Hellring

DeRank ™: 3,99

DeAge™ : 7244 days • Here since 26 may 2006

CD Audio I have it ★★★★★

16 nov 14

Explosive debut for the Californian band. A classic thrash album, although Testament, compared to others, has a more unique, epic approach, with melodic solutions that vaguely reminded me of the Iron Maiden of "Powerslave." A tremendous performance by Chuck Billy behind the microphone. One of the cornerstone albums of thrash in the second half of the '80s. (8.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: The New Order

16 nov 14

Another great record, even if for me it's a step back compared to the previous one. More melodic solutions, some touches of heavy, and the usual great compositional quality. (8)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: Practice What You Preach

16 nov 14

Another excellent thrash/heavy episode from Testament. Chuck Billy is extraordinary as always. Testament blend the typical aggressiveness of thrash with the melody of British heavy metal. The result is an intriguing and captivating album, perhaps not fully appreciated by many of their fans. For me, it's slightly below the previous two (especially "The Legacy"), but still another hit, and a consecutive one at that. The title track is beautiful. (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: Souls of Black

19 nov 14

Still spot on, still an excellent heavy/thrash record. It’s always a pleasure to listen to it again, even if it’s not the peak of Testament's compositional prowess. "The Legacy" is one of their best tracks ever. (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: The Ritual

19 nov 14

Mistreated by their fans for being too little thrash, this is once again an album of excellent quality. Tracks like "Electric Crown," "So Many Lies," "Let Go Of My World," and especially "Return To Serenity" testify to its level. (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★

Testament: Demonic

24 nov 14

Solid as a rock death/thrash record, the hardest ever produced by the band. Listenable, no flaws, but certainly the lesser episode of their discography. (6.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: The Gathering

24 nov 14

Leading artists of the genre for the best album of the second half of their career. That said, I don’t see their absolute masterpiece here, but it’s still a pleasure to listen to again. (8)

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Hank Monk
24 nov 14

I should clarify that I haven't listened to all of their... for me, this is their best (I'm going out on a limb here) even better than The Legacy
De...Marga...
24 nov 14

Let's say Hank Monk that you really made a bold claim; I won't say it's a big one because I respect your tastes. They are two phenomenal albums, but if I had to choose, I'd say that "The Legacy" surpasses "The Gathering," albeit by a narrow margin.
Hank Monk
24 nov 14

:) I understand you, but here we have none other than Dave Lombardo, Steve DiGiorgio, and the guitarist who played on Cause Of Death and Spiritual Healing, if I'm not mistaken. It's pretty solid, with just the right amount of spark... And if I remember correctly, the drummer on the early Testament albums was a bit of their weak point.
De...Marga...
24 nov 14

And you are right about the guitarist James Murphy, who played in 1990 with Obituary on Cause of Death and with my beloved Death on Spiritual Healing. Of course, the DiGiorgio-Lombardo rhythm section is one of a kind!!!!
GIASSON
24 nov 14

In my opinion, the best one is The New Order, though we should overlook that terrible cover by Aerosmith.
Hank Monk
24 nov 14

Really, Giasson? For me, New Order is the one I like a bit less compared to the others (I repeat, the main reason is the drummer, who, if I remember correctly, is a bit too lightweight and monotonous to play in a metal band).
GIASSON
24 nov 14

I completely agree with you about the drummer, but Disciple of the Watch makes me lean towards the second album.

CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: Low

21 nov 14

After the never-accepted heavy of "The Ritual," the Americans shift towards groove, delivering a thrash album that's definitely more powerful and energetic. Chuck Billy shows he can wonderfully adapt to the new sound. A must-have album for every lover of the genre. (8)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Testament: The Formation of Damnation

24 nov 14

In their career, they have never been wrong, and we hope they never will be. Nine years of silence only to return with yet another excellent product of old school classic thrash. To hell with the myriad of bands that, by copying, try to do what the masters have as an innate gift. (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Thin Lizzy: Bad Reputation

4 feb 15

Another hit for the Irish, even though there’s always something missing in terms of songwriting to reach the heights of the masterpieces of the past. Notable mentions include the title track, "Opium Trail" and "Dancing in the Moonlight." (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Thin Lizzy: Thunder and Lightning

4 feb 15

The end of the Lizzy era, the last album before Lynott's death three years later. It’s a rockier work than the two previous ones, clearly nodding to the heavy new wave of the early eighties. For my tastes, their best since the distant days of "Jailbreak." (7.5/8)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Thin Lizzy: Vagabonds of the Western World

16 jan 15

The first real record by the Irish. More compact songwriting, less derivative and confusing. There are true standout tracks like "The Hero And The Madman," "Slow Blues," the title track, and "The Rocker," featuring an extraordinary guitar solo by Eric Bell. The best of their early career, even if it's not a complete masterpiece. (8)

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CD Audio I have it ★★

Thin Lizzy: Fighting

17 jan 15

In some ways, it has the same flaws as the previous "Nightlife," but here the songwriting doesn't work, especially in the new direction that Thin Lizzy wanted to give to their sound: that is, more direct, rock, even "street" compared to the psych/blues digressions of the early albums. The experiment doesn't really work, or at least I've never been able to enjoy it. (5.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★

Thin Lizzy: Johnny the Fox

4 feb 15

A successful, engaging album that is always enjoyable to listen to. It suffers from the comparison with what came before. (7.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★

Thin Lizzy: Chinatown

4 feb 15

Same goes for the previous album. Rock energy and songwriting have faded. (6)

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CD Audio I have it ★★

Thin Lizzy: Renegade

4 feb 15

In the second part of their career, for me this is their least successful work. I gave them several chances, but it never impressed me. (5.5)

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Renagade
4 feb 15

how strange, I have never listened to it

CD Audio I have it ★★

Thin Lizzy: Thin Lizzy

16 jan 15

A rather confusing album, where I never quite understood where Lynott wanted to go with it. Not exactly trash, but the ideas are all just sketched out and need development. (5.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★

Thin Lizzy: Shades of a Blue Orphanage

16 jan 15

Superior to the previous one, but with some of the same flaws. Very bluesy and not very hard 'n' heavy. Enjoyable. (6.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★

Thin Lizzy: Night Life

17 jan 15

A good album but I’ve never found the rawness and compositional necessity of "Vagabonds..." Too "diluted", steeped in ballads that, although excellently played, leave little behind. It's still an enjoyable and relaxing album, but I find it a tad overrated. (7)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★

Thin Lizzy: Black Rose: A Rock Legend

4 feb 15

I’ve never been able to fully digest this one. It doesn’t engage me, even though it’s still the usual work of mastery and class. It lacks a bit of compositional verve. To me, it's a sort of “unfinished” album, even if the title track is a great piece. (6.5)

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CD Audio I have it ★★★★★

Thin Lizzy: Jailbreak

17 jan 15

A rock crystal that contains several extraordinary gems: from the power of the title track, to the subdued and irreverent rhythm of "Romeo and the Lonely Girl," from the anthem "The Boys Are Back in Town" to the epic Sabbath-like pathos of "Emerald." A special mention also goes to the ballad "Fight or Fall," one of my favorites from the band. Perhaps their peak. (8.5)

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Rapisardo
19 jan 15

Are you related to Hellraiser?
Hellring
19 jan 15

No :)

DVD Video I have it ★★★

Tze Chun: Fredda è la notte

14 jan 16

A conventional noir/thriller, but well-constructed, without overdoing it and maintaining a good level of tension throughout. A small production that deserves to be rediscovered. Well done, Alice Eve and Bryan Cranston. (6.5)