Genuine Indian Thrash
A total
discontent was the only feeling that injected the thrash hearts of Testament
musicians. Their label Atlantic completely screwed all the things up with
promotion and live performances around the world, furthermore, thrash was a
dying kind, so the creators of “The Legacy” decided to give a new life to Burnt
Offerings, their own label. They treated their last effort “Low” as the best
stuff they have ever recorded. Of course they had the right to declare such a
theory, however I cannot agree with them. Now “Low” is just a history, and new
stuff arrives to conquer my senses. This is the live album which is in fact a
debut under the banner of a new label, and it contains 14 songs and 3
acoustics. Although they wanted to earn some money for promotion of their next
studio album, part of amount in cash was given to Association on American
Indian Affairs. It is unthinkable that all these human factors made “Live at the
Fillmore” the BEST thrash live record performance…
In metal
magazines this record was described as a typical ‘the best-off’ stuff, but I do
not agree with such statements. Firstly, there are only three songs from their
debut album which I consider the best in their career, fortunately “Apocalyptic
City” shows all its brilliance and thrash magic, but musicians forgot about
e.g. “Over the Wall”, “The Haunting” (but this is excusable here because these
tracks are on live Ep from 1993) and “Do or Die”. Moreover, there is no
“Disciple of the Watch”, definitely leading killer from the second album, also
tracks from my beloved “The Ritual” are absent here. One can say that I started
the things with some drawbacks, disadvantages or something like this. No, it is
not a truth. So, to the point and to the elemental truth. The first thing:
production – simply amazing, this is the example how the live show should be
recorded, everything is audible in perfect way, the rhythm section is like a
hammer which smashes me down. Here, checking the line up out, important change
arrives. This time drummer Tempesta is replaced by John Dette, and I am just
under the impression when he gives the old tracks another life. Unfortunately
he left the band shortly after the recording. Vocally – Chick is just top-notch,
he improved his lines and added some growls to the older tracks as well (“Alone
in the Dark”, “Apocalyptic City”), it made the songs better and really
powerful, what is interesting, he did it without any effort and artificiality. My
main question and apprehension at a time went to the man James Murphy and his replacement
of the master Skolnick. I read many articles that he had done his job just very
good. And only very good, that he missed this unique ‘Skolnick’ element in his
guitar playing… Univocally I’d like to
state that Murphy did a perfect (!) job. It’s hard to write but I almost forgot
about Alex, as Murphy played all the solos and riffs just like on originals,
maybe in some very short moments I hear changes (but of course with no
falsity!) that don’t disfigure the entirety. It fits perfectly here, not like
on “First Strike Still Deadly” where Skolnick changed his timeless classic
parts… Ok, with delight I can see and hear “Apocalyptic City” herein, for me the
number one among countless metal songs, however with profound sadness I can
write that I saw Testament three times live and didn’t hear this song. So this
is the next thing I will praise these Fillmore sounds eternally. Writing on the
end about music coming from the album I can definitely state: realization and
musical execution is a masterpiece. It is pure, honest and true. Each musician
put own brick into the wall. Nobody is redundant, nobody is a symbol of
mediocrity… So, I got a milestone. The milestone of thrash metal, to be more
precise.
The last
part of the album consists of three songs. This is rather a big surprise or
even unexpected guest, because after thrash feast, Testament prepared acoustic
ballads with Star Nayea female vocals as a Billy’s support. I treat them very
well, still they maintain masterly music level, but as a matter of fact I was
surprised that Murphy wanted to record such stuff. On the other hand it shows
both guitarists Murphy and Peterson are all-around. Booklet says that these
tracks were recorded live during Indian benefit.
To cut it
short, it is always excellent time while listening to this live show, even in
spite of 17 years of being in my collection. And with no problem I can put it
next to Savatage’s “Ghost in the Ruins” album, my best heavy metal live. It’s
proper to point out that sounds from Fillmore were recorded in 1995 – a year
where the old and important thrash outfits like Slayer, Overkill, Forbidden,
Kreator and others didn’t play this kind of music, or simply were dead. One can
say that this live is the last pure thrash in Testament career and I can agree
with it, on the next release Testament will shock metal fans showing new face.
The face where thrash and death metal fight bravely. And yes, I was also
extremely shocked, but in very positive way… Writing in one sentence on the
end: demons will arrive to possess my soul…
100/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(previously written for Encyclopaedia Metallum, on April, 2012, now modified a bit)
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