Metal Reviews

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Yes. Awesome album.

Not as good as their debut but good nonetheless.

Probably classic, but this band still gets a huge resounding MEH from me.

Well, you haven't been drunk and heard "So Many Lies" I take it. You didn't think "Down For Life" was great either?

They should be part of the big 4 instead of Anthrax.

Absolutely. I'm still surprised to this day how many people talk shit on Testament here. They have a few meh albums but otherwise a solid discography. Way better than Anthrax for sure.

Absolutely. That's been my big four forever.

Having seen them twice (once at Wacken) an awesome live outfit as well. One of those acts that incites serious headbanging.

For me, this and The Gathering are their best, although totally different beasts, obviously. This album builds on the strengths they displayed on The Legacy, and for my money the songs are uniformly better, more consistently awesome (I do love The Legacy as well of course). Nice review, good to see Testament (and particularly my favourite album of theirs) getting some decent recognition.

yawn

never could like these guys. sure they have some good songs, but I can never sit through a full album. this is no exception.

Anthrax > Testament

I love the first two albums by Testament and the rest of their discography is solid even though nowhere near as good. I can say the same about anthrax. The Gathering makes testament just a touch higher in my book.

+1. I think the only Testament that is really a classic is The Legacy. Good album (the last I like from them), but not a classic, imo.
Anthrax > Testament.

Personal fav is Practice but this is an awesome album.

What is the criteria that is required to merit classic status?
Just curious.

Well I'm sort of new-ish here, but here's my best explanation (hopefully one of the writers will drop in and give a slightly better explanation): Basically, a classic album is, to me, a few things, the first of which is that the album is among the cream of the crop of the genre it is in. For me, The New Order is the kind of album that could be mentioned in closely the same breath as other thrash classics ("thrasterpieces") as Reign in Blood, Bonded by Blood, Master of Puppets, Among the Living, Pleasure to Kill, ect ect ect. Also, I think a classic album is an album that is highly influential (or at least among the best albums of an influential band) to the metal/rock scene. Finally, I think a classic album is an one where a numerical score would not do it justice. It is not merely the next level past 100/100. Here's my best example: I think that the vast majority of metalheads would agree that Maiden's Number of the Beast is "a classic album". However, if you kind of break that album down song by song, you could make a reasonable case that it is not a "perfect album" (or what a 100/100 theoretically is). Songs like Gangland and Total Eclipe aren't really bad songs, but they certainly aren't at the level of, say, a Hallowed Be Thy Name of Children of the Damned of Run to the Hills. As such, since it doesn't have front-to-back perfection, I don't really think you could call it a 100/100, but its still a "classic" album. Does that clarify things a little?

22 Acacia Avenue is the best song from that album.

Second best song. Hallowed is better, but is almost a tie.

I was going to say the same about Hallowed but I didn't because I didn't want to sound cliché. But it's true nonetheless.

I agree that Hallowed is a classic tune, but it's rather over played for my tastes. Where 22 is an overlooked gem of a song. The final minute+ is pure win.