Review Summary: The Bestament?
The Gathering is a fascinating album to examine both as Testament’s eighth full-length and as a hypothetical release from a one-off supergroup. Billy and Peterson are once again the only core members left from the preceding Demonic but Low lead guitarist James Murphy returns to the fold along with a legendary rhythm section in bassist Steve DiGiorgio and Dave “***ing” Lombardo on drums. If heavy metal ever had the equivalent to fantasy football, this would be a damn great team to have.
It certainly helps that the album remembers to include the thrash elements that were largely forgotten on its predecessor. There’s a lovable irony in a track titled “D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)” absolutely bursting with life, but it’s one of the band’s all-time greatest openers with its beginning ambiance giving way to an incredibly pummeling verse/chorus set with brutal riffs and a return to more urgent cleans.
On the flip side, the closing “Fall of Sipledome” ramps up even further with furious riffs and deep roars that make its lyrics about an Antarctician ice sheet sound like the goddamned apocalypse. Tracks like “Down for Life” and “Legions of the Dead” also show off some excellent speeds and even a couple of the more groove-leaning tracks like “Careful What You Wish For” are executed with an extra spring in their step.
Speaking of groove, there’s still plenty of slower paced tracks but these manage to come with their own fury. “3 Days in Darkness” is my favorite of the lot with its themes of an especially potent volcanic eruption perfectly suiting the molten chugs, stomping mid-tempo hustle, and epically catchy vocal contrasts. They even managed to channel some of Demonic’s experimental textures to more constructive ends with the more abstract dynamics on songs like “Eyes of Wrath” and “True Believer.”
True to form, the musicians put forth some incredible performances that do justice to the band’s recent death/groove trajectory and inject it with even more power. This might be Billy’s most varied yet balanced performance to date as his barks and cleans have considerable conviction behind them, so the growls feel more complementary than a total style shift. While the leads still aren’t particularly flashy, the rhythms are egged on by the more acrobatic drumming and an incredible production job. If anything, I find myself wishing the bass was more prominent as there isn’t much of DiGiorgio’s signature dexterity.
As much as I personally connect with The Legacy and Low a bit deeper, there’s a reason why a sizable contingent of fans considers The Gathering to be Testament’s best album. The band already deserved props for their perseverance and innovative spirit, but this is where that conviction paid off. Their already unique style is utilized to its best potential thanks to the climactic yet breakneck songwriting and musicianship that lives up to its immaculate roster. A series of subsequent setbacks would keep the band from properly capitalizing on this creative success, but it was a nigh miracle at the time and remains an essential listen today.
