Testament - The Gathering (#3872)

Anonymous · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:10 pm

You're welcome to comment on:

Quote:

Testament - The Gathering
Thrash Metal
Quoted: 93 / 100

Click here to see the review.

Antonakis · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:27 pm

This album is indeed very very good and I always enjoy listening to it. Definitely one of my favorite Testament and generally thrash albums for me.Well deserved review and score.

Jeff@Metalreviews · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:31 pm

I don't know why but I have a hard time getting into this album. I actually had gotten a free copy from Spitfire as a replacement for some other CD that was defective. I really like the first three Testament releases, with "The New Order" probably being my favorite. I also like the re-recordings from "First Strike Is Deadly". The only thing that even interested me in "The Gathering" was Dave Lombardo's drumming and even that is generic when compared to the kind of playing he has done on Slayer albums like "Reign In Blood", "South of Heaven" and "Seasons In The Abyss".

Anonymous · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:38 pm

Four words to summarize the total awesomness of this record.

LEGIONS OF THE DEEEEEEEEAAAAAAADDDD!!

Seinfeld26 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:13 pm

I'm actually surprised Legions Of The Dead wasn't mentioned in this review. That's another classic. Ditto to Three Days In Darkness. Down For Life was IMO a lyrically gutsy song since it's actually about friendship and compassion (was this album recorded before or after Chuck Schuldiner was diagnosed with cancer? - that may actually be who Chuck was singing about in that song). Otherwise, great review. Though I have to ask, why do you have a problem with The Ritual? I think it's a great album and definitely better than what Metallica released one year earlier.

Anyway, I plan on writing a review for Demonic this week (my first review) and submitting it to Metalreviews once it's complete. I'm deliberately choosing Demonic for my first review since I find it to be one of the most musically interesting albums to review (and listen to).

Dylan@Metalreviews · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 8:26 pm

Seinfeld26 wrote:

I'm actually surprised Legions Of The Dead wasn't mentioned in this review. That's another classic. Ditto to Three Days In Darkness. Down For Life was IMO a lyrically gutsy song since it's actually about friendship and compassion (was this album recorded before or after Chuck Schuldiner was diagnosed with cancer? - that may actually be who Chuck was singing about in that song). Otherwise, great review. Though I have to ask, why do you have a problem with The Ritual? I think it's a great album and definitely better than what Metallica released one year earlier.

Anyway, I plan on writing a review for Demonic this week (my first review) and submitting it to Metalreviews once it's complete. I'm deliberately choosing Demonic for my first review since I find it to be one of the most musically interesting albums to review (and listen to).

Yeah those songs are pretty killer as well....I thinkn I made a mistake there. As for the inspiration behind "Down For Life", I don't think it was written about Chuck. Check out the lyrics:

Down For Life wrote:

When I see my brother
What I see is like no other
What we had forever lost
Can't deny our friendship

Feeling like it's time to end
This bad relation ripped appart
When we're young and disaranged
We didn't know it any other way

Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I am not about to run away

Turn my back to him
In his darkest hour
Give him will to fight
Antagonize his thoughts

See him threw his thoughest times
Purify his weakened heart
All the friends we feel the same
Tthe way it was back in the day

The more we change
He stays the same
Will we ever see our friend again
I... feel that...I can't protect
My friend from himself

All I've got are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain inside me
Thoughts even as we speak as troubled as it seems

He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was and always will be
When we're young and disaranged
We didn't know i tany other way

Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I... feel...I cannot help my friend help himself

You... can't hear what I say
Never going away...
Still friends down for life...
can you still fight...

All I've got are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain inside me
Thoughts even as we speak as troubled as it seems

He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was and always will be
Now in the end it's plain to see
What kind of friend

He has been for me all along he could never see
Who he was and always be
I... feel...I cannot help my friend help himself

It seems like whoever Billy is talking about, it was their fault for whatever is wrong with them. If I had to guess, I would say it's about a good friend who was deep in drug addiction. Helping someone help themself implies they are in control of what is wrong with them. Chuck was an unfortunate the victim of a horrible disease.

Seinfeld26 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 9:37 pm

Dylan@Metalreviews wrote:

Seinfeld26 wrote:

I'm actually surprised Legions Of The Dead wasn't mentioned in this review. That's another classic. Ditto to Three Days In Darkness. Down For Life was IMO a lyrically gutsy song since it's actually about friendship and compassion (was this album recorded before or after Chuck Schuldiner was diagnosed with cancer? - that may actually be who Chuck was singing about in that song). Otherwise, great review. Though I have to ask, why do you have a problem with The Ritual? I think it's a great album and definitely better than what Metallica released one year earlier.

Anyway, I plan on writing a review for Demonic this week (my first review) and submitting it to Metalreviews once it's complete. I'm deliberately choosing Demonic for my first review since I find it to be one of the most musically interesting albums to review (and listen to).

Yeah those songs are pretty killer as well....I thinkn I made a mistake there. As for the inspiration behind "Down For Life", I don't think it was written about Chuck. Check out the lyrics:

Down For Life wrote:

When I see my brother
What I see is like no other
What we had forever lost
Can't deny our friendship

Feeling like it's time to end
This bad relation ripped appart
When we're young and disaranged
We didn't know it any other way

Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I am not about to run away

Turn my back to him
In his darkest hour
Give him will to fight
Antagonize his thoughts

See him threw his thoughest times
Purify his weakened heart
All the friends we feel the same
Tthe way it was back in the day

The more we change
He stays the same
Will we ever see our friend again
I... feel that...I can't protect
My friend from himself

All I've got are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain inside me
Thoughts even as we speak as troubled as it seems

He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was and always will be
When we're young and disaranged
We didn't know i tany other way

Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I... feel...I cannot help my friend help himself

You... can't hear what I say
Never going away...
Still friends down for life...
can you still fight...

