08/20/2016 12:39

Testament

Testament: new album 'Brotherhood of the Snake' out in October

Legendary bay area thrash metal giants Testament have revealed the cover art for their upcoming 12th album, 'Brotherhood of the Snake', which will be released on October 28, 2016 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Track listing:
1. Brotherhood of the Snake
2. The Pale King
3. Stronghold
4. Seven Seals
5. Born in a Rut
6. Centuries of Suffering
7. Neptune's Spear
8. Black Jack
9. Canna-Business
10. The Number Game

The expressional cover was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor who also did the art for the Testament's last album, 'The Dark Roots of Earth', and also worked for bands like Hatebreed, Soulfly and Kataklysm in the past.

The album was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga (Exodus, Heathen, Machine Head), guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy and was mixed and mastered by well-known metal producer Andy Sneap (Accept, Arch Enemy, Cradle Of Filth, Kreator, Machine Head, Megadeth).

Commented Peterson in an interview with Metal Maniac: "It's very diverse, but it's very epic. There's nothing on there that breeds commercial. And I think for thirty years of recording music and trying different formulas and stuff, I think we've found a formula that is very metal. I think for the metal fan that is looking for something for the nook and crannies... not just your normal, ‘Oh, it's got a thrash beat and a riff.’ There's a lot going on here."

The songwriter also told Metal Forces in another interview: "It's different. This one is more thrash. I mean, this has got some of the fastest stuff that we have ever played. Usually, we have one or two thrash songs, and then we have some mid-tempo, and then we have a slow, heavy one, and then up-tempo kind of stuff. Half of the new record is thrash, which we've never done before."

He continued: "It's kind of like 'Demonic' and 'The Gathering', but a little bit wiser, I think. Chuck's not singing so death. I mean, he does some death stuff but he's singing more like he did on the last record and then with the craziness of 'The Gathering' or even heavy stuff like 'Demonic'."

(source: Testament / Nuclear Blast Records)