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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Testament - First Strike Still Deadly + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.mar-18-2012 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Thrash Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2001 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......The_Patriarch Songs........11 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.testamentlegion.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Testament Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : First Strike Still Deadly Label : Spitfire ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ First formed as Legacy between 1983-1986, the ║ │
│║ band changed their name to Testament in 1986. ║ │
│║ This best of/Compilation features selected ║ │
│║ tracks taken from their first two releases "The ║ │
│║ Legacy" and "The New Order." The line-up here ║ │
│║ was Chuck Billy on vocals, Steve "Zetro" Souza ║ │
│║ on guest vocals, Alex Skolnick on lead guitars, ║ │
│║ Eric Peterson on rhythm guitar, Steve DiGiorgio ║ │
│║ on fretless bass and John Tempesta on drums. Not ║ │
│║ all of the original members were on this ║ │
│║ compilation. Their former bassist Greg Chrisitan ║ │
│║ and drummer Louis Clemente were absent from this ║ │
│║ compilation. Their replacements did a better job ║ │
│║ than the two previous members. They seemed to ║ │
│║ exhibit more talent and achieved a better ║ │
│║ outcome in their execution for these songs. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Thrash metal has always been Testament's genre ║ │
│║ of music. They've never changed their style even ║ │
│║ with the line-up changes over the years. So it's ║ │
│║ safe to say that they never "sold out" like ║ │
│║ Metallica did. Of course not their entire ║ │
│║ discography was entirely interesting but at ║ │
│║ least they stuck to their roots. This best ║ │
│║ of/Compilation was a good idea though because it ║ │
│║ brought listeners back to where they originally ║ │
│║ used to be in terms of the selections from the ║ │
│║ first two releases. Though they cut out some ║ │
│║ parts from the originals and/or tailored a few ║ │
│║ riffs, the ingenious songs still held precedent ║ │
│║ with this newer best of recording. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Songs held much more crunch tone guitar riffs to ║ │
│║ them with the exception of the introduction of ║ │
│║ "Trial by Fire" and "Burnt Offerings." They did ║ │
│║ take out part of "Disciples of the Watch" but ║ │
│║ the execution was still well played out by ║ │
│║ Peterson, et al. These newer recordings I ║ │
│║ developed a liking to because of the overall ║ │
│║ intensity of the main riffs, way technical plus ║ │
│║ reverb enhanced style leads, right on cue ║ │
│║ drumming and finally, the main vocals as well as ║ │
│║ the guest vocals. I'd consider this compilation ║ │
│║ to be very mature and the riff contents to be ║ │
│║ more fluent than the originals. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All of the tracks that the band selected to be ║ │
│║ on this compilation were very good choices. ║ │
│║ Knowing of this band for more than 20 years, I ║ │
│║ have come to the conclusion that "First Strike ║ │
│║ Still Deadly" is one hell of a great concoction ║ │
│║ of remakes. Not a step backward but a better and ║ │
│║ more fluent examination of the band to see what ║ │
│║ they seemed to reiterate with these newer thrash ║ │
│║ metal remakes. The rhythm guitar parts were ║ │
│║ better than the originals because of their ║ │
│║ technicality which weren't as affluent as was on ║ │
│║ the first recordings. Peterson tailored some of ║ │
│║ the riffs though for the most part his ║ │
│║ strategies with doing this fit well into a more ║ │
│║ solid foundation. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The production sound of course was so much more ║ │
│║ audible and every vocal output as well as the ║ │
│║ instruments blended very well to form this ║ │
│║ phenomenal compilation. The leads by Skolnick ║ │
│║ were of course technical and he enhanced some of ║ │
│║ his leads by adding reverb to them. That was ║ │
│║ something different than the originals and in ║ │
│║ turn fortified the release in an astonishing ║ │
│║ way. Heavily jazz influenced leads but they ║ │
│║ mixed well with the rhythm guitar riffs. ║ │
│║ Everything on this compilation was astonishingly ║ │
│║ accurate and well executed. The tracks were ║ │
│║ extravagant and the playing showed how talented ║ │
│║ this band was during this re-recording. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ In terms of the lyrical concepts they seemed to ║ │
│║ focus mostly on religion, society and suffering. ║ │
│║ Very intriguing topics and well executed vocal ║ │
│║ outputs by Billy and guest vocalist Souza. ║ │
│║ Neither vocalist seemed to exhibit any high ║ │
│║ pitched screams or yelling at all. It was good ║ │
│║ that the insert came with the lyrics attached to ║ │
│║ them because it's difficult to understand ║ │
│║ Billy's vocal outputs. His style of singing ║ │
│║ reflects a more rough throat whereas Souza ║ │
│║ seemed to show a different approach and acquired ║ │
│║ taste. Both of their efforts fit the music well ║ │
│║ much more so than on the originals. The ║ │
│║ songwriting was entirely intelligent and ║ │
│║ appropriate in accompanying the musical efforts. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ It's difficult to understand why many listeners ║ │
│║ concluded that the original tracks were better ║ │
│║ than this best of/Compilation. There's not a ║ │
│║ track on here to dislike. The intriguing guitar ║ │
│║ riff structures were so well compiled to a ║ │
│║ degree that has kept me listening to this entire ║ │
│║ compilation numerous times without it ever going ║ │
│║ stale. This compilation was so amazingly ║ │
│║ produced and well executed by all contributors. ║ │
│║ To give this compilation anything less than a ║ │
│║ perfect rating would do it a great injustice. If ║ │
│║ you are a fan of vintage thrash metal played to ║ │
│║ the point of perfection, then do yourself a ║ │
│║ favor and pick up this best of/Compilation. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - First Strike is Deadly [04:00] │
│ 02 - Into the Pit [02:54] │
│ 03 - Trial by Fire [04:33] │
│ 04 - Disciples of the Watch [04:34] │
│ 05 - The Preacher [03:57] │
│ 06 - Burnt Offerings [05:28] │
│ 07 - Over the Wall [04:18] │
│ 08 - The New Order [04:43] │
│ 09 - The Haunting [04:37] │
│ 10 - Alone in the Dark [04:40] │
│ 11 - Reign of Terror [05:06] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [48:50 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
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