All I've got are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain inside me
Thoughts even as we speak as troubled as it seems

He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was and always will be
Now in the end it's plain to see
What kind of friend

He has been for me all along he could never see
Who he was and always be
I... feel...I cannot help my friend help himself

It seems like whoever Billy is talking about, it was their fault for whatever is wrong with them. If I had to guess, I would say it's about a good friend who was deep in drug addiction. Helping someone help themself implies they are in control of what is wrong with them. Chuck was an unfortunate the victim of a horrible disease.

I think your description seems quite a bit more likely. That Chuck Schuldiner thing just popped into my head as I was thinking of the song when writing my original reply, so you could say it was "just a thought."

What's interesting about Down For Life, though, is that Chuck actually shows a sense of optimism and friendly support with his lyrics. Something that wouldn't normally be considered "acceptible" in thrash metal.

Neonblack · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 10:25 pm

what surpises me is that the, IMO, BEST testament album and one of the best thrash albums ever is not in the classics section.for me this album was mindblowing i listened it everyday for years...it is an absolute jem

Trooper Of Steel · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:23 pm

I think this album is by far Testament's best work. Every song is a winner, especially DNR, Down For Life, Eyes Of Wrath, 3 Days In Darkness, Legions Of The Dead and Fall Of Sipledome.

I still like to pull this CD out every now and then and blast it at high volume...it really gets you going

Dylan@Metalreviews · **Posted:** Mon Jun 04, 2007 11:54 pm

Neonblack wrote:

what surpises me is that the, IMO, BEST testament album and one of the best thrash albums ever is not in the classics section.for me this album was mindblowing i listened it everyday for years...it is an absolute jem

Well...to take the technical way out...I think an album has to be 10 years old for it to be eligible for classic status. If only I could have waited til '09!! :sad:

Ness · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:36 am

Awesome. Wasn't expecting that. This will definitely be a classic in '09.

The Silent Man · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 1:09 am

metalNESS wrote:

Awesome. Wasn't expecting that. This will definitely be a classic in '09.

Definately, it basically is for me now anyways, I cant get enough of it.

blunt · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:41 am

Souls of Black superior to The Ritual. Mmm well I basically disagree. but hey a great band that has produced many classic albums.

Anonymous · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 4:25 am

I think Testament is the most overrated Thrash band from the 80's. I always found their music boring and bland, with the exception of their debut which seemed to be more immediate and energetic. I actually still own all of Testament's CDs because I like portions of their older material but I don't worship it like many people do. Case in point.... many people consider The New Order to be classic or legendary where as I feel it's worth about a 70 with The Ritual, and Souls Of Black being somewhere in the 60 range... and finally with Practice What You Preach being in the 40's or 50's because it puts me to sleep every time I try and listen to it.

With all that being said I feel The Gathering is highly underrated. It saw a shift in style from their previous releases even though Low and Demonic set the tone for it. I feel some people unfairly bash it because there's not enough of their old sound in it and many of the aspects of their sound and aggression have modern touches to it (but Modern in a good way). I love the intensity level and the skill level that each musician brings to the table really ups the ante to a level not seen on their previous releases. Billy's vocal performance on this is legendary in its own right as well. I would actually rate this even higher and, in my opinion, however in the minority it probably is, The Gathering is Testament's best release and is one of the most undeservedly bashed releases in recent memory. 95 / 100 for me.

Seinfeld26 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:33 pm

Personally, I think Low is more overrated than The Gathering. A lot of people really exaggerate its "brutality," etc. It's not even really a true thrash metal album. It's more of a modern groove metal album with some occasionally thrashy moments (and one death metal song). Shades Of War, in particular, sounded like it could've easily been a Roots-era Sepultura song. And yet people talk about how "brutal" and "punishing" the album is. Sorry, but it isn't.

And as I said before, I find The Ritual to be vastly underrated. I actually find it to be better than Souls Of Black, and also a little better than Demonic.

Eternal Idol · **Posted:** Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:54 pm

CAGGGGEEEEDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Riding the Snake! :dio:

thedirtyporthole · **Posted:** Wed Jun 06, 2007 4:17 pm

One of the best metal albums ever. period.

heatseeker · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 3:00 am

I only have The New Order by these guys, and for like a year I couldn't get into it and only recently have I started really listening to it. I think it's very good, but not a classic...in the 80's for me. Would you guys recommend getting The Gathering, then?

Dylan@Metalreviews · **Posted:** Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:12 am

heatseeker wrote:

I only have The New Order by these guys, and for like a year I couldn't get into it and only recently have I started really listening to it. I think it's very good, but not a classic...in the 80's for me. Would you guys recommend getting The Gathering, then?

Yes. I'm a pretty big Testament fan, but even those who aren't (like crims) think this album is amazing.

Kathaarian · **Posted:** Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:53 am

Amazing album. Too bad they haven't done anything lately, I hope Chuck is ok, we don't wanna lose another Chuck! :dio:

The Legacy is my favourite but this comes close too.

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Testament - The Gathering (#3872)

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