The Gathering in Bloomington, MN

Now here is an aptly named title for the veteran thrash band, as this is truly the definitive "gathering" of musicians for
Testament
's lineup. Joining the ranks of vocalist
Chuck Billy
and guitarist
Eric Peterson
is guitarist aficionado
James Murphy
(
Death
,
Cancer
Obituary
), bassist
Steve DiGiorgio
and
Sadus
), and the human drumming machine himself,
Dave Lombardo
Slayer
Fantomas
).
, for the first time in many a full moon, is a complete, well-oiled musical machine. Sounding tighter then the previous four releases combined,
has used
Demonic
as the foundation from which they will once again build their metal legacy. The riffs are faster, heavier, and tighter, while the drumming is simple, but at the same time extraordinary (would you expect anything less from
Lombardo
?).
Billy
is one of thrash metal's most gifted vocalists. Continuing to expand upon his over the top performance from the last album,
demonstrates an aggressive versatility that is unheard of in this genre, as his voice fluctuates from angry to more angry to downright snarling.
suffered because it lacked vision, however,
The Gathering
is pure focused aggression, which is why it is such a monumental release for
. Songs like
"Eyes of Wrath,"
"True Believer,"
"Careful What You Wish For"
demonstrate a catchy, uncanny songwriting ability previously unseen in this band. While
"Legions of the Dead"
is bar none the heaviest song
has ever written. Nevertheless, it is
"Riding the Snake"
that takes the cake on this album. Here the entire band pulls out their finest arsenal.
pounds away at his kit with equal precision and intensity, while
Murphy
Peterson
's guitar interplay is playful and masterful. The real gem is
DiGiorgio
's four-stringed feats, which consist of a
Tony Choy
-esque solo that is nothing short of extraordinary.
will be unconquerable if they can maintain this lineup, but for the time being,
serves to quench anyone's parched metal thirst. Maybe you'll find it equally refreshing. ~ Jason Hundey