Testament
Dark Roots Of Earth

There are artists who, in various ways, can remain "dear" to you despite the passing of the years, the changing preferences and tastes, and the advancement of musical discoveries. At my tender age of twenty-three, I sometimes throw back a memory to ten years ago, a small metalhead sprout with a Black Sabbath t-shirt and the first albums (strictly hard&heavy), bought or copied from friends, placed on the shelf. You decide to grow your hair out, buy yourself black jeans and a used leather jacket, draw various atrocious band logos on your desk, and flip through "Metal Shock" during the hour dedicated to The Betrothed. Great times.

Then things change, years pass, you realize that two hairs on your chin are not a pagan beard, that the leather jacket smells terribly of fake leather seats in the summer heat, and that a grand (hugely) part of the metal albums wildly burned don't even serve as makeshift table leg supports. You notice that there’s also the remaining 90% of the music in the world (were you following Satanic Warmaster and Prostitute Disfigurement while ignoring King Crimson and Blue Cheer?), and generally, you rightly feel like a bit of a loser.

The Testament is one of those bands you continue to follow, both out of affection and for the actual quality of the music that stands the test of time. For the writer, their The Gathering is THE metal album of the '90s, although The Formation Of Damnation (2008) failed to repeat its success, revealing itself as a decent but workmanlike effort. Now it’s 2012, the most mainstream year of the new millennium, and before the supposed End, the Californian band releases this Dark Roots Of Earth. The first listen was decidedly cold: songs seemingly anonymous, lagging, polished by an excellent but "standard" production (the loved/hated Nuclear Blast). However, you can notice more melody, less violence for its own sake in favor of mid-tempo and understandable screams.

With more patient assimilation (patience dictated by the €19.90 spent), the true soul of the LP emerges: greater focus on song form, enhanced and improved spotlight on the solo section (Alex Skolnick, with diverse musical backgrounds, showcases uncommon abilities), alongside the usual pounding rhythm, this time supported by former Death member Gene Hoglan. There are some excellent tracks: from the powerful "True American Hate," to the title track, to the single "Native Blood," and the concluding "Last Stand For Independence." Nine compositions where (almost) everything works as it should, without surprises: it’s the record that the devoted fan can consume without hesitation, while the fifteen-year-old, accustomed to incomprehensible growls and flaming Bibles, might remain quite indifferent.

Unfortunately, and predictably, we don’t have a new masterpiece, and the already mentioned The Gathering will probably remain a solitary peak, but after twenty-five years of career, it's hard to ask for more from a group of noisy metalheads with beer bellies, wives and kids at home during tours, and a few too many gray hairs. An effort that anyone who has had at least a short or long-term interest in "heavy" music might indulge in, ignoring or smiling at the childish cover art, song titles, and booklet photos featuring horns and flashy guitars. However, it's still better than the chilling covers included in the collector's edition (of Queen, Scorpions, Iron Maiden), which was carefully avoided like the plague. Meanwhile, it keeps spinning in the car, and maybe I'll dig out the Black Sabbath t-shirt, I should have it somewhere.