1.Testament - The Formation of Damnation
Track List: 1. For The Glory Of... 2. More Than Meets The Eye 3. The Evil Has Landed 4. The Formation Of Damnation 5. Dangers Of The Faithless 6. The Persecuted Won't Forget 7. Henchmen Ride 8. Killing Season 9. Afterlife 10. F.E.A.R. 11. Leave Me Forever
Stand Out Track: The Evil Has Landed, a perfect example of Chuck Billys intelligent lyrics, this is a reflection on the events of 9/11 set to furious, defiant Thrash Metal. After a hiatus that lasted 9 long years, Testament announced their come back with an album that stands as a modern Thrash classic and as one of their greatest achievements. Proof that sticking to your guns will pay off in the end, The Formation of Damnation is testament to the skills and talent that this band have in abundance with pure energy focused into 11 ferocious tracks including the punishing More Than Meets The Eye, the provocative The Evil Has Landed and the bruising Death/Thrash title track, The Formation Of Damnation. Deftly balancing Testaments Thrash past with their dalliances in Death Metal during the 1990's (a necessity as Thrash metal's popularity had nose-dived), this album is, admittedly, more sonically heavy than an all out thrash-fest but these guys managed to come back with an album that shames most other bands of their age. Featuring crushing riffs, exhilarating leads and Chuck Billy's unique versatile vocals which alternate seamlessly between a thrashy rasp and a concrete-gargling death metal growl, The Formation of Damnation is an astonishing return from a band who could so easily have paled into insignificance during the thrash-free '90s. Leaving the competition curled up in the corner, sucking their thumb for comfort (Metallica, Im looking at you) it's clear that with this album and its follow up, the equally impressive Dark Roots of Earth, that Testament are finally ready to claim their crown as Thrash Metal Kings.
Honourable Mentions: Onslaught - Sounds of Violence / Kreator - Hordes of Chaos/ Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain / Lich King - World Gone Dead / Heathen - The Evolution of Chaos
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