This album has one of the best collection of solos I've heard in long time. ''First Strike is Deadly'' one kicked my ass.

Rock On

Men, lovin' this album! Testament rules!

A classic and must own for any thrash fan. Amazing solos and riffs that blow your mind

Didn't like it the first time I listened to it a few months ago. Listened to it today again and was oh so very pleasantly surprised. So much catchy riffage on one album.

Timeless thrash metal classic!

Thats the first album i listen from this band and although i tend to dislike bay thrash this album is from the good ones.. the solo in "over the wall" is truly awesome...! it's nice that their vocals are not so bay-ish...

Really great thrash debut, this is the only Testament album that competes with the early Big 4 releases. Raw energy, amazing riffs, nice songwriting, cool vocals-- always loved this one!

Perfection

I forgot how good this one was. One of the better thrash albums.

Written by [user id=159927] on 12.10.2017 at 15:37

I forgot how good this one was. One of the better thrash albums.

And tbh Testament's only really good, or even great, album, although half of their follow-up is also still good to great, but everything after... well. mediocre thrash.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.10.2017 at 17:20

And tbh Testament's only really good, or even great, album, although half of their follow-up is also still good to great, but everything after... well. mediocre thrash.

I'd say this and the follow up are roughly equal in quality honestly. Never liked anything other than those two and the odd track here and there.

Written by Alex F on 12.10.2017 at 19:28

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.10.2017 at 17:20

And tbh Testament's only really good, or even great, album, although half of their follow-up is also still good to great, but everything after... well. mediocre thrash.

I'd say this and the follow up are roughly equal in quality honestly....

I'd beg to differ due to tracks such as the Nobody's Fault cover, Hypnosis, Musical Death (A Dirge) , The Preacher, A Day Of Reckoning and also Eerie Inhabitants on The New Order. Whereas The Legacy doesn't have one single weak track.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.10.2017 at 19:35

I'd beg to differ due to tracks such as the Nobody's Fault cover, Hypnosis, Musical Death (A Dirge) , The Preacher, A Day Of Reckoning and also Eerie Inhabitants on The New Order. Whereas The Legacy doesn't have one single weak track.

I'd personally say that C.O.T.L.O.D is pretty weak, and that Nobody's Fault is the only "bad" song on The New Order. I also vastly prefer both the production and vocal performances on tNO, however the slightly less polished edge on The Legacy probably appeals a bit more to you (or so I would guess). Like I said, I like em both, but I also wouldn't call either of them masterpieces at all.

Quote:

Written by Alex F on 12.10.2017 at 19:41

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 12.10.2017 at 19:35

I'd personally say that C.O.T.L.O.D is pretty weak, and that Nobody's Fault is the only "bad" song on The New Order. I also vastly prefer both the production and vocal performances on tNO, however the slightly less polished edge on The Legacy probably appeals a bit more to you (or so I would guess). Like I said, I like em both, but I also wouldn't call either of them masterpieces at all.

The Legacy I would call a masterpiece and up their with the best thrash albums ever.
The New Order is indeed way too polished and therefore it lacks punch.

Total classic, superior in all aspects to everything they released after.

Testament are a great band but this is still their finest album for me.

Pure thrashing opener, 100% energy and thrash, party non stop, some take drugs and dance in trance rthme, here you dont need drugs and shit, pure thrash is energizer and you can party all night long. Amazing period of metal when 80's bands recorded like first 4 albums.

Not as strong as The New Order or The Gathering but still a great album.

It's alright thrashing/speeding with not that many remarkable riffs and not that memorable songwriting. I have listened the album at least a few times and most of the songs just disappear right after listening without leaving anything to remember. Only a couple of songs, mainly "Burnt Offerings", break the pattern of forgettableness and manage also to be really good songs.

So, not the best thrash album available. Maybe this is pretty good on Testament's standards, but when compared to classic thrash albums from 80s or just bay are ones, this is not really impressive album. Doesn't highly disappoint after a few listens but sort of falls flat.

One of the most overrated metal albums ever. Most of the songs are barely memorable, just average thrash with great soloing. The production has aged badly and ruins whatever better parts that can be found here and there. This album needs proper remixed or remastered re-release.

Brilliant LP and still one of my favourites - had it on a cassette back in the day and totally wore it out. Regarding earlier comments on the crappy Aerosmith cover version on New Order, I remember reading at the time that they had to make the time up because they were contractually obliged to produce an LP of a certain length. If it wasn't for that aberration and the super-clean production, 'New Order' would come close to this IMO.

Very great album, one of the best albums of testament with "The Gathering" and "Practice What You Preach"

This is one of the best thrash albums ever! Pure raw energy with badass vocals (kind of a mix of Mustaine and Hetfield ) and elegant guitar solos! ... might be the best debut album of a band (next to The Somberlain and Black Future)

Written by F3ynman on 06.07.2021 at 16:22

might be the best debut album of a band

That deserves a thread all of it's own.

Kill Em All or Psychocandy for me.

Written by gavdann on 07.07.2021 at 11:05

Written by F3ynman on 06.07.2021 at 16:22

might be the best debut album of a band

That deserves a thread all of it's own.

Kill Em All or Psychocandy for me.

Also Metal Church and Nocturnal Silence are great debut albums

Sadly, I have to agree with people above me bashing this album. There's no personality to be found in here, and the whole album sounds incredibly dated for a 1987 record. Some sweet solos, but the riffs are lacking and can't compete with other bands from that time. The songwritting lacks any memorability or hooks, and the production is pretty bad, and not in the way that could potentially add to the experience. Chuck Billy isn't at his peak here (like on Testament's later album "The Gathering"), but he's good enough to stand out as one of the best things about this lp.

It's indeed very overrated, but still it's by far Testament's best record, and looking by the quality of their most recent albums, I can tell it's not going to change very soon (if ever).

Top 10 album of all time for me, I never knew thrash can have such melodies. Melody in first track at 2:28 looks simple, but still it is one of the best things I heard in metal.
Very quiet though, amplifier is a must.

The lyrical themes in this album are pretty unique, I find. I haven't heard them as often in other songs:
Escape from prison (Over the Wall); at sea in the Bermuda Triangle (Raging Waters); poisonous snakes (First Strike is Deadly); a parachuting soldier (Do Or Die); the inner thoughts of an arsonist (Apocalyptic City).
Add in some elegant guitar solos, catchy and strong backing vocals, and high-speed thrash, and you've got yourself a fantastic album

Written by nonZero on 06.07.2020 at 16:37

08. Alone In The Dark - 8/10
09. Apocalyptic City - 8/10

In my opinion, the last two songs deserve a 9 or 10 rating! Those melodic solos, man!