Song: Raging Waters
Album: The Legacy
Year: 1987
Genre: Thrash Metal
Sometimes
my strange little life affords me the opportunity to do some fun things. Recently I did a podcast with a close friend
based on thrash metal. It doesn't sound
like much, but the premise of the show had me delving into a musical realm that
was crucial to my teenage years. To do
the show it required me to listen to this music with a critical ear. After doing my "research" for the
podcast, I was reminded of a record that I don't think about much. The reason I don't think about it is because
it is so ingrained in my head, it's as if I don't even need to listen to the
record any more because I know it front to back like I know my name. The band is Testament and the album is their 1987
debut The Legacy. This
record is easily good enough to hang with the likes of Reign In Blood, Peace Sells, Bonded By Blood, Among The Living, Ride The Lightning, and so on.
Not only hang with them, but compete with them for the top spots in
thrash history. After the Big Four
gained their notoriety, copycats, clones and just plain ripoffs began to sprout
to populate what was known as the second wave of thrash metal. Testament took the reins and ran ahead of the
pack. The Legacy is a pure
mix of brutality and melody. The riffs
crush and the leads mesmerize all the while Chuck Billy lends his fantastic trademark,
melodic growl. The
high velocity of their songs, which they shied away from on their subsequent
releases, was Testament's strength. Guitars,
drums and bass flew by, yet are so well-played and well-written, each song is
an memorable entity unto itself. This
album was a milestone for 1987 and set a new bar for others to strive for. So many modern day retro-thrash bands owe so much to
Testament as most of them are trying to recreate what they did oh so long ago: yet this record can take any of them down with one guitar tied behind its back.
Listen to "Raging Waters" here.
Listen to "Raging Waters" here.
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