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Rating: Today, the Testament are considered by many to be nothing more than an appendix of a musical movement that is now dead and buried, and currently desperately trying to survive its own glory by presenting itself in a new guise (which has much to do with "metalcore," although this undergoes influences that are not mostly "Thrash"), and with new names, as the biggest and most significant names of the house have abandoned the extreme and violent attitude (and a bit mockingly, let's face it) to devote themselves to the sport that attracts young ears and record companies the most: "nu-metal" and everything that derives from it.
However, if we take a step back a few decades, we will certainly realize that Testament are by no means "an appendix," but rather, a band of great respect, who have performed on stage and shared burdens and honors with distinguished names that we all know today: Slayer, Megadeth, Dark Angel, Whiplash, Exodus, Metallica, etc. Between the '80s and early '90s, these American guys brought a breath of "joyous" violence and technique to a genre already largely invaded by ultra-negative, opposing, and nihilistic reflections.
The fact that they are considered "seniors" today is irrelevant, simply because Testament are a little piece of hard history and loved madly by hundreds of people. People who today laugh at Trivium and Caliban, thinking that the fans of these bands believe their attitude is genuine and original, while it is not at all. By all means, everyone has their tastes that need to be respected and listened to, but the easy setups for better marketing certain products should perhaps be set aside, especially if you're addressing ears trained for years in Thrash Metal. "Low" proves it.
In a period that was certainly not good for Testament, they, with the strength of the talent of James Murphy and Chuck Billy, on guitar and vocals respectively, in 1994, delivered a violent and thundering album that in several instances went beyond Bay Area Thrash to delve into a certain murderous and stringent Death Metal, producing an explosive and captivating work, with its strengths being excellent production, wondrous, fast and catchy songs without being "sold out," and the great desire to once again rise to the fleeting glories of the past. Whether or not Testament succeeded, it is up to those who followed them to further judge, but, for our part, in this work, we can say that the authenticity is abundant and clear.
And so it begins beautifully with "Low" with its enviable breaks and drum patterns, introduced by an enviable growl and a power that punches to the left and right. Then, without pauses, until "Trial of Tears", there's not a moment of rest: fury, ferocity, Thrash and more Thrash. "Trial of Tears" is a sort of interlude to the second part of the album, a song although beautiful, placed there to prepare for the subsequent destructive tracks. "Shades of War", "Dog Faced Gods" and "Chasing Fear" flow in a raw and unadorned sonic delirium, and "Ride", this one more shocking and rich in "mood" than the others, leaves you stunned with a drum blast that knocks you out of your seat, with no holds barred.
Allow me, if I may, to say that, even though I really like new trends and do not disdain them at all, sometimes I recognize that the class and time-tested experience of certain giants is undeniably without question because, when they decide to flex their muscles, there's nothing that can stand their ground.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Low (03:33)
Fuel the fire for war
it's man against mankind
bruises that they bear
been beaten down with time
Innocent people suffer the loss
your broken hope so close to the cross
sometimes you just don't know
how low... how low you can, go...
So low it's sickening
low... low... show some mercy
Hey you piece of shit
just leave the kids alone
why can't you bear
the things that we endure
Innocent people suffer the loss
lost hope with faith to the cross
sometimes you just don't know
how low... how low you can go
show some sympathy
low.. low... show some mercy
I don't like you for your warped demented ways
I hope they lock you down so you never get away
low... low... show some sympathy
low... low... show some mercy...
03 Hail Mary (03:32)
I am alive
I feel dirt in my eyes
there's no escape when redemption is lost
I'm not a saint
there's no use looking
no sins to deny
just my will to go on
Arms of darkness
embrace me in madness
in my life it's mandatory
hard to resist you
I still can't forgive you
for sins that I cannot wash away
Hail Mary full of grace
throw some light upont this race
intertwining final breath
now... in the hour of death
Bound by the lies
of constant denial
pay for my sins that I bear for a child
I'm not a saint
there's no use denying
falling from grace
is my reason to go on
Hail Mary full of grace
push me down, and kick me in my face
intertwining final breath
now... in the hour of death
04 Trail of Tears (06:06)
See the sun as the day is done
life is of the broken ones
some will stray as time will come
All their lives, they live it well
red man proud and giving hell
some stand and shining tall
Can you hear them call...
