Bay area thrashers, Testament, made a highly anticipated stop at Epic in Minneapolis on an off day from the Metal Masters Tour, which also features Heaven And Hell (can’t we just call them Black Sabbath?), Judas Priest and Motorhead. That tour is not coming to the Twin Cities, but with the exception of Heaven And Hell (who played here last year), all the bands are playing their own shows in the Twin Cities in the coming weeks (Judas Priest - August 2, and Motorhead – September 12).
After a few albums in the 1990s that delved more into a death-metal style, and numerous lineup changes, Testament is back in top thrash metal form with the excellent new album, The Formation Of Damnation, and 4/5 of their classic lineup intact, with drummer Paul Bostaph more than capably sitting in the drum throne once manned by original drummer, Louie Clemente.
First off, let me say that Epic seemed like an odd place for this show to me, mostly because since the former Quest and Glam Slam building opened again they haven’t really had any rock shows. I had pictured in my mind some sort of dance club that was hosting a show totally out of its element. In reality, it’s really not much different than The Quest—they’ve moved the bathrooms, but there’s more of them, so that’s a positive. The former space occupied by the Ascot Room upstairs is now another bar, and all the spots around the railing are “VIP.” The pillars are still on the main floor and there is a new staircase that doesn’t block sightlines as much as you think it would. The guys at the door are still not the friendliest, but security was not as militant as you’d expect, as there was plenty of moshing and crowd surfing with no interference from security. I initially thought this show would be better suited for First Avenue or Station 4, but Epic turned out to be about perfect, as there were probably not quite enough people to warrant a First Avenue show (where I saw Testament twice in 1990), and probably too many people to have the show at Station 4.
As for the show…WOW!
It was a similar vibe, but on a different scale as that of the Iron Maiden show I saw last month—a very enthusiastic crowd, decked out in their vintage thrash metal t-shirts (Testament, Overkill, Exodus, Nuclear Assault, Megadeth, Mercyful Fate, etc.), and a real sense of excitement in the air. As the lights dimmed, Thin Lizzy’s, “The Boys Are Back in Town” increased in volume over the P.A., and Testament hit the stage with a flurry. This was old skool thrash metal with the first four songs being from the first three Testament albums, The Legacy (1987), The New Order (1988) and Practice What You Preach (1989). In fact, the set was heavy with songs from The New Order, with two of the first four songs coming from that album, as well as both encore songs. “Electric Crown,” from 1992’s, The Ritual, was a pleasant surprise, and so was“Apocalyptic City” from The Legacy, which the band hadn’t played in 15 years. Only two songs were played from the latest release, The Formation Of Damnation, but they were good ones – “More Than Meets The Eye” and “Henchmen Ride.”
The entire band was very energetic and seemed genuinely excited to be playing together, and to be in Minneapolis for the first time in a long time. Especially impressive was the frontman. Chuck Billy, who was in great voice and headbanged like it was 1987. Lead guitarist, Alex Skolnick, was an absolute shredder on the guitar, but not so over the top that it distracted from the songs. I’m hoping after the Testament tour that he’ll bring his jazz trio to play Rossi’s or The Dakota—something I would love to see.
If I had any complaints, it’s that no songs from Souls Of Black (1990) were included in the set, and the show seemed rather short with just 10 songs and a two-song encore. Perhaps that is because the band is used to being first on a bill of four bands on the Metal Masters Tour, and they normally play a very short set. No matter, an excellent show, once again proving the staying power of an era some people thought would be quickly forgotten—I can’t believe it’s been 18 years since I first saw Testament in Minneapolis. Here’s hoping I won’t have to wait that long to see them again.
