Customer Reviews

First Strike Still Deadly

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Even if you already have Testament's first two albums where these songs first appeared, you should definetly buy this CD because the songs are not just remixed or remastered - they're re-recorded! That means that Testament recorded again these tracks with today's technology and today's heavier sound. The tracks were great to begin with but now they sound AWESOME!! From start to finish, this CD never lets up, ALL the tracks are killer, my fave is Burnt Offerings which just leaves me floored every time I hear it. Eric Peterson is the best rythym player in metal and he has more than a few leads up his sleeve as well. Alex Skolnick returns (though just for this album) to provide his ever tasteful shredding. DiGiorgio on bass and Tempesta on drums keep things rock solid and Chuck Billy's amazing voice delivers like a demon from hell. A must have for Testament fans and metal fans in general.

Now this is what makes Testament great. While Metallica's out there recording songs with Ja Rule, and god knows what else, the real metal heroes were working on making their classic material even better. As a huge fan of both the old stuff and the new stuff, I knew this was gonna be beyond great, and it is! All the best tracks from "The New Order" and "The Legacy", rerecorded in the heavier fashion of the newer stuff, and every single one is better than the original. Chuck's vocals are top of the line, and every instrument is note-perfect. I can't believe they actually got Alex Skolnick to come back. I never would have thought he'd agree to it. Actually, it might have been better if they'd just held onto James for this, but oh well. The drums are now much easier to hear, which is a good thing, considering they were nearly nonexistent before. Plus, John Tempesta's just way better than Louie Clemente (but I really wish they'd gotten Dave Lombardo to play on this, would that have been sweet or what?), so he adds more to it. The song with Steve Souza is easily the weak spot. That guy always got on my nerves, which is why I never really got into Exodus much. He's not too bad, but he's nothing compared to Chuck.

Maybe you've heard, but Chuck is currently battling throat cancer. Let's hope he and that mighty voice pull through. Why do all the bad things happen to guys like Chuck Billy and Dave Mustaine, and yet guys like Lars Ulrich and Fred Durst are in good health? The world we live in. Well, buy this, and you'll see that metal is still going strong.

Originally released in 2001, this album was the result after label politics made it unlikely for Testament's early albums The Legacy and The New Order to be remixed. So, select tracks from those two albums were re-recorded by Eric Peterson (guitars), Alex Skolnick (guitars), John Tempesta (drums), Steve DiGiorgio (bass), and Chuck Billy (vocals), to showcase how some of their best classic material sounds with today's recording technology. Recently out of print, the album is back, this time on Prosthetic Records (the label that also reissued Demonic and The Gathering). If you're a fan of Testament, there's no reason not to get this album now.

Ok, heres the premise: Testament re-record the "best" tracks from their first two albums: 1987's "The Legacy" and 1988's "The New Order" using todays modern production technology and also adding the stylistic shifts that they have added to their sound (mainly the downtuned guitars and lower vocals). Also added are two classics with original singer Steve "Zetro" Souza on vocals. Not to mention original lead guitar player Alex Skolnick returns to the fold.

As soon as the album begins I was blown away by the production. Every thing has such clarity but still retains the power the music calls for. The songs have been slowed down a slight bit...just enough to add more power and intensity...for example, the middle section of "Burnt Offerings" which used to be a massive speed fest has been slowed to a chugging gallop groove that if not for the speed of the original...is still quite fast. The lower tuning (down one whole step) really adds to the sound of the album giving it a much more brutal vibe than the originals.

The vocals are by far the most improved aspect of the disc. Lower and more intense, they are the icing on the cake. The two things that thrash metal was always lacking were groove and good vocals...sure speed is all good but you gotta slow down sometimes and just groove...and while there were good/memorable vocalists in the thrash genre (araya,hetfield,mustaine,etc) Chuck Billy has always been leagues above them and he proves it on this disc.

Now for the complaints...Skolnick's leads...while technically sound...seem less edgy because of his even more pronounced jazz style and tone. Also, the two tracks with Steve Souza on vocals are less than spectacular...the music is fine but Souza shows that it was a blessing that he left to join Exodus. The album would have been perfect if they would have replaced the last two tracks with Apocalyptic City and Eerie Inhabitants but....oh well.

In closing, if youre a Testament fan....this is a must have. If youre new to Testament...this is a great introduction to one of the finest metal bands of all time.

The re-recording of all the classics from Testament, with Skolnick back on lead guitar and Christian on bass. The result is a real masterpiece. Most of the songs form The Legacy and New Order are heavier and much more intense than the original ones. The solos are technically perfect (sometimes even jazzy). Beautiful, technical, melodic, heavy : TESTAMENT. Not forgetting Tempesta on drums : his work is just so perfect, technically delightful. I think he's the best drummer Testament can have. A lot of people say this album is crap, I think it's their best work.

