Testament's Titans of Creation - Track by Track Musings

Bay area thrash legends Testament have released a new record, Titans of Creation. And they did it on my birthday!! Is that a great birthday present or what?! Let's break it down and go track-by-track to see with Chuck Billy and the boys are offering up this time around.

Track 1: Children of the Next Level

This tune was released as a single in advance of the album so I've heard it a few times. It's a good opener with a solid thrashy, galloping pace. On the downside, I'm embarrassed it took this many listens for me to figure out that this tune's about the Heaven's Gate cult. Guess I need to polish up on my lyric reading skills.

Track 2: WWIII

Ok. Thirty seconds in and this one's a wrecker. Wicked cool thrash riff. Gene Hoglan's destroying the drum kit on this one. Massive double-kick action. This half-time riff will set the mosh pit the fuck off. And a killer solo from Alex Skolnick. Yeah. I dig this one!!

Track 3: Dream Deceiver

I've heard Testament play this opening riff before. Or something very close to it on All I Could Bleed. But the stop/start riffs in the verse are killing me. Chuck Billy sounds as scary and amazing as ever. Man, I hope he beats COVID-19. I can't imagine Testament without him. 

Track 4: Night of the Witch

The other single that came out before the record was released. I've heard 20 times now and it still wrecks my neck. I still love the grinding feel of the chorus as it slows down. Chuck's shrieking on the pre-choruses is positively demonic. This tune ain't getting old any time soon.

Track 5: City of Angels

Steve Di Georgio is going off at the start of this one before it settles into a head-banging med-tempo groove. Then it gets all eerie and clean vocals. Then back to the head-bangy shit. I guess this song is about the Grim Sleeper serial killer, so a more eerie tone is appropriate. And I dunno who invited that wah-wah pedal, but it's fucking tasty.

Track 6: Ishtar's Gate

How did I know this tune might have a Middle Eastern flavor to it. Oh, yeah. The title. Di Georgio gets a little more space to strut his stuff in the verses. Bass players need more space to strut. This first solo is pretty bluesy. Must be Eric Peterson. Good to see him getting more space to solo. His style works really well with Skolnick's shred god um... shredding.

Track 7: Symptoms

This groove is pretty wicked. I dig the chuggier riffs and the gang vocals on the chorus. But if I'm being honest, it feels like the energy has really fallen off the past two of three tracks. I know a record needs peaks and valleys, but damnit, this is some pretty deep valley shit right here.

Track 8: False Prophet

Ok, the pace is picked up a bit here. Good thrash drumming from The Atomic Clock. My head is definitely bobbing. Between this tune, Children of the Next Level and some other stuff, I'm beginning to think that this record's main theme is "Religion is bullshit." That's a message I can get behind.

Track 9: The Healers

This opening riff has a cool, heavy, 4-on-the-floor groove to it. Wish they'd keep it going a little longer. The tremolo picking stuff reminds me a little of black metal. Is this what Blackened Testament sounds like? All the crystals and healing bullshit in this track reminds me of hanging out with Amber. I'm gonna go cry now.

Track 10: Code of Hammurabi 

Cool bass riff opening things up. This riff is coming off as a bit prog to me. Then they jack up the tempo and my head starts banging. Real biblical lyrics, eye-for-an-eye-type shit. I like this song when it's thrashy.  Not too much more to say about it.

Track 11: Curse of Osiris

Yes!! This one's is starting out wicked fast. I've been wanting a flat-out face-melter like this. Kinda like Stronghold on Brotherhood of the Snake. This one has a big, goofy smile on my face. I'mma go make a one-man Wall of Death now.

Track 12: Catacombs

Whammy bar noise. A march-time riff. A fake horn section. This tune is going for max epicness. Oh, shit. A choir!! I guess this is the album's outro? Bummer I was all hyped up to break shit.

Overall:

Titans of Creation is a really solid release. The guitars sound snappy and powerful. Chuck Billy is my pick for the best current thrash vocalist and it's not even really that close. Unfortunately, the middle of this thing is a little squishy, with one too many slower numbers, for my liking anyway. But when Titans of Creation wrecks it wrecks pretty hard. All in all, this record is a totally worthy addition to the latter-day Testament renaissance.