TESTAMENT — Dark Roots Of Earth (review)

TESTAMENT — Dark Roots Of Earth album cover Album · 2012 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"Dark Roots Of Earth" is the 10th full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Testament. The album was released through Nuclear Blast Records in July 2012. After a longer recording break, which was due to lead vocalist Chuck Billy´s cancer disease and long recovery process, Testament returned in 2008 with "The Formation of Damnation". It wasn´t just a comeback album, it was also an album that saw Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson (Rhythm guitars) reunite with original members Alex Skolnick (lead guitars) and Greg Christian (bass), who had both been out of the band for a number of years. The band drafted seasoned thrash metal veteran Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Forbidden, Exodus) to play the drums on "The Formation of Damnation (2008)". Paul Bostaph has been replaced by the equally seasoned veteran Gene Hoglan (Dark Angel, Strapping Young Lad, Death, Fear Factory) on "Dark Roots Of Earth" but otherwise the lineup that recorded "The Formation of Damnation (2008)" is intact.

The music on "Dark Roots Of Earth" is unmistakably the sound of Testament. Hard pumped and heavy thrashy riffing, sublime and sophisticated guitar solos by Alex Skolnick and raw, sometimes melodic and at times almost semi-growling vocals by Chuck Billy. The change on the drummer potition gives the music a slightly different flow. While Paul Bostaph is a skilled drummer I prefer Gene Hoglan´s drumming style over his. Probably a bit controversial to some, Gene Hoglan plays a few blast beats on the album. I think it´s only healthy for the variation of the album and it shows that even though Testament pretty much stick to their guns and their "core" sound, they are not afraid to try new things if they fit their music.

Tracks like "Rise Up", "Native Blood" and "Man Kills Mankind" are examples of the well oiled thrash metal machine that is Testament anno 2012 (the brilliant title track deserves a mention too), but the band have also found room for a power ballad type track in "Cold Embrace", where Chuck Billy shows that he can sing melodic too. The general quality of the material is high throughout though.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" features a fat, warm and poweful sound production courtesy of Andy Sneap (Nevermore, Kreator, Arch Enemy...among others). Sneap has created a sound that suits the music perfectly.

I haven´t always praised Testament as much as they probably deserve, but "Dark Roots Of Earth" is hard not to like. It´s a high quality thrash metal album, loaded with powerful and raw thrash metal tracks, but maybe more importantly it´s a memorable album where the tracks stick in your head long after the album is over. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
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