Classic thrash is enjoying something of a renaissance at present. This is a good thing and throws up a set of interesting circumstances. On one hand there's a whole raft of new bands who take their influence from the big  four (or five, or six or however many the revisionists would have you believe were instrumental on the scene back in the day) and some of those seminal bands are still around but enjoying mixed fortunes. 

Some of those original bands have withered and died, some have changed beyond recognition, some have evolved but retained their edge and others have been inactive for a while but returned stronger than ever. Thankfully, Testament, you will be glad to know, belong to this latter category. With all but Louie Clemente present from Testaments 'classic' line-up, and his place on the drum stool is more than ably filled by  Paul Bostaph, the band have come back with their strongest set of songs since the end of the eighties. 

From the eastern flavoured intro "For The Glory Of" powering into "More Than Meets The Eye" all the way through to "Leave Me Forever" Testament grab you by the ears and don't let up. This entire album could be taken as a bona fide statement of intent and it certainly grabs, and holds, your attention.  To a man Testament put in a masterful performance on "Formation of Damnation", Peterson & Skolnick serve up some of their most powerful, yet melodic, work yet, Bostaph shows why  he would easily fill anyone's shoes behind the kit and Greg Christian binds all this together with ease, giving Chuck Billy the perfect platform from which to deliver some of Testament's most intense lyrics yet with a passion that can't be faulted. 

Testament have taken the elements that previously helped  define them, namely an ear for power & melody, and taken these to the next level, when you add in a crisp & powerful production "Formation of Damnation" has, quite simply,  set the standard for thrash metal releases this year.

John Lewins