Like Suicidal Tendencies, Testament went into the studio to re-record their best stuff and it came out much better. Testament's first 2 albums were their best ones anyway, but now you can hear re-recorded selections with updated technology and the result is absolutely killer! They kept the guitars tuned down as they have in their more recent albums. Chuck's vocals sound a lot more evil. There's also some guest vocals by Steve Souza of Exodus. He does parts of "Alone In The Dark" and ALL of "Reign Of Terror". And Steve Souza sounds just as killer as Chuck Billy. This is for the true thrash/metal fans. As I said, Suidical Tendencies did the same thing. Re-recorded their first album and the new one sounds a lot better. I think more metal bands should do this. S.O.D. should re-record Speak English Or Die. D.R.I. should re-record Dealing With It and the Dirty Rotten LP with their current line-up. Hopefully this is the start of a small trend.

Re-recordings in my books usually suck. If a band re-records songs it's usually because

A) They've run out of idea's and want to cash in on their older material or;

B) They want to change their old songs to make them more 'accessible' (i.e. popify them) as Cradle Of Filth demonstrated on their last album.

If anything Testament have taken their original riffs and not toned them down, they've brutalised them. Far from being the tradtional thrash band that you couldn't tell apart from any of the others, Testaments newer work has become far more intellectual and identifiable. Chuck Billy's vocal's are far more original in style now, switching from traditional singing to all out death metal growling which I far prefer to the style he used on the original songs.

Put simply Metallica and Slayer are old news, Testament are truly the kings of thrash, often foraying into death metal territory (which considering is a less commercial sound, is very noble of them I think)

Now, THIS is what metal should sound like today!!! Good Lord, this cd is unbelievable. Testament took 11 songs of their already amazing classic material and did the virtually impossible: made them even better. They are more brutal than ever, and those who are deterred by the bad recording quality of "The Legacy" and "The New Order" will be very happy with this. I love "The Legacy," but I always said to myself, "Man, some of these songs would kick even more [buttox] if they re-recorded them." And, my prayers were answered. Eric Peterson's amazing riffs are given new life, and a few songs that I didn't really care for the first time around I now love. However, Alex Skolnick's solos aren't quite as good this time around. They're still very well done, and Alex is an amazing guitar player, but his original solos were much better. Oh well. That's not a big problem, because you will be so knee deep in the raw brutality that this CD presents. Another thing that makes this album so great are John Tempesta's drums. He's a great player, and his drums sound a lot stronger than Louie's did on the older recordings. Chuck's vocals are outstanding, as well. I liked his voice better on "The Gathering" than I did on any other album, and applying those vocals to their older, even better material results in much fun for all.

Some highlights:

Into The Pit: This is THRASH! My God, the riffs are amazing and Alex's leads are top notch here.

Disciples Of The Watch: Fantastic riffs, and great vocals. Better than the original.

The Preacher: One of those songs that I only thought was OK but I now love. Listen and you'll see why.

Over The Wall: So much more brutal than its brother from "The Legacy." Alex's solo on the original was better, but it's nothing to complain about here.

Alone In The Dark: Steve Souza RETURNS!!! He's not quite as good as Billy on this song, but...

Reign Of Terror: ...he tears the hell out of the microphone on this song! I've never actually heard the original version of this, so I can't compare him to Chuck, but man, my head was banging involuntarily while listening to this for the first time!

So there you have it. In an age of nu-rock, Testament has managed to put together this masterpiece. Take that, nu-metalers!!!

I had forgotten how good of a band Testament was. All of my Testament discs were lost/stolen a long time ago so this was a great replacement. NOTE: this is not just a re-mix but a actual re-recording of the best tracks from the first two albums with much better quality.

I think this is a very cool concept. How awesome would if be if Metallica re-recorded "Kill 'em All" or Megadeth re-recorded "Killing's My Business...And Business is Good." I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

These are great songs from a one-great band. My only gripe is that some of the songs have lost a little bit of their original edge (particularily "Over the Wall," my personal favorite).

Highly recommended.

I was a big fan of Testament through the Practice What You Preach Years but lost interest after that. Recently started getting back into the band after putting my cds away. I decided to buy this disc after reading the rave reviews here. I cannot say it enough- this is a killer disc! My only regret is not buying it sooner! The rerecording of these classic songs gave them the intensity and heavier sound they deserved, not to mention a much cleaner and tighter sound. Great sound and production. If you are like me, a "lapsed" Testament fan who did not previously own this disc, or a fan of this genre in general, you must buy this disc! You will not be disappointed. Testament can blow away any of the garbage top 40 that pass themselves off as being "heavy." Support Testament and buy this disc!