Testament – Para Bellum Review

[Cover art by Eliran Kantor]

Thrash metal is a young man’s game.

Glance across the genre’s 40-plus years of history and you’ll find that the vast majority of great albums were released when the musicians were in their 20s, or in some cases before that. “I only like The First Two Albums, dude.” This raging, aggressive, demanding form of heavy metal music typically requires the dexterity and spryness of youth (damn youths), which is why so many thrash bands either slow down as they get older or just beclown themselves by exploring other styles (the 90s were rough). Only Voivod got away with the latter, and the normal rules don’t apply to Voivod.

The same can be said for Bay Area legends Testament. It’s nigh on impossible to find a fan that doesn’t consider one of their first two albums – the impeccable The Legacy and The New Order – as their best. They themselves said it best when Chuck Billy screeched out “First Strike Is Deadly,” a mantra that might as well apply to the whole of the genre. Youthful spite and energy at its purest, with nothing else quite comparing.

And yet… and yet… here we are 38 years since The Legacy and Testament battles on, releasing albums every few years through lineup shifts and a zillion changing trends. Why, if there’s little hope of them reaching the heights of their youngest days as a band, do they keep on going?

The most obvious answer to that question is that this is all they know. Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson have kept the engine running as a career this whole time, and I doubt they’re interested in day jobs at this point. Another reason – and the reason we’re here – is that they’ve remained quite good at their craft. Testament makes a strong argument for aging better than just about any of the classic thrash bands, never fully embarrassing themselves with an ill-advised stylistic change – even Demonic has its moments – and most importantly keeping the chops fresh.

Those fresh chops, and Testament’s fearlessness in showing them off, help make new album Para Bellum another extremely solid record in a late career run of extremely solid records. Chuck Billy might not hit the high screams like his did in the 80s, but his voice is still incredible, bellowing and growling and singing and barking all over the record like he’s running from time itself, making as strong a case as the thrash vocalist GOAT as just about anyone at this point; Peterson still writes a mean, tight thrash riff, and he continues to explore more extreme styles to pepper the band’s foundation with extra energy; Alex Skolnick remains one of thrash’s most gifted and tuneful lead players, adding a narrative melodicism to just about every song, seemingly always right when he’s needed; bass master Steve DiGiorgio is playful all over this thing, fluttering and popping and adding little jazz lines or brief solos; and from all the blasts and double kicks to irresistible ride cymbal shuffles, new kid Chris Dovas hits the drums like he’s trying to make a major point. At just 27 years of age and having to replace a legend in Gene Hoglan, he likely feels the pressure. If thrash really is a young man’s game, it pays to have a young man in the ranks, it seems.

Dovas instantly makes his presence known in Para Bellum’s opening track “For the Love of Pain” with frequent blast beats, but from the bruising riffs and wicked dual vocals of Billy and Peterson (who comes closer to a pure scream) to the blazing tremolo lines (the band isn’t afraid to veer close to melodic death and/or black metal at times) and dancing bass lines, the song is a killer showcase for Testament as a full band as they exist in 2025. With the ensuing ripper “Infanticide A.I.” doubling down on the blasting intensity and just outright wickedness, consider the message received that Testament has no intention of being labeled as “dad thrash” now or potentially ever.

That being said, Para Bellum doesn’t maintain this level of intensity across its full 50 minutes, but what it does is offer one of the most varied sets of songs Testament has ever put into one album package. “Shadow People” is mid-paced, extremely hefty, and showcases Skolnick during an extended solo section; “Witch Hunt” teases those extreme flavors but closes out with a ton of shred and classic metal vibes; “Havana Syndrome” likewise gets traddy with Maideny harmonies; and the closing title track ranges from epic thrash to proggier terrain–if you hear some Nevermore vibes happening there, you aren’t alone. Okay, so they do get a little dad/biker thrash on the Vegas-themed “Nature of the Beast,” but hey, just crack open a cold one and enjoy the ride. Most importantly, every song here benefits from the band’s still-slick songcraft, as hooky and catchy as it can be intense and brutally thrashy. Testament knows their game, regardless of the decade.

There’s also a ballad, and let’s take a minute to discuss this track and its placement in more detail. Outside of Metallica, Testament has excelled in thrash balladry as much as just about anyone, but “Meant to Be” feels like a step further in the sappy department than “The Legacy” or “Trail of Tears” or well, “The Ballad.” It’s a rather open-hearted love song that sounds more like modern Judas Priest than Testament, really, and upon first listen kind of sticks out like a sore thumb on the album. Further listens help it settle in some, mostly because in a vacuum it’s still a rather pleasant track, but the transition from “Meant to Be” to “High Noon” – which starts with nothing but a Billy bellow and sound of a shotgun cocking – will forever remain kind of unintentionally hilarious. Placing “Meant to Be” later on the record, or before any other song, probably would have avoided the awkward transition.

That minor quibble about sequencing notwithstanding, Testament have delivered another extremely fun set of thrash that largely belies their somewhat advanced thrash metal age. Thrash is a young man’s game, sure, but it seems like the formula to keeping it alive into your AARP years is to make sure you keep the chops up, write tunes for both fun and fire, and keep everyone involved. Basically, refuse to age. Doesn’t hurt to hire a young drummer. Also doesn’t hurt to be a band as talented as Testament. No, Para Bellum is not on the level of The First Two Albums (insert the most obvious “DUH” imaginable), but it proves that Testament’s strike is still plenty deadly.