Testament - Titans Of Creation

Finally! A new Testament album!

https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/testament-to-release-titans-of-creation-album-in-april-cover-artwork-track-listing-revealed/

According to a product listing on Apple.com, San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT have set "Titans Of Creation" as the title of their new album, due on April 3 via Nuclear Blast. The long-awaited follow-up to 2016 album "Brotherhood Of The Snake" was once again recorded with Juan Urteaga and mixed by veteran British producer — and current JUDAS PRIEST touring guitarist — Andy Sneap. The cover artwork for "Titans Of Creation" was created by artist and longtime collaborator Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ICED EARTH, SODOM, HATEBREED, SOULFLY and THY ART IS MURDER, among many others.

"Titans Of Creation" track listing:

01. Children Of The Next Level
02. WWII
03. Dream Deceiver
04. Night Of The Witch
05. City Of Angels
06. Ishtars Gate
07. Symptoms
08. False Prophet
09. The Healers
10. Code Of Hammurabi
11. Curse Of Osiris
12. Catacombs



In a recent interview with Heavy New York, TESTAMENT singer Chuck Billy was asked if the band's new disc is a musical continuation of "Brotherhood Of The Snake". He responded: "You're always trying to top your last record, and I thought 'Brotherhood', up to that point, was a pretty strong record. This one, it definitely stands on its own — all the songs have their own identity. Eric [Peterson, guitar] somehow came up with a way to make it be TESTAMENT but feel fresh and new still TESTAMENT, so that's pretty awesome."

He continued: "It was a quicker process than the last time, but I think at the end, the mix is awesome, the songs came out awesome, and the process wasn't as painful as it was the last time. So, it's a good record. I can't wait for everybody to hear it."

Asked if he waits for music for new TESTAMENT songs to be completed first before he starts working on lyrical ideas or if he has lyrics in mind before even hearing a note of music, Chuck said: "I have some concepts before I hear music and apply 'em to what I feel when I feel the song. So usually, a lot of it, the riff is first — it's a riff; it's not even a song yet, so it's usually just a riff. And then, from there, I just kind of feel it out and just kind of find my way through it.

"On this record, we didn't get to work and do any demos, so a lot of it was a lot of riffs going into the studio with ideas and then fine-tuning it, which I think put the pressure on ourselves," he explained. "Sometimes when you're under pressure, I think you work a little harder and you give it a little more. So I think, again, us forcing ourselves in the studio — 'Let's go. We're gonna record this record now' — it paid off, 'cause the record came out great. Everybody's performance — Steve [DiGiorgio, bass] and Gene [Hoglan, drums] just killed it on this record. It's an awesome record. TESTAMENT fans, I think, are gonna dig it."

Last year, Billy told the WSOU radio station that the new TESTAMENT album would "definitely" contain "some different elements. I think Eric definitely stepped back into little of his — I don't know — maybe, MERCYFUL FATE shoes," he said. "There's a lot of MERCYFUL FATE kind of stuff. Eric does some black metal stuff. There's some blast beats, which he's kind of mixed in there, which that's not the norm for us. So it's a little different again. I think all the songs definitely have their own identity and stand on their own."

Chuck said that he is using his "melodic tone of a voice and less of a death metal voice" on the new TESTAMENT LP. "It's just kind of where the songs took it," he said. "There's a song on here that was kind of one of the last ones that came around — it's one of the slower-tempo songs. And I kind of was shying away from it 'cause the pace of the rest of the record was pretty quick, so I wasn't sure it was the right fit. But in the end, once we wrote it and finished it, it turned out to be a great song. But I'm doing some stuff on there — I've never sang a three-part harmony on a TESTAMENT song ever. And on this one, there's a situation where I tried it and did it, and it sounds really cool for the song. So it was just something different — challenging again that was different notes to use and different challenges, and I kind of dug it. And it actually was cool, and it actually made the experience on those songs, of creation, just kind of fun."

