use of growling. He did sometimes use growl on New Order, but only sparingly, and never for an entire song. I mean, I'm not just too high on death style vocals. But Chuck is definitely one of a kind, not like all the other growlers.
Listen to the verses of The New Order (the song), that's what I just love about Chuck Billy of the old.

 

[dom]

i think i know what you mean there, i haven't been really impressed by the few songs i've heard from FSSD, but i think his voice now is fucking awesome...

though it probably helps that i first heard testament with their newer stuff, so i'm slightly biased towards that side of them...

i tell you what though, download Return to Serenity, but make sure it's the newer acoustic version from live at the fillmore, it's so fucking great!

 

[dom]

well, get both, because they are both great, but the acoustic one, for me, just has more great memories and feelings when i listen to it, so i prefer it slightly more...

 

[hiddenlegions]

I love those acoustic songs from Live at the Filmore. Especially "The Legacy".

 

[speed]

I have to say I know where you are coming from, I started out listening to Ozzy, Dio, Queensryche, Maiden etc- (although I was always a huge Slayer, Megadeth, Testament- speed thrash fan). Then briefly, I only listened to Iced Earth and other power metal bands- I think it is a natural progression. Then I heard some old In Flames, and Meshuggah and was immediatly taken by the power and agressiveness- as well as the melody of In Flames and the technicality and inventiveness of Meshuggah. I also thought that growling was just wrong- and socially unaccepted- I was living in Italy at the time- and power metal was in. Yet, now I rarely ever listen to power metal, and strangely like death metal vocals over most clean vocals.

I think you have been blinded by power metal right now- if you keep listening to Testament- maybe you will see the light, and start accepting new forms of metal. Growling is a major part of alot of so many styles of metal- that are in many ways far more impressive and inventive than power metal. So, I only hope that you progress, in your tastes- and give the growling a try, so many great, great bands use growled- or death vocals- dont overlook them because of it.


Chuck is the best growler i know of- and one of the best thrash singers ever.

 

[Epica]

I have to say I know where you are coming from, I started out listening to Ozzy, Dio, Queensryche, Maiden etc- (although I was always a huge Slayer, Megadeth, Testament- speed thrash fan). Then briefly, I only listened to Iced Earth and other power metal bands- I think it is a natural progression. Then I heard some old In Flames, and Meshuggah and was immediatly taken by the power and agressiveness- as well as the melody of In Flames and the technicality and inventiveness of Meshuggah. I also thought that growling was just wrong- and socially unaccepted- I was living in Italy at the time- and power metal was in. Yet, now I rarely ever listen to power metal, and strangely like death metal vocals over most clean vocals.

I think you have been blinded by power metal right now- if you keep listening to Testament- maybe you will see the light, and start accepting new forms of metal. Growling is a major part of alot of so many styles of metal- that are in many ways far more impressive and inventive than power metal. So, I only hope that you progress, in your tastes- and give the growling a try, so many great, great bands use growled- or death vocals- dont overlook them because of it.


Chuck is the best growler i know of- and one of the best thrash singers ever.

You're right about one thing: Testament is the heaviest band I've ever listened to so far.
But I do accept most forms of metal, except for nu-metal and death metal. There isn't a style of heavy metal that I haven't accepted sooner or later. So I will start listening to death metal sooner or later, but don't give me that crap about death metal being more inventive than power metal. Maybe it's equal inventive, but it could hardly be more inventive than power metal.
Death metal still feels pretty far away for me. One thing is for sure: I won't stop listening to power metal once I start listening to death metal. No new metal style to me has made me stop listening to my previous styles of metal.

 

[istari]

Since you seem to like the " pre-Low" Testament more then the newer releases I think you might be better of buying "Souls of Black" instead of Gathering or Demonic.... Souls of Black is a great album and contains some of the best Testament songs ever IMHO...

