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Rating: If the year in which classic Thrash broke through with the "usual" "Reign In Blood," "Master Of Puppets," "Spreading The Disease/Among The Living," "Peace Sells...But Who's Buying?" was the glorious 1986, the following year, 1987, certainly did not look any less profitable.
In 1987, in fact, two very important timeless masterpieces of Thrash, "musically a bit more intense," came to life, works that would provide great inspiration for the most influential bands to follow, especially in the Death Metal realm.
These two "historical documents" answered to the names "The Legacy" by the young Testament and "Scream Bloody Gore" by the late Chuck's Death.
Probably, or rather, definitely, the second was more important than the first, but only because its release spawned a more extreme branch of Thrash that would take its name from the same group.
The first work, however, went slightly unnoticed, partly due to the importance of "Scream Bloody Gore," which practically monopolized the praises of specialized critics, partly due to the merely sufficient production that slightly diminished the immense value of the masterpiece.
Testament nonetheless managed to return to the spotlight the following year, thanks to their second work, which emerged as one of the most influential albums of the '80s.
The production improves significantly, Testament realize they have an authentic six-string genius in their lineup, Alex Skolnick, and they exploit the advantage to the fullest, understanding that the hour of revenge has arrived... In short, Testament become even more damn great than they already were, and the masterpiece is nearly achieved.
There are songs on this album that I have never heard from other bands and that even Testament themselves have not managed to match: nevertheless, some minor but overall quite influential flaws prevent "The New Order" from becoming Testament's masterpiece.
"Eerie Inhabitants," the album's opener, fully confirms the intentions driving the five: fearsomely creative electric guitar and imbued with the neobaroque taste of the great Alex, rage to spare but always seasoned with a great dose of melody, a good bassist, Greg Christian, who, along with the "Italian" drummer Louie Clemente, formed one of the best rhythm sections of the time, all accompanied by the fiery vocals of the enormous Chuck Billy, probably the best singer extreme Thrash has ever produced.
The winning formula is repeated and extended throughout the album, in which the fabulous title track, "Trial By Fire," "Into The Pit," the instrumental "Hypnosis," "Disciple Of The Watch," "The Preacher," and the impressive "Musical Death (A Dirge)," which I do not hesitate to call the "Stairway To Heaven" of Testament, fully confirm Peterson and Skolnick's great technical-compositional abilities, making us feel emotions never felt before and raising the hairs on the back of our necks thanks to the magnificent, highly technical, simply sublime, and perfect solos of the aforementioned musician, the classic guitarist who always knows how to play the right note at the right time.
At this point, a five-star rating would be more than deserved, but it is hindered by a tired and boring cover of Aerosmith's "Nobody's Fault," which sounds dull from the start despite an energetic interpretation by frontman Billy, and a demotivated "A Day Of Reckoning," which plays too hazardously with uneven time signatures, doubling down on Testament's straightforward and regular Thrash sound.
Recommended to everyone: metalheads and non-metalheads, classical and electric guitar teachers, bassists looking for a Thrash album where the bass is well played and, above all, heard, singers who believe they are better than Billy and thus guilty of belittling with their nonsense the brilliance of the giant.
But I really can't give it a five: that's better left to "The Legacy" and "The Gathering"...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Eerie Inhabitants (04:46)
A world of chaos
A world of fear
A world of anger and corruption
When all is lost
and millions starve
Is this humanity's destruction?
LIFE! A game that people play
CRYOUT! Will they see another day?
No one to help us,
the children pray
Nobody listens to their CRYING
This great depression
when will it end?
To live like this is worse than dying
LIFE! A game that people play
CRYOUT! Will they see another day?
Your destiny is over
your fate has declined
Refuse to discover
what so many could find
Death's endless toil
as I long for rest
Life's now forsaken
condemned to repress!
No sign of heaven
No sign of hell
Just the sign of pain and sorrow
This generation inhabits all
To form an order for tomorrow
LIFE! A game that people play
CRYOUT! Will they see another day?
02 The New Order (04:19)
Takers of humanity, elders paranoid
the time is now
give up this world you once destroyed
society versus the underground
their battles fough and lost
the time has come
to rule the world at any cost
For the past it's to late
cause the world can't control fate
shadows cast loud and clear
tell the world the new order's here
Cities turn to battlefields
a deadly spell is cast
corpses falling one by one
until the last
The preacher speaks of prophecy
so many years before
no one escapes their punishment
the gods of war
For the past it's to late
cause the world can't control fate
shadows cast loud and clear
tell the world the new order's here
Death is like an empty space
feel no thoughts of fear
the future cries
as mother nature sheds a tear
the world becomes a prisoner
a victim of its crime
the human race is now a race
against time
For the past it's to late
cause the world can't control fate
shadows cast loud and clear
tell the world the new order's here
03 Trial by Fire (04:01)
Accuse you of a crime
sentenced to endless time
the price you have to pay
won't get away!
sworn in by the stand
your rights are gone
the system's banned
they think you are a liar
a trial by fire
Hey!
this is what the people say
A new way
A trial by fire!
Locked in an empty cell
your life becomes a living hell
the river of fire flows
time only knows!
trapped by flames of fury
ordered unto by the jury
death is their desire
thrown in the fire!
Hey!
this is what the people say
A new way
A trial by fire!
Quiver the fiery light
cringing as your soul ignites
the book of law's been thrown away
starting today!
The system before the war
is gone for now and evermore
there is no sentence higher
A trial by Fire!
Hey!
this is what the people say
A new way
A trial by fire!
04 Into the Pit (02:41)
Deep in the pit and lying alone
Where death has reared itself a throne
We're all the good,the bad
The worst and the best
And where they land is their eternal rest
Foul plays of passion
At twilight's dim
In joy of woe of good and sin
Winds of storm and fates overcast
Darkly my presence is now your past
Join the insanity
Or die as you fall
Into the pit
The mass production
And the killing of all
Into the pit
The future screams for help
Are fading away
Into the pit
The world tomorrow
Will it die for today?
Into the pit
So in the sad,silent watches of night
The lonely pathway envisions my sight
Echoes of laughter
And boundless cries
So here I wander under infinite skies
Join the insanity
Or die as you fall
Into the pit
The mass production
And the killing of all
Into the pit
The future screams for help
Are fading away
Into the pit
The world tomorrow
Will it die for today?
Into the pit
06 Disciples of the Watch (04:52)
Cast to the fire
Banned by the light
Worship and listen to me
Condemned in his mind
In his evil place
Your fate is all that you'll see
I am the one
To show you the path
Salvation is in the fields
Listen up children and follow me
Or I'll let you pay
The price of malachi!
Disciples of the watch
Obey!
Or I'll burn you to that cross
Holding the mass
The demon is cast
To resurrect your soul
Calling to him
Is like an evil sin
A prophet is what they're told
Taking the land under command
Killing friend or foe
Feel the might of his evil wrath
Desecrate your soul
Disciples of the watch
Obey!
Or I'll burn you to that cross
Cast to the fire
Banned by the light
Worship and listen to me
Condemned in his mind
In his evil place
Your fate is all that you'll see
I am the one
To show you the path
Salvation is in the fields
Listen up children and follow me
Or I'll let you pay
The price of malachi!
Disciples of the watch
Obey!
Or I'll burn you to that cross
07 The Preacher (03:32)
The preacher!
In days of old
When the books were untold
Speak of a world crushed by sin
"The people will mourn
Of a war to be born"
Nobody would listen to him
Think back in time
When the future you find
Is so faint that it's too hard to see
Don't disavow his word
For the truth must be heard
Cause the preacher tells visions he sees
In 1906
Like the future predicts
The city will crumble to the bay
Then what's in store
When the worlds go to war?
Peace will have come another day
Then came the one
In the year of '41
Warfare would light up the sky
He beckoned the call
Of the future for all
Blinded by what's in his eyes
Don't follow the preacher!
Preach!
In days of old
When the books were untold
Speak of a world crushed by sin
"The people will mourn
Of a war to be born"
Nobody would listen to him
Think back in time
When the future you find
Is so faint that it's too hard to see
Don't disavow his word
For the truth must be heard
Cause the preacher tells visions he sees
Listen to these words I preach
(Don't follow the preacher!)
Catastrophic lessons they shall teach
Listen to these words I preach
(Don't follow the preacher!)
Catastrophic lessons they shall teach
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Other reviews
By Taurus
If you want to listen to a record full of pathos and pure energy or simply delve into the band with one of its flagship albums, “The New Order” comes highly recommended for metalheads and non-metalheads alike.
When Testament goes for ferocity, they are not second even to Slayer.
