_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Testament ::\ :: Album :: Para Bellum :: :: Year :: 2025 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Thrash Metal Source :: CD . :: :: Label :: Shinigami Records R.date :: 2025-10-24 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: NBSR499 S.date :: 2025-10-10 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 272kbps :.. . Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 103.25MB . . . __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 1. For the Love of Pain 5:35 :: :: 2. Infanticide A.I. 3:27 :: :: 3. Shadow People 5:45 :: :: 4. Meant to Be 7:33 :: :: 5. High Noon 3:52 :: :: 6. Witch Hunt 4:16 :: :: 7. Nature of the Beast 4:28 :: :: 8. Room 117 4:18 :: :: 9. Havana Syndrome 4:40 :: :: 10. Para Bellum 6:30 :: :: :: :: :: :: ------- :: .. >> 50:24 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: You know those certain bands that just wonÆt quit or give up, :: :: no matter what? The type of band that just keeps grinding away :: :: while constantly reminding everyone why they still exist and :: :: have a specific place within a certain genre of metal? The type :: :: of band that is determined to not only cultivate their own :: :: definitive sound, but stand out within the pack of their :: :: respective peers? A handful of certain bands come to mind when :: :: I give it a moment of thought, but the only one that has always :: :: stood out for me over the years, personally speaking, when it :: :: comes to being an absolute fucking workhorse that never slows :: :: down within thrash metal, is Testament. Over the 40 years of :: :: this bandÆs inception, theyÆve given us countless epic memories :: :: combined with legendary albums and killer performances. The :: :: overall lineup has changed throughout the years, of course, but :: :: staying true to the standard ethos of the Testament sound has :: :: remained fully intact and unwavered over their continued :: :: multiple decade long evolution. :: :: :: :: Enter ôPara Bellumö, the bandÆs newest and most interesting :: :: sonic effort since ôDark Roots of Earthö and the most musically :: :: intense since ôThe Gatheringö. When the first single, :: :: ôInfanticide A.I.ö, was released a few months back, my brain :: :: exploded. The sheer upfront brutality packed within the short :: :: three and a half minute run time was not only impressive, but :: :: legitimately hard hitting and a serious kick in the dick I :: :: wasnÆt prepared for. IÆm rather sure no one was expected them :: :: to come swinging out of the gates this intensely and with :: :: elements of black metal, nonetheless, seamlessly intertwined :: :: within that sonic bombardment. To say I was excited to hear :: :: this album after listening to that is the understatement of the :: :: century. If the band could sound that powerful with a most :: :: welcomed twist and such ferocity intrigued me to the absolutely :: :: nth degree. That was just the very appetizing lead up to the :: :: massively impressive seven course sonic banquet I was about to :: :: utterly consume myself in. :: :: :: :: IÆve listened to ôPara Bellumö three times now from :: :: front-to-back over the last handful of days, something I :: :: havenÆt done with any modern thrash album, let alone any metal :: :: album, in an extremely long time. The immediate intensity that :: :: flows throughout the rest of this album, especially with how :: :: varied it is, is nothing short of impressive. Songs like ôHigh :: :: Noonö and ôShadow Peopleö are excellent representations of :: :: forceful groove with an unrelenting pace that not only :: :: complements the bandÆs superior melodic sections, but support :: :: Alex and EricÆs quintessential soloing perfectly. Those two :: :: guys have been an unrivaled twin guitar thrash attack within :: :: the genre for literal decades and ôPara Bellumö completely :: :: utilizes both of them firing at 1,000% of their respective :: :: talents. I honestly believe some of their best work thus far is :: :: represented throughout this album, which is saying quite a lot. :: :: The riffs in every song on this album have their impactful :: :: place and moments in time, which are perfectly spread out for :: :: maximum effect. I expected only the highest quality of face :: :: melting guitar work from these two masters and I was not let :: :: down, whatsoever, in