Testament Review
Next to Death Angel, this might have been my favorite show of the year thus far. Testament have not lost a step during the last 20+ Years. You can also read this review and see more of my pictures over at Ground Control Magizine. Check it, Mofo’s!
Testament, Sadus, Laaz Rocket and Vicious Rumors all on the same bill. Believe it or not, this show did not take place at The Stone in 1986, but at The Independent on March 30, 2008. How can that be, you may ask? Well, the San Francisco metal scene has experienced a bit of a revival as of late, and living in the heart of this great city I have been lucky enough to witness it all for the second time around. Bands that ruled the club scene back in the early- to mid-80s such as Exodus, Forbidden, Attitude Adjustment and Death Angel have all put on amazing shows during a still young 2008, and on this night it would be Testament’s turn. Standing in line outside The Independent waiting to get in, I was seriously hoping that none of the four bands on the bill would bring this string of kick-ass shows to a grinding halt. I need not have worried....
I had seen Vicious Rumors a few times "back in the day," and honestly never really formed an opinion about them. Although I didn’t really mind their music, I just blew them off back then because they were not thrashy enough for me. (Terribly close-minded, I know) On this night however, they impressed the hell out of me. Although they have undergone countless lineup changes over the years, this current incarnation of Vicious Rumors sounded great, and their melodic "power" metal was really quite infectious. New vocalist Ronnie Stixx had a Biff Byford (Saxon) thing going on, and bassist Stephen Goodwin was giving the crowd his best Steve Harris of Iron Maiden impersonation. As for founding member/guitarist Geoff Thorpe, his guitar work made the old VR songs such as "Digital Dictator," "On The Edge," and "Six Stepsisters" sound great. All in all, I’d say the night got off to a pretty good start.
Up next was Laaz Rockit, another Bay Area metal band from the mid-80s. Again, I had seen them a few times opening up for other bands years ago (a show at The Omni opening for M.O.D. comes to mind) but never really got into them. Like Vicious Rumors, they sounded pretty awesome, and I was pleasantly surprised at the thrashy riffs I heard. Vocalist Michael Koons still has some pretty strong vocal cords, and combined with the guitar attack of Aaron Jellum and Phil Ketner, the Laaz sound was pretty similar to how I remember it all those years ago. Favorites of mine from their set were "Last Breath," "Forced To Fight" and "Prelude," which was done with surprise guest of the evening, Steve "Zetro" Souza. Zetro sounded great, and it would not be the last time the now-packed Independent would hear his snarl.
After a quick change over Sadus hit the stage and finally brought the real thrash which I had been waiting for all evening. Led by guitarist and vocalist Darren Travis, Sadus showed the crowd that they still have speed, technicality and heaviness that made them way ahead of their time back in the day. Bass virtuoso Steve DiGiorgio was incredible to watch, and his five string fretless bass really brings a totally different dimension to the sound of the band. (Although I could have done without his keyboards, as they really didn’t seem needed to me.) Travis was no slouch on guitar, and really blew me away with his ability to shred and grunt at the same time. The crowd had definitely started to wake up during their set, and I found myself finally getting pushed up against the stage and working to keep my prime spot, which is how it’s suppose to be at a metal show. Highlights for me were "Freedom," which was dedicated to the late Chuck Schuldiner, and one of my all-time favorite Sadus songs "Kill Team." Sadus were, in my opinion, the perfect prelude to what was about to come.
Storming the stage with "Over the Wall," Testament had a ferociousness on this night that, to be quite honest, I forgot that they ever had. Taking it all in while trying to shoot pictures at the same time, I immediately had flashbacks to the last time I was up smashed up against the stage with a hulking Chuck Billy in my face, which had to be around 1987 or so at The Stone. Although they had only played one song, I was thinking to myself that this was going to be a show for the ages, and some seriously fucking shredding versions of both "Into the Pit" and "Apocalyptic City" only solidified my thoughts.
As a band, Testament could not have been any tighter, but what would you expect when you have a legend like Paul Bostaph behind the kit? Although I could not see him from my position stage-center, his drumming was absolutely possessed, judging from the assault on my eardrums, not to mention the hair, arms and drumsticks that were flying from behind his kit. Counterpart Greg Christian was also doing his part to hold up the rhythm, and his bass playing stood out on the classics "Practice What You Preach" and "New Order." As for guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson, they proved that they are both pretty much at "guitar god" status these days, and were playing off each other quite nicely all night long. While Skolnick was more on the technical side, Peterson’s guitar was more chunkier, and together they showed what makes the Testament sound so unique.
Continuing to belt out classic after classic, frontman Billy was the ring leader, and watching him play guitar on his half-mic stand it was obvious that he was having just as much fun up there as the crowd that was watching him. His voice sounded great, and he looks and acts healthier than ever. After a pretty smokin’ version of "Low" (dedicated to former drummer and "brother" John Tempesta) and "Trial of Tears" (both from the Low album), it was time for a couple of new Testament songs. Both "Henchmen Ride" and "The Evil Has Landed" sounded pretty damn good, and I can assure everyone who is waiting for the new Testament album that they will not be disappointed. Heavy as fuck versions of "Souls In Black," "The Preacher" and "D.N.R." followed.
After leaving the stage, it was pretty apparent that Testament would be returning. What was not so obvious however, was that former vocalist (when they still known as Legacy) Zetro would be returning to the stage for the second time this evening to join his former band. After telling the now-going-fucking-nuts crowd about how he got Billy the job in the band they all tore into what has always been one of my favorite Testament songs, "Alone In The Dark." Needless to say, it was pretty damn awesome, and it’s moments like these that make me glad I’m still going to all these shows all these years later. An absolutely brutal "Disciples of the Watch" closed the show, and I think Chuck summed up this whole metal revival with his closing growl of "Heavy Metal Forever!!!" Indeed Chuck, indeed.
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