Album Review: Testament – Titans of Creation (Nuclear Blast)

The time has arrived for Testament to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album: Titans of Creation. Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in Testament represents a necessary component of this latest musical endeavour. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, Testament has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still bringing alluring, brilliant, and progressive ingredients to the table.

Beloved for all the right reasons, Testament only seem to be getting stronger with age and their 13th album is further proof of that. A hefty 12 track lesson in thrash metal brimming with frantic energy and high-powered heaviness.

The band are on absolute fire from the very moment Children of the Next Level kicks in. The humongous nature of the riffs, the groove of the bass, the battering of the drums and the fury that comes from the vocals. If this opener doesn’t get you moving, you might already be dead.

Such a hyper start, WW III would have a tough task of following it but it’s just as good, if not better. A slower tempo allows Testament to really show just how meaty their instruments can get while also throwing in flashes of speed, thanks to a guitar solo that will melt faces.

Fast, hot and heavy and fairly catchy, Dream Deceiver is notable for the intensity of the drums and Chuck Billy’s drawn out vocals in the chorus. Followed by Night of the Witch which has one of the album’s strongest guitar solos. Before City of Angels changes things up a bit with a slower and more darkly intense guitar drawl, mixed with Testament’s inimitable fiery bursts and even a really psychedelic sounding moment.

So much heaviness, so much head-banging quality and the out of control speedster that is Ishtars Gate only signals the half-way point. The fire is only getting hotter and hotter, the bass here really standing out.

Any other band and the constant blast of thrash could start to wear thin but this Testament and they know how to inject fresh life into more run of the mill moments. Symptoms being an absolute blast with its punchy vocals that demand you raise your fist to the air and praise all that is heavy. False Prophet and The Healers not breaking any new ground but both more then solid enough to get the head banging with ease. Before Code of Hammurabi begins with some fascinating progressive noise before letting the metal fly like fur in a wild animal fight.

Had enough? Testament haven’t quite as they reach the conclusion of Titans of Creation with one last no nonsense thrash number before the thumping power metal style outro of Catacombs draws a line under proceedings.

Excellent. Testament have smashed it out of the park on their latest album proving that they are as relevant and important as ever.

Testament – Titans of Creation Full Track Listing:

1. Children of the next Level
2. WW III
3. Dream Deceiver
4. Night of the Witch
5. City of Angels
6. Ishtars Gate
7. Symptoms
8. False Prophet
9. The Healers
10. Code of Hammurabi
11. Curse of Osiris
12. Catacombs

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