the slightest. :: :: :: :: As the record continues to progress, itÆs just one gigantic :: :: sonic stew of lightly sprinkled, black metal infused melodic :: :: riffs and blast beats filtered through the thrash juggernaut :: :: that is this band. Aside from 1997Æs ôDemonicö and 1999Æs ôThe :: :: Gatheringö, this is the most intense the band has sounded :: :: since. Like I mentioned previously, there is actual variety :: :: within this stew. ôNature of The Beastö sounds like a forgotten :: :: early 80Æs Judas Priest or Van Halen tune, so thatÆs definitely :: :: a varied aspect, but a very welcomed one since itÆs executed :: :: very well. When Chris Dovas isnÆt ripping heads off with his :: :: flawless black metal infused blast beats and accentuations, he :: :: plays perfect groove thrash that blends very well within the :: :: well known destructive Testament formula that never ceases to :: :: fail. I give him massive credit for lighting a scorching fire :: :: under EricÆs ass over the last two years or so that has birthed :: :: new life into to the writing process, while adding a more than :: :: welcomed black metal flavor to an already wining formula, thus :: :: pushing it into a new evolutionary territory for the band. :: :: :: :: Concerning the absence of Andy SneapÆs magical touch that the :: :: band had utilized over the last 15 years or so, the album :: :: sounds absolutely phenomenal on its own two feet without his :: :: presence. To be brutally honest, ôPara Bellumö is their best :: :: sounding album since ôDark Roots of Earthö, without question. :: :: Not that ôBrotherhoodö or ôTitansö sounded bad at all, quite :: :: the contrary actually, itÆs just that this album is brutal all :: :: around, crisp and concise. IÆm sure Andy wouldÆve made this :: :: record sound great like he normally does, but something just :: :: hits the spot with every instrument and vocal delivery being so :: :: impactful and up front. Massive kudos go out to Juan Urteaga :: :: and Jens Bogren, the amazing mixing and recording duo behind :: :: this album. Not only did they do an absolutely stellar job :: :: fully realizing the vision for this well crafted piece of :: :: intensive thrash, but helped these songs to shine with absolute :: :: brute force, something unheard of on a Testament album in :: :: years, in my opinion. :: :: :: :: At the end of the day, ôPara Bellumö is a phenomenal audio :: :: banquet of varied dishes that forces you to come back for :: :: second, third and fourth helpings, if not more. I havenÆt felt :: :: this strongly about a Testament record since ôThe Gatheringö, :: :: which set the bar for intensive thrash at the time. ItÆs now :: :: 2025 and the band has now set a brand new bar for all too see :: :: and try to obtain, especially their respective thrash peers :: :: within the genre. Who wouldÆve thought these old dogs could be :: :: taught brand new tricks 40 years into their career? I certainly :: :: didnÆt, whatsoever, but am extremely fucking grateful they :: :: proved me wrong. IÆm glad theyÆre still around performing, :: :: executing and demonstrating to the metal world that they are :: :: now top dogs fully equipped with deadly new sonic tricks up :: :: their sleeves that will carry them into the foreseeable, newly :: :: created future. :: :: :: :: Bearing witness to the evolution of one of the greatest thrash :: :: bands of all time right before my very eyes is a definitive :: :: sight to see and I am personally excited to hear what the band :: :: has next for us later on down the line. This album is pure, :: :: unadulterated Testament doing only what they know how to do :: :: best, destroy souls with no remorse. ItÆs an absolute treat for :: :: the ears and is, in my opinion, the best thrash album of the :: :: year and their best since ôThe Gatheringö, which speaks :: :: volumes. ôPara Bellumö is an easy 95% out of 100%, without :: :: question. Is it a flawless masterpiece without any blemishes, :: :: no, but comes extremely fucking close to being so. An amazing :: :: record that will stand the test of time and will eventually go :: :: down as one of the bandÆs best efforts, especially for the :: :: modern era. A killer record, from a killer band for a killer :: :: era. What a time to be alive! :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2025 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :