Testament, one of the most important bands in American Thrash Metal, and also one of the most underrated. As from our point of view, they have always deserved a place among the giants of contemporary metal. Their creativity and aggressiveness once led them to be considered as potential successors to the most famous of the so-called “Big 4,” composed of Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, and Metallica.
Within their discography, we find great gems like “The Legacy” (1987), “Practice What You Preach” (1989), “Souls Of Black” (1990), and more recent works like “Dark Roots Of Earth” (2012). Overall, Testament has maintained a high standard of quality over the years, reflecting a constant musical evolution, similar to what Exodus has done.
Today, we discuss their second studio album “The New Order” (1988), a work that was demanded of them due to their contracts with Atlantic and Megaforce record labels, and despite the rush, turned out to be the album that catapulted them into the public eye.
What can we listen to?
Despite being their second studio album, Testament shows tremendous maturity compared to their excellent debut album, “The Legacy.” We can hear one of the most acclaimed guitar duos in the history of Metal with Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick, the former providing excellent rhythmic contributions, and the latter showcasing underrated virtuosity and deep knowledge of his instrument. In fact, in the early 2000s, Skolnick formed his own Jazz trio, a genre notoriously complex to interpret on practically any instrument.
“The New Order” is a complete guitar showcase from start to finish; from the intro of the first track “Eerie Inhabitants,” the intro of “Disciples Of The Watch,” to the interlude “Hypnosis,” and even closing with the instrumental piece “Musical Death (A Dirge),” where the intro features arpeggios reminiscent of classical style.
Although the album is excellent, it’s worth noting that much of this material was used to meet composition time requirements imposed by their record labels, demanding at least 40 minutes of music. Despite this, we hear incredibly powerful songs like “Into The Pit” or the eponymous “The New Order,” fast-paced tracks with juicy riffs.
Chuck Billy in The New Order
Chuck Billy’s vocal execution in “The New Order” is particularly noteworthy, showcasing a vocalist who has improved his technique over the years, even venturing into guttural territories, as evidenced in albums like “Demonic” (1997). In “The New Order,” we hear a vocal style reminiscent of Metallica‘s James Hetfield but “on steroids,” with an intriguing speed that enhances the album’s thrashiness.
The presence of the bass is appreciated, audible and providing stability to the entire band, thanks to Greg Christian’s excellent work, even daring to execute a brief solo in songs like “Disciples Of The Watch,” prominently featured also in “The Preacher” and “Trial by Fire,” where he takes the lead role in all the verses. Luie Clemente, on the other hand, delivers a solid performance on the drums, establishing the percussive sound of Classic Testament in their first 5 albums.
One of the most exciting moments of the album comes with the 8th track out of 12, the cover of Aerosmith’s “Nobody’s Fault,” taken from the album “Rocks” (1976), an excellent choice to pay homage to one of the most iconic albums in Rock. Although we can imagine that the song was recorded to fill time requirements, the result is more than satisfactory, elevating both the band and another of the most creative guitar duos in Rock: Joe Perry and Brad Whitford.
The New Order, a gem of Thrash Metal
Despite the album being composed amidst Testament’s first tour, filled with pressures, the result was exquisite. “The New Order” is undoubtedly one of the classics of Thrash Metal; great solos, great riffs, and above all, great compositions that required a very high level of musicianship to be executed correctly.
The New Order demonstrates that Testament always deserved more within the Thrash Metal scene; if we could relate them to any band, it would definitely be Megadeth due to their technicality and musical depth, two bands that have never settled for mediocre tracks, and when they have had setbacks, they have immediately compensated for them.
What are your thoughts on “The New Order”? Do you also believe that Testament has always deserved more?
