Hail K. remembers browsing through a back issue of ‘Brave Words and Bloody Knuckles’ and finding near the bottom of a page this tiny, few-inches-in-length article on the upcoming Testament album, which at that time was still a work-in-progress.* This was BW&BK’s last issue for 2006 and Chuck Billy was quoted describing it as a mix of ‘Ride the Lightning’ and ‘The New Order’. It’s now the middle of 2008 and apparently Mr. Billy’s assessment of the sound was quite inaccurate because even if the furious tunes on ‘The Formation of Damnation’ harkens back to the same old school attitude other bands today are trying to revive (Trivium anyone?), Testament delivers the crunching guitar licks and machine gun drumbeats with a nasty, refreshingly energetic flourish. All you have to do is check out the faster numbers on this comeback like the tracks, ‘The Persecuted Won’t Forget’, ‘FEAR’, and ‘Henchmen Ride’.

Testament may not have delivered the sister album for their almost-swansong ‘The Gathering’ (which happens to be this reviewers favorite album—just so you know), but my god, it cannot be denied that ‘The Formation of Damnation’ kicks you in the pants.

With a grandiose true-to-form start on ‘For The Glory Of. . .’ where the instruments take the center stage in announcing the coming of the apocalypse (let your imagination run while listening to this), a hint of orchestral strings and a choir near the end prepares the composition for a massive climax, only to have it fade.

When ‘More Than Meets The Eye’ barges in and Chuck Billy wails an uncharacteristic ‘Woah-oah-oaaah’, these massive chugging grooves fly and you get hammered by a perfect song. The rest of the album can be easily divided between mid-tempo fare and their faster counterparts, they’re just shuffled to make the ride more unpredictable. ‘More Than Meets The Eye,’ ‘Killing Season,’ ‘Afterlife,’ Leave Me Forever,’ and the token September 11 ode ‘The Evil has Landed’ could have made it on the last three Testament records. The rest of the tunes, however, are worthy of both ‘First Strike Still Deadly’ and the unabashed masterpiece that was ‘The Gathering’.

In terms of musicality the band is in excellent shape as Chuck Billy’s voice effortlessly shifts from barks, shrill singing, and these awesome growls that only a throat like his could make (shame to all harsh vocalists across the globe!). Alex Skolnick’s playing is well within the fold of the band’s sound, it’s as if he never left in the name of jazz. As for his unsung and ever faithful partner, rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson deserves to be credited for the fine lyrics he’s crafted, especially the choruses. Replacement drummer Paul Bostaph is in top form, when not providing the perfect beats, he’s bashing the kit to oblivion. Pitch perfect production, great songs, Wagnerian cover art of orgasmic proportions, an old band playing better than the rest of the competition—‘The Formation of Damnation’ is a rude, uncompromising comeback. It wouldn’t be a surprise if this makes the cut as a modern day classic. Allow this album to get under your skin and watch your play list disappear; you might be listening to nothing else but Testament for a good two weeks.

* I like referring to myself in the third person.