Billy went on to discuss two of the tracks that will appear on TESTAMENT's new disc, saying: "On this record, there's a song called 'Children Of The Next Level', and that's one that really came together, musically, and came together lyrically. There's another one on the record that, actually, the first time I heard the song, I kind of mimicked the vocal pattern and actually we wrote it the next day. So that was a song that was, like, 'Wow!' I got inspired and laid down the first gut feeling of what it felt like. And it ended up being a keeper, and we ended up molding it right into a killer song. And lyrically, the timing, the melody, the lyrics — everything just really kind of fell into place."

TESTAMENT will team up with EXODUS and DEATH ANGEL for "The Bay Strikes Back 2020" European tour. The trek will kick off on February 6 in Copenhagen, Denmark and will hit 25 cities before concluding on March 11 in Hannover, Germany.

Sweet ! Always ready for some new Testament !

Automatic purchase. They've released some really good albums since Skolnick came back.

As Lari said, this is a blind purchase. Finally some new Testament material .

Testament are always consistent and reliable. They may try new things occasionally, but they always deliver quality thrash. Skolnick and Peterson are great together! Bring on the new album!

I'll be buying this as a new release.

A must buy!!

Bring on the Testament!

Dig the song, and have loved the past few albums.

I've been listening to both Testament and Megadeth a lot, based on the current...political mood at the moment. Which is funny because, I don't know much about Chuck Billy's views, but I disagree with Mustaine quite a bit. But so much of what they wrote fits so nicely right now.

If there's a new way, I'll be the first in line. But it better work this time.

I'll probably be grabbing this. The new tune just sounds MEAN!

New song. It's the album opener:

Man i can't wait to buy this album.

This is sounding like it's going to be a winner.

Lari wrote:

New song. It's the album opener:

I heard this song on Liquid Metal a couple of days ago. Killer track!!

Sounding good! Has a lot of similarities to the Gathering.

I'm a Testament fanboy, not only my favorite thrash band, but one of my top 10 bands of all time. I don't even have to think about this purchase.

I’m curious if the band has a long term contract to work with Andy Sneap.

This one is fantastic. The majority of the tracks are readily memorable, and heavy as you'd expect. Great, great effort.

I heard it leaked already, but I plan on buying it as a new release. It's good to know it's good, though.

I like what I’ve heard so far.

Am I the only one not much impressed with their last few albums? I mean, they're good albums, but I feel like the last album to have really catchy songs was The Gathering. Those songs got stuck in my head, but everything since just kind of comes and goes. Good, but doesn't sink its teeth in quite like the stuff on The Gathering and earlier material.

Basically everything since Skolnick's return, which is weird to me.

Eyesore wrote:

Am I the only one not much impressed with their last few albums? I mean, they're good albums, but I feel like the last album to have really catchy songs was The Gathering. Those songs got stuck in my head, but everything since just kind of comes and goes. Good, but doesn't sink its teeth in quite like the stuff on The Gathering and earlier material.

Basically everything since Skolnick's return, which is weird to me.

I'm the opposite. They made a step up since Skolnick returned. Now they're making thrash metal the way I enjoy the most. Solid albums all three, the Formation being the best of the bunch. But the last one was great as well. The first four tracks are all perfect, from "Brotherhood" to "Seven Seals".

Eyesore wrote:

Am I the only one not much impressed with their last few albums? I mean, they're good albums, but I feel like the last album to have really catchy songs was The Gathering. Those songs got stuck in my head, but everything since just kind of comes and goes. Good, but doesn't sink its teeth in quite like the stuff on The Gathering and earlier material.

Basically everything since Skolnick's return, which is weird to me.

The only issue I have is the continued use of the same overly polished and sterile mastering of Andy Sneap. I miss the more “human” analog productions of their earlier albums.

Yea, I’ve enjoyed the albums since Skolnik’s return. I love Formation of Damnation. I only got Brotherhood of the Snake a few months ago, but I liked what I’ve heard and I’m sure will grow to appreciate it more as time goes on.

I’ll be picking up this new one at some point I’m sure.

Whether it had leaked or not, I'll be holding out until it's official release to listen to it on its entirety.