Artist: TESTAMENT
Album: DARK ROOTS OF EARTH BLUE VINYL (2LP)

Year: 2012
Media type: LP

"Polish the crown because 2012's thrash kings have been crowned!"
TERRORIZER (UK) | Lee MacBride

Whether evoking images of a barren post-apocalyptic landscape or extolling the virtues of the nature’s ultimate might, thunderous prophecy shrouded in monolithic, overwhelming musical power has always been Testament’s domain. With Dark Roots Of Earth, (their 10th album, released on July 31st in North America through Nuclear Blast Records) the Bay Area quintet have delivered their most mature, complete and intense collection in 25 years together, nine mind-bending, pit-stirring classics that will instantly crush your skull while also serving a delicious amount of depth and nuance to devour.

“It’s partially fantasy-based, partially based on the prophecies of the Mayan calendar, partially based on the whole prophecy of the ‘end-of-the-world’” says guitarist/founder-member Eric Peterson, “but nature always ends up taking charge in the aftermath, we always end up back with nature being in charge.”

“Our world is changing,” furthers vocalist Chuck Billy, “it has changed over the last 10 years, the environment, the seasons, and it (makes you wonder) if there ‘might’ be something to those prophecies.”

“It’s hard not to see what the media’s feeding us,” adds Peterson, “ ‘The End of The World’ is like a big billboard, an advertisement, and I think a lot of people believe in it.”

It took a trip to the British countryside for Peterson to start connecting the dots between the initial creative embers explained above and the collection of riffs Testament had conceived for Dark Roots of Earth. Like heroes such as Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, who often wandered off to rural outposts for inspiration, much of the album’s heart and soul was conceived in darkest, rural Derbyshire with producer Andy Sneap at his Backstage Studios.

SIDE A:

1 - Rise Up 4:18  
2 - Native Blood 5:21  
3 - Dark Roots Of Earth 4:18  

SIDE B:

1 - True American Hate 5:45  
2 - A Day In The Death 5:38  
3 - Cold Embrace 7:46  

SIDE C:
 
1 - Man Kills Mankind 5:06  
2 - Throne Of Thorns 7:05  
3 - Last Stand For Independence 4:43  

SIDE D:

1 - Dragon Attack 4:44  
2 - Animal Magnetism 5:56  
3 - Powerslave 6:51

LINE-UP:

Chuck Billy | vocals
Eric Peterson | rhythm & lead guitars/back-up vocals
Alex Skolnick | lead & rhythm guitars
Greg Christian | bass
Gene Hoglan | drums