Testament – Dark Roots of Earth (2012)

After the half-assed “The Formation of Damnation”, Chuck Billy and company return with what is probably the best Testament album since “The Legacy” (well… maybe “Low” for us). With “Dark Roots of Earth”, the band gets the excellent drummer Gene Hoglan back and together with the mastermind behind the production of some of the best albums in the past few years, Andy Sneap, they deliver nine amazing Thrash Metal anthems with a splash of modern elements, but nothing too flashy or fancy to divert from the main genre.

Blowing the listener away with the high-octane “Rise Up”, Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick deliver a powerful riffing onslaught that we haven’t heard in quite a while from Testament. Chuck Billy’s vocals are as always very traditional and James Hetfield sounding. Stepping things up with “Native Blood”, the drumming finally resonates with some excellent sections in the songs chorus part. The weird mood changes in “Dark Roots of Earth” make this song sound like something that Megadeath would have released back in the “Youthanasia” era, but with better guitar solos.

While “True American Hate” and “A Day In The Death” are excellent, fast paced tracks, we have to say that we are very impressed with “Cold Embrace”. This track has a more ‘mellow/power ballad’ sound to it, and it also makes us think that this is exactly how Metallica would have sounded now, if they didn’t go all commercial and shit. The guitars are pounding, the vocal melodies are excellent, and while a bit on the mellow side, this is one hell of a well-crafted song. “Man Kills Mankind” nicely follows with another onslaught of pummeling guitars and excellent drum patterns. It is very impressive how the band seamlessly changes gears into the heavier side of things, and before you know it a crazy solo or a majestic melodic passage gets thrown into the mix.

The release ends with the very epic “Last Stand for Independence” and as the title indicates, it feels like an all-out war indeed. As you have probably guessed, we are completely blown away by “Dark Roots of Earth”. This release features excellent Thrash Metal music, which has not stayed stagnant in the past and has majestically matured into a more modern and fresher sound.  If you are true Thrash Metal fan, you can’t afford to miss this excellent record.

Release: July 27th, 2012

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: USA