TESTAMENT - review added 21st October 2008
Album Review: The Formation Of Damnation (2008)
For fans of: thrash... and the feeling you get from a comfy armchair... covered in spikes
Some bands get described as one trick ponies. I've never come across any one trick ponies, the closest I ever got was a horse that had a constant stonk on. The memory still haunts me now.
Testament are like a one trick pony, although one-trick-monster would be more accurate. When the pony is this big and scary you show any trick it has a lot of respect. Testament's trick is better than most anyway - the art of consistently producing solid thrash metal without the threat of ever selling out and storming the charts.
It's a long time since they released their last album, but Testament haven't lost the knack of making fast, rhythmically alluring metal. Every song on 'The Formation Of Damnation' is loud, quick, accurately played and well written. The songs do blend into each other a tad, which is especially noticeable in the middle. There are no massive stand out moments, but that's kind of missing the point. There are no stand out moments because the quality of songs is so consistent. It's just a shame the guys couldn't find the album some wings to lift it a little higher.
This album certainly doesn't reach the interstellar heights of 'The Gathering' which, with songs like 'Down For Life', rates very favourably in the all time metal/thrash album list. But Testament can still sit comfortably in a nice leather armchair in the elite band member's lounge.
'The Formation Of Damnation' is a mighty fine album with much to recommend it. With repeated listens the album might make your heart flutter. Just don't expect it to rip your pants off and talk dirty to you.
Check out... The fact they sound just as good after all these years.
Track List:
1. For The Glory Of...
2. More Than Meets The Eye
3. Evil Has Landed
4. Formation Of Damnation
5. Dangers Of The Faithless
6. Persecuted Won't Forget
7. Henchmen Ride
8. Killing Season
9. Afterlife
10. FEAR
11. Leave Me Forever
Label: Nuclear Blast Records
Artist's websites: Testament , MySpace
