Testament
Live In London

THE REVIEW

Year 2005, Dave Lombardo has left, just after contributing his drumming to the epochal "The Gathering," as well as Deathian James Murphy and Steve Di Giorgio: a too phenomenal ensemble to last. In their place, the complete classic lineup returns to the fold: Alex Skolnik, after his jazz-rock infatuation, and the rhythm section Louie Clemente/Greg Christian. Predictable to celebrate it all with a commemorative live, but was it even necessary? This time, the insignificant release bullet was dodged.

"Live In London" captures a confident band, agile and compact that casts a glance back at the early LPs, the beautiful "The Legacy" and "The New Order," as well as the less significant "Practice What You Preach" and "The Ritual." The first track is "The Preacher," a classic mosh-pit anthem, followed by the beautiful "The New Order." And the band grinds out notes and plays fiercely, nothing to complain about.

Highlights (what a beautiful term) of the work, the melodic "Electric Crown" (remarkably sung by a no longer young Chuck Billy), the earthquake-inducing "Into The Pit," and the concluding, famous "Disciples Of The Watch," perhaps the signature song of the early Testament, with their old rushing thrash metal in tight jeans and pristine white tennis shoes. A completely different group, the Testament of the '00s.

The sound quality is impeccable, sufficiently clean but "present," with the audience's screams prominently featured. The technical mastery is no less.

A small step back, at the moment my copy of the aforementioned album in my hands: I quickly scroll through the tracklist, looking for a "D.N.R." or a "Legion Of The Dead," but nothing. Then a question spontaneously arises within me, as it arose later during one of their live concerts. Why no track from the masterpiece "The Gathering", from 1999? Copyright issues? Or simply Clemente is not Lombardo, Skolnik is not Murphy? The doubt grows stronger: probably the chemistry and technique achieved in the studio with the "all-star" lineup cannot be recreated live with other members. A great pity, because while "The New Order" is indeed a must, in recent years the band has found a second youth both in the studio and live, thanks also to newcomer Paul Bostaph (ex-Slayer) on the drum stool.

If one doesn't consider this small (yet large) flaw, the album is very smooth and powerful, and deserves a listen, at least for the supporters of Testament (a highly flashy name).