Testament - The Formation of Damnation

It's been nine years since Testament released a proper studio album and even longer since the band's classic lineup was the lineup for an album. After the difficulties the band experienced in the early part of this decade -- particularly singer Chuck Billy's struggles with and eventual recovery from cancer -- and their inconsistent output since the release of The Gathering in 1999, it's a bit of a miracle they're still together at all, but instead of settling back and reliving whatever glory days they can muster, Testament has returned with a slamming comeback album that proves that the past metal masters are just as relevant now as they ever were before.

Simply put, The Formation Of Damnation is a thrash album, reinterpreted for the world of late 2000s metal: thicker, beefier production, higher recording quality and a more cohesive sound that stacks up well against other modern metal albums. That modern sound doesn't mean any compromises in style, though: the return of guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Greg Christian to the Testament fold gives The Formation Of Damnation a thrash edge that even thrash-revivalists can't quite replicate, with the riffage managing to sound like it came straight out of the '80s without feeling dated.

After opening with the short instrumental "For The Glory Of...," which sets an epic tone that supports the rest of the album, The Formation Of Damnation rips into "More Than Meets The Eye," a high-speed rocker with a driving riff that engages in some personal introspection without drifting into anything too maudlin. In fact, introspection pervades this album without compromising the music in the slightest: the trauma Alex Skolnick experienced watching the World Trade Center towers fall on September 11, encapsulated in the discordant off-beat chugging and tonic power chorus of "The Evil Has Landed;" feelings of loss and reflection on the past after the death of a father in "Afterlife;" suppression and psychological claustrophobia, perfectly paired with one of the album's most brutal riffs, in "The Persecuted Won't Forget." That's not to mention the political statements ("The Formation Of Damnation"), explorations of warfare ("Killing Season") and rocked-out celebrations of life ("Henchman Ride"), all topped over some of the best music Testament has ever written, making The Formation Of Damnation a tour de force that any metal act would be proud to have created.

By Eric B. Hanson