See the sun as it's setting still
tears fall from a warrior
damn those who I feel
Set a trail to the promised land
mother and child holding hand in hand
through the snow or through the sands
All across the land...
Full moon's rising from the sky, a warrior's riding
ride with the wind
so far away, the spirits will guide you
no more sorrow
don't look back, your freedom will follow
flying so free
can't you see... on the trail of tears
Full moon's rising from the sky, a warrior's riding
ride with the wind
so far away, the spirits will guide you
no more sorrow
don't look back, your freedom will follow
flying so free
can't you see... on the trail of tears
05 Shades of War (04:44)
Burial of a human being
a man before a boy
born to fight in another man's world
not a world where there's war
Born religiously
truth is what they see
death won't come from peace
who fuels this war?
Sacred ground of life
burnt remains of the dead
bodies lay to rest
spirits of the earth
Rancid man, burned alive
too blind to see what's wrong from right
locked inside this cage
so many times blood has poured
walk with shadows
hear the shades of war... forever more
Brought into this world of bitter pain
are we safe... or just insane
Rancid man, burned alive
too blind to see what's wrong from right
darkness veils their way
so many times blood has poured
walk with shadows
hear the shades of war... forever more
07 Dog Faced Gods (04:02)
Of dog faced gods
Through the Nile sands whisper
Of ancient times, mayfly names
Flickered and gone
The blood and honey
Dripping from their jaws
Through the Nile sand whisper
Ancient times, fade into the dawn
Of dog faced gods
Manifest in the night
The sacred rights
Handed down through times of old
Dark words of power
Blood upon their tombs
Through incantations
Locusts fly, signaling doom
Confirm who I am
Contort all I can
Conceive sorcery
Corrodes disbelief
Of dog faced gods
Dead civilization
Through priests of power
Invoking life of the ancient one
The blood and honey
Dripping from their jaws
Through the Nile sand whisper
Travel through time to the land unknown
Confirm who I am
Contort all I can
Conceive sorcery
Corrodes disbelief
08 All I Could Bleed (03:37)
[Music: Peterson]
[Lyrics: Billy]
I like to dominate
I create your fate
Many years gone by
I rule society
You cannot be me
I am the master
Can't you hear me, breathing for you
Do not ignore
Reach out to me, put your knife through me
Watch me bleed for you... yeah... right
Try to retaliate
I release your hate
Why don't you bleed for me
What do you need to prove
I can see through you
You're not the master
Can't you see me, dying for you
Do not ignore
Reach out to me, put your knife through me
Watch me bleed for you... dying... dying...
All I could bleed
Can't you understand
Grab life by the hand
Where's democracy
I gave all I could bleed
[Solos: 1 & 3: Eric]
[Solos: 2 & 4: James]
Fuck government
Land is of the free
Don't take away
Your two bit society
Dying for your greed
Now watch them bleed...
Yeah... all I could bleed
10 Chasing Fear (04:56)
[Music: Peterson, Christian]
[Lyrics: Billy, James]
Paralyzed
And never coming back
Even when your eyes are open
Everything turns to black
Soon forgotten senses
Incubates the soul
Hiding from the light fantastic
Waiting for the show
Contemplation
Reality starts to fade
Creeping stare behind dead eyes
As the minutes burn the day
Inactive wandering
Still can't get a grip
Can God hear your cry
Before you start to slip
Chasing fear
Human mind unglued
Unaware
That fear is chasing you
Endless waiting
For nothing to appear
Even when your eyes are shut
The visions are so clear
Harmonious dissidence
Obscure reckoning
Did you hear that final note
Of silent suffering
Chasing fear
Human mind unglued
Disappear
The sickness inside of you
Chasing fear
Nothing you can do
Unaware
That fear is chasing you
[Solos: Eric, James]
Loss of function
Withering of the will
Condemned to a state of nothing
Moving in for the kill
Brain cells slowly boil
With memories intertwined
Listening to that empty space
Atrophy of the mind
Chasing fear
Human mind unglued
Disappear
The sickness inside of you
Chasing fear
Nothing you can do
Unaware
That fear is chasing you
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Other reviews
By Rainbow Rising
With "Low," Testament attempted to have a foot in both camps, frankly convincing only halfway.
The B-side of the album often features tracks as aggressive as they are forgettable, failing to convey anything even after repeated listens.
