Titans of Creation

Superstitious or not, “Titans of Creation” is Testament's 13th album and has just been released during the darkest and most terrible times since World War II. To make it worse, the virus, which has been in the order of the day in recent weeks, has even attacked the band.

Throughout 12 tracks, Testament are orthodox without being at the same time. If the opening with “Children of the Next Level” shows us some Testament we already know, ready to rock with their aggressive thrash metal that doesn't neglect melody, the fourth "Night of the Witch" surprises with the vocal performance of Eric Peterson, which is easily compared to Ihsahn's suffocating scream. Further ahead, "Ishtar’s Gates" has an Egyptian sound trend, while "The Healers" makes us return to the USA with a song that combines death and thrash metal through an unexpected tremolo picking technique. Near the end of the album, “Curse of Osiris” is a pure and hard thrash metal song which, something tells us, shall work very well live and it will be the ignition for relentless circle-pits due to the its heaviness and speed, and one again Peterson's black metal vocal performance cannot be forgotten.

Of course, we cannot forget Steve DiGiorgio and his bass, which has a prominent moment at the beginning of “Code of Hammurabi” with lines that will be later mirrored by guitars in a straight thrash metal song.

Disease and chaos aside, “Titans of Creation” is proof that only old rags are truly old and it isn't apply to men. It still sounds good to listen to thrash metal. More: after more than three decades, Testament are still loyal to the roots, but they know how to reinvent themselves by having Peterson and Skolnick doing their best on guitars while charging heavy and complex riffs, most likely being the best duo of guitarists still active in the thrash metal scene. The reinvention also arises due to a progressive sense that is noticed throughout a cohesive record, in which the only sin is to be too long - in truth, people are less willing to listen to a 60-minute album, preferring singles or, at best, albums that are around 30 minutes long. However, Testament are on a level so unique and historical that it shouldn't even cause them significant damage, knowing that they have a loyal legion of fans who have been looking forward to this work.