Coming into the writing and recording of their third studio album in February of 1989, Testament had spent a lot of time playing with fellow thrash bands that had come from the Bay Area, and could compare exactly where they were in regards to their careers, and just what they were doing with their music at that point of their careers as well. What they would have seen and heard is a mass explosion in the way the music was changing, and how these bands had decided to approach it. Bands like Overkill, Death Angel and Nuclear Assault were pushing the speed metal aspect of their craft and finding their success in that method. Megadeth too was holding that part of their craft, but with songs such as “In My Darkest Hour” had tapped another part of their arsenal and shown they could make some adaptions without putting off their fan base. All of this is interesting in respect to how Testament approached their new album. Did it encourage the less than subtle changes that the band had afoot, in minimising the occult and gothic themes found in the lyrical content of their first two albums, and focusing on issues like politics and corruption, and drawing influences from traditional heavy metal, jazz fusion and even progressive metal in the music. And, perhaps more pertinent, would the fans be on board with this?
One of the criticisms of this album from some sections of the fan base is the changing direction of the songs from straight out thrash to a more technical playing and composition of the tracks. It has even been compared to Testament trying to follow the path taken by Metallica, who had in their own way both begun to play much more technically composed songs on their instruments as well as beginning to sing about more worldly topics. To a certain extent, that IS what Testament do on this album, but to suggest they were trying to follow Metallica’s lead can’t be concluded. For a start, guitarist Alex Skolnick himself was not just a thrash metal guitarist, having also been one of a long line of amazing guitarists that had their start under the tutelage of Joe Satriani. There is little doubt that the songs that Alex was beginning to write by this stage of the band’s career were ones where he was looking to inject more of his technical proficiency on his instruments into the songs, rather than just being called done of the ‘fastest’ guitarists in the world. So his influence, let alone any other of the writers in the band, saw him looking to expand their pure thrash roots into a band that had songs that may not be as fast as they had played before, but sounded brilliant through their skills involved. As well as this, having now toured extensively over the course of the previous two years, the band had begun to have more worldly views, seen things that peaked their interest, and gave them ideas on what to write songs on that differed from what they had written on the first two albums. And look, there are enough similarities here for someone to point out and suggest the similarities here are too close not to be deliberate. But while it would be easy to say ‘Testament was following Metallica’, it is perhaps more accurate to suggest that by this third album, the band had matured and wanted to expand its horizons, an evolutionary path that other bands had already followed for the same reasons. Or, maybe I’m just looking for reasons not to state the obvious. As always, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
People coming into this album away from the time it was released do seem to have more problems with its output than those who were around at the time that it was released. I get the criticism, because it is like when all bands change their stripes, whether it be a little or a lot. No band is immune from it at some point of their career. There is less use of atmosphere and melody to stage the more aggressive rhythm guitars. The songs are more mid-tempo than on the early albums, and while the guitars still have a great sound to them the speed of the songs has been reigned back as Skolnick and Peterson spend much of the time in cruise mode, allowing Chuck Billy's more melodic vocal range to carry the songs.
The title track “Practice What You Preach” is a barnstorming opening and sets the album off on the right note, and is well followed up by “Perilous Nation”. "Time is Coming”, “Blessed in Contempt” and the second single “Greenhouse Effect” all hit all the right places. Skolnick’s soloing in particular continues to be a highlight of the band's music.
OK, let’s talk about the conclusion to the album. In particular, “The Ballad”. Yes, that is the name of the song. Yeah... not a fan. Not a fan of the quiet start, not a fan of Chuck Billy’s attempted quiet morose vocal, not really a fan when it finally tries to become the fast thrash final three minutes. Do I say what we all know?... ok... Testament’s attempt at a Metallica “Fade to Black”? It doesn’t work. It stops the momentum that the album has built up... and they released it as the third single from the album! Gee. And sure, “Nightmare (Coming Back to You)” and “Confusion Fusion” kinda redeem it, but I seriously wonder if Chuck and Alex dropped the ball a little there.
Back in 1989, I’m over at my mate's house as he mans the phone for the taxi business his parents own. This mate will eventually become my brother-in-law and the owners of the business my parents-in-law. We are watching the late night music video program “Rage” on ABCTV, a staple for teenagers on Friday and Saturday nights once the pubs have closed and you have to come home. Usually around 1 or 2am they would play their metal selection, and on this particular night, the first song from that section is a song that slams out of the TV, of a band I’ve never heard before. We both go ‘wow - who the hell is this?’ The band was Testament, and the video playing was for the song “Practice What You Preach”. It was one of those moments that you don’t forget. Now in those prehistoric pre-internet days, the only way to find out what was going to be played on Rage on those Friday and Saturday nights was to phone a number, and they would read out the entire playlist for the eight hours of music videos they would play. So the following afternoon I did just that, found out they were going to play the video again that night, and I stayed up again – just to record that video on my VHS tape with all my other metal videos on it. Having then watched that song a hundred times, I went out to my local-ish record store, The Rock Factory at Shellharbour Square, and bugger me, they had this album on vinyl, just waiting for me to purchase it. Which I did.
And – as my first taste of Testament, I loved it. It was new, it was different. And I didn’t notice any supposed similarities to Metallica, because... I didn’t know any better! Once I went back and listened to the first two albums, which were a good shock because of their real thrash metal roots, I understood where the qualms had come from in those metal magazines I read. But I didn’t care, because I just thought – and think – that this is a terrific album. Yes, it will always be special because it was my introduction to the band. And it isn't perfect, there are a couple of songs that don’t maintain the standard. But having had this on again for the last two weeks, and had it pouring out of my speaker at work, I have annoyed my work colleagues enough to know that it still works. Because this is not an album that you can play at half volume and expect to get the most out of it. You need to turn it up, and have that album charge out at you, to get the full experience.
What has always amused me is that, given the way this album is received by some, the follow up album “Souls of Black” moves in an even more interesting and distinct direction.
And – as my first taste of Testament, I loved it. It was new, it was different. And I didn’t notice any supposed similarities to Metallica, because... I didn’t know any better! Once I went back and listened to the first two albums, which were a good shock because of their real thrash metal roots, I understood where the qualms had come from in those metal magazines I read. But I didn’t care, because I just thought – and think – that this is a terrific album. Yes, it will always be special because it was my introduction to the band. And it isn't perfect, there are a couple of songs that don’t maintain the standard. But having had this on again for the last two weeks, and had it pouring out of my speaker at work, I have annoyed my work colleagues enough to know that it still works. Because this is not an album that you can play at half volume and expect to get the most out of it. You need to turn it up, and have that album charge out at you, to get the full experience.
What has always amused me is that, given the way this album is received by some, the follow up album “Souls of Black” moves in an even more interesting and distinct direction.
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