Oh, and I think you will get into heavier music (deathmetal etc.) when you've listened to Testament for awhile... As allways it will start with the "softer" songs on Low (Trail of tears) then you will discover the rest of that record and think to yourself "hmmmm... that James Murphy guy knows what he is doing...." and then you'll pick up "The Gathering" aswell... When you've listened to The Gatheing until your ears bleed you'll start looking for other bands in the same vein as "The Gathering" and you will probably discover "The Haunted" and later on "At the Gates".... And now you find you are hooked... no turning back...

oh, and welcome to the board....

 

[speed]

Ah, I fully believe you will start listening to heavier bands if you keep listening to Testament. Before you say you will never listen to death metal- check out the bands Death or Control Denied- both bands are highly technical- wonderful musicians and song writing- and the best drummers in the history of metal.

As for your power metal comment, that death metal is hardly more inventive than power metal- Well I respectfully disagree with your opinion. First, I have found that at least 90% of power metal bands are repetitive- I rarely have heard any new sound out of the power metal camps- they are all great musicians- but they all play the same solos, with the same clean singeres and choruses- hell they usually use the same riffs (Iced Earth is especially guilty of this sin). Second, I think you know very little about the realm of death metal- not all death metal sounds like Cannibal Corpse- yes there are alot of repetitve bands out there-but there are quite a number of very talented and diverse death metal bands, that play in a myriad of styles. Lets not forget that many other styles- such as doom metal, industrial metal, black metal etc incorporate death metal vocals as well- so dont count them out either. Also, many death metal bands have and do incorporate clean vocals and choruses.

Finally, I just think you have to try a few bands, and then decide whether you will never listen to heavier metal. I would suggest starting with a band like Nevermore- and then work yourself up to the last two soilwork albums- and then try The Gathering by Testament. I am sure your musical tastes will evolve over time- hell i listen to weird shit like electronica, and reggae all the time- I never thought that would happen.

 

[Epica]

Ah, I fully believe you will start listening to heavier bands if you keep listening to Testament. Before you say you will never listen to death metal- check out the bands Death or Control Denied- both bands are highly technical- wonderful musicians and song writing- and the best drummers in the history of metal.

As for your power metal comment, that death metal is hardly more inventive than power metal- Well I respectfully disagree with your opinion. First, I have found that at least 90% of power metal bands are repetitive- I rarely have heard any new sound out of the power metal camps- they are all great musicians- but they all play the same solos, with the same clean singeres and choruses- hell they usually use the same riffs (Iced Earth is especially guilty of this sin). Second, I think you know very little about the realm of death metal- not all death metal sounds like Cannibal Corpse- yes there are alot of repetitve bands out there-but there are quite a number of very talented and diverse death metal bands, that play in a myriad of styles. Lets not forget that many other styles- such as doom metal, industrial metal, black metal etc incorporate death metal vocals as well- so dont count them out either. Also, many death metal bands have and do incorporate clean vocals and choruses.

Finally, I just think you have to try a few bands, and then decide whether you will never listen to heavier metal. I would suggest starting with a band like Nevermore- and then work yourself up to the last two soilwork albums- and then try The Gathering by Testament. I am sure your musical tastes will evolve over time- hell i listen to weird shit like electronica, and reggae all the time- I never thought that would happen.

I'm not saying death metal is a worse style of music, what I'm saying is; that I won't like death metal more than power metal. It's all music, y'know?

 

[speed]

To each his own- sorry for my preaching- I got a little carried away- I have a real problem with power metal, and I went a little overboard on getting you to change- well anyway welcome.

 

[Testament Legions]

Welcome to the forum, Epica!

 

[Epica]

Welcome to the forum, Epica!

Thanks, man!

Question, BTW: Are you REALLY from the Bay Area? Or is it just something you say to keep up your thrash image?

 

[Testament Legions]

Thanks, man!

Question, BTW: Are you REALLY from the Bay Area? Or is it just something you say to keep up your thrash image?

The Bay Area has been my home for 20 years, tho I'm originally from another place far, far away... a place I'd like to forget.

So... I'm not fakin' . I've seen Testament as Legacy (at Ruthie's Inn), so I've been here from the beginning of the thrash scene. It was a glorious time. Don't ask me how old I am...

 

[Dirt Junior]

Welcome Dirtbag..see You At "the Haunted"show!