{"id":113082,"date":"2025-10-10T09:55:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T09:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/113082\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T09:55:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T09:55:11","slug":"testament-para-bellum-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/113082\/","title":{"rendered":"Testament – Para Bellum Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The greats of the original American thrash scene have fallen on hard times of late. Metallica<\/strong> dropped a predictably disappointing platter that critics still hailed as genius, Megadeth<\/strong> is Megadeth<\/strong>, Anthrax<\/strong> is MIA, and Slayer<\/strong> is in assisted living. These days, it seems like only Overkill<\/strong> still stands strong and defiant, defending the old guard. But let us not forget about Testamen<\/strong>t. I\u2019ll always have a soft spot in my jaded metal heart for them. I fondly remember seeing them open for Slayer<\/strong> back in 87 when no one knew who they were and their debut was weeks from dropping. Despite a stereotypically unfriendly Slayer<\/strong> crowd, they won us over fast with macho thrash and Chuck Billy\u2019s larger-than-life presence. Those early albums were stone-cold classics, and they\u2019ve weathered the storms of time and trend without too many disasters. Still, thrash is a fickle mistress, and diminishing return stalks us all. That brings us to album 13, Para Bellum. Can these olden dawgs deliver something fresh and vital? They certainly bring some surprises to the party this time at the very least.<\/p>\n

Things kick off intensely with \u201cFor the Love of Pain,\u201d which is fast and furious thrash with a heaping helping of black metal influence. Some sections feel like epic second-wave blasting, and though Testament<\/strong> dabbled in this sound before, this is closer to Eric Petterson\u2019s Dragonlord<\/strong> project than the band have drifted before. I don\u2019t dislike it, and the blackened elements give their sound a kick in the arse for sure. They even cram in some djenty bits to further shake the stew. \u201cInfanticide A.I.\u201d keeps the blackened elements for a raging thrasher that borders on grind at times. Riffs fly every which way, Chuck sounds genuinely insane, and the drums blast you a new asshole for free. It\u2019s not what I consider a Testament<\/strong> classic, but it shows these guys can still bring it hard when they want. From there, things wander around a bunch. You get a big, epic dose of emotional power balladry in \u201cMeant to Be,\u201d where Testament<\/strong> flexes their emo sadboi muscles and throw major pathos and beautiful playing your way. Then they digress into hard rock\/metal light on \u201cNature of the Beast.\u201d This sounds like Testament<\/strong> covering a Saxon<\/strong> song, and that idea sounds better on paper than on wax.<\/p>\n

Oddly, most of my favorite tracks arrive late in the game. Starting with \u201cRoom 117,\u201d Testament<\/strong> lock into a late-album groove with slick, memorable writing that sticks like a greased-up prison shank. It\u2019s a slick blend of vintage Testament<\/strong> and classic metal, and they pull it off perfectly with scads of great vocal hooks and memorable guitar moments. The chorus is a winner, and it reminds me of the stuff off Practice What You Preach. \u201cHavana Syndrome\u201d is even better, finding that sweet spot between the classic Testament<\/strong> sound and 80s metal, with a distinct NWoBHM influence in the leads. The closing title track is overstuffed with ideas, but most of them are good, and the blend of thrash, classic metal, and blackened bits works well. Are there downers? Well, I don\u2019t love the aforementioned \u201cNature of the Beast,\u201d and \u201cHigh Noon\u201d with its Wild West gunslinger theme is cheesy as fook. That leaves Para Bellum a mixed bag of nuts and bolts, and the band\u2019s genre-hopping makes the album feel incohesive at times, but there are more wins than losses on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Given the musical talent that adorns a Testament<\/strong> album, you know you\u2019ll get a cosmic fuckton of highly polished playing, and Para Bellum is full of impressive performances. Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick are as good a guitar tandem as there is, and no matter what genre they dip into, they do it rich, creamy justice. The level of ferocity they lock into on tracks like \u201cInfanticide A.I.\u201d is shocking for greybeards like them, and the sheer emotional payout on \u201cMeant to Be\u201d is something else. Steve DiGiorgio is a bass legend, and he\u2019s fairly audible on most tracks, his bubbling, rumbling basslines adding depth and weight to the material. New drummer Chris Dovas (ex-Seven Spires<\/strong>) is a top-level kitman, providing a large collection of beats, fills, rolls, and raw thunder. Do I wish Gene Hoglan were back there still? Of course. Can Dovas get the job done? Absolutely. And then there\u2019s Big Chuck. He sounds youthful, large, and in charge, showing a lot more versatility than you might expect as he moves from thrash barks to blackened screams and clean singing. Talent is everywhere, and only a few songwriting kerfuffles dent the soup can.<\/p>\n

So Testament<\/strong> lands on the right side of the thrash grave for another release. Para Bellum won\u2019t replace the debut or The New Order in your hearts, but it\u2019s a worthy addition to their oeuvre and shows them embracing diverse elements rather than just rehashing old ideas. Kudos to them for that! Keep on aging gracefully, gents.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> 3.0\/5.0
DR:<\/strong> 6 | Format Reviewed:<\/strong> 256 kbps mp3
Label<\/strong>: Nuclear Blast<\/a>
Websites:<\/strong> testamentlegions.com\/site<\/a> | facebook.com\/testamentlegions<\/a> | instagram.com\/testamentofficial<\/a>
Releases Worldwide:<\/strong> October 10th, 2025<\/p>\n

\n\tGive in to Your Anger:\n<\/p>\n