TESTAMENT — The New Order (review)

TESTAMENT — The New Order album cover Album · 1988 · Thrash Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"The New Order" is the 2nd full-length studio album by US thrash metal act Testament. The album was released through Atlantic/Megaforce Records in May 1988. "The Legacy (1987)" instantly put Testament on the thrash metal map and riding on that wave of success "The New Order" was recorded and released less than a year after the release of "The Legacy (1987)" (which was released in July 1987). Add to that a lot of touring and the release of the "Live at Eindhoven" EP in October 1987, and you have a very busy band.

It´s not exactly audible on "The New Order" though, which is a well composed, detailed, and generally well played release. Stylistically it´s the natural successor to the debut, featuring more sophisticated compositions, while still maintaining some of the rawness and aggression of it´s predecessor. The 10 track, 39:20 minutes long album is a pretty varied release, showing new sides of Testament that the debut didn´t. It´s especially the very skillfully executed guitar leads and solos by Alex Skolnick, which provide the music with something extra, but quite a few of the basic tracks themselves are also very catchy and feature powerful and memorable thrashy riffs and vocals. Highligths include "Trial by Fire", "Into the Pit", and "Disciples of the Watch", but there´s nothing sub par on the album. Even the Aerosmith cover "Nobody's Fault" is delivered in a convincing manner, that also shows that Chuck Billy is pretty good at performing more melodic oriented vocals.

The sound production is decent, but could definitely have been better sounding. For a 1988 thrash metal production it´s alright though. As mentioned above the musicianship is generally very strong on the album (and in the case of Skolnick it´s absolutely brilliant), but if I have to mention a minor issue it would be the drumming by Louie Clemente. The man has absolutely no groove and his drumming style is often one-dimensional and lacking innovative playing ideas. With a better drummer "The New Order" could have been an absolute beast of an album, but Clemente´s playing style and general lack of groove drag my rating down a bit. I still think "The New Order" is one of Testament´s strongest albums though, and a 4 star (80%) rating is fully deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Deviance Deathcore
ASHES INTO BLOOD
Buy this album from MMA partners
Equilibrium Atmospheric Sludge Metal
BESRA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Tension Between Rot And Genesis Sludge Metal
ANTHESIS
Buy this album from MMA partners
Recycle Brain Crust Punk
C.P.G
Buy this album from MMA partners
Cartography Of The Mind Deathcore
TETHERED
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Besra – Unsullied (Music Video)
BESRA
Bosh66· 12 hours ago
Tethered - Breathe (Official Video)
TETHERED
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - Walking The Blade (OFFICIAL VISUALIZER)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - The Negative (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
Saltwound - Drowning feat. Taylor Barber (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
SALTWOUND
Bosh66· 1 day ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed