Legendary Bay Area thrashers Testament have unveiled the cover art for new album 'Brotherhood Of The Snake'. Due for release via Nuclear blast on 28th October, the disc's striking sleeve was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor.
Photo: Press.
By Eamon O'Neill on 18th August 2016.
Legendary Bay Area thrashers Testament have unveiled the cover art for new album 'Brotherhood Of The Snake'. Due for release via Nuclear blast on 28th October, the disc's striking sleeve, which can be viewed below, was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor.
Kantor was also responsible for the artwork for Testament's last album, ‘The Dark Roots Of Earth’, and has in the past worked for bands such as Hatebreed, Soulfly and Kataklysm.
Testament's twelfth album, 'Brotherhood Of The Snake' was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga, whose previous credits include Exodus, Heathen, and Machine Head, along with guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy. The disc was mixed and mastered by well-known metal producer Andy Sneap, who has worked with earlier this year produced Megadeth's 'Dystopia'.
Says Peterson about the release: "It's very diverse, but it's very epic. There's nothing on there that breeds commercial. And I think for thirty years of recording music and trying different formulas and stuff, we've found a formula that is very metal. I think for the metal fan that is looking for something, for the nooks and crannies… not just your normal, 'Oh, it's got a thrash beat and a riff.' There's a lot going on here."
The guitarist continues: "It's different. This one is more thrash. I mean, this has got some of the fastest stuff that we have ever played. Usually, we have one or two thrash songs, and then we have some mid-tempo, and then we have a slow, heavy one, and then up-tempo kind of stuff. Half of the new record is thrash, which we've never done before."
Finally, Eric adds: "It's kind of like ‘Demonic’ and ‘The Gathering’, but a little bit wiser. Chuck's not singing so death. I mean, he does some death stuff but he's singing more like he did on the last record and then with the craziness of ‘The Gathering’ or even heavy stuff like ‘Demonic’."
Speaking exclusively to eonmusic earlier this year, Billy confirmed the heavier direction of 'Brotherhood Of The Snake'. Said Chuck: "The songs are definitely going to be a little faster paced than the last record. A lot of the songs - at least five or six are just straight-up thrash style songs".
Testament are planning to celebrate the release of ‘Brotherhood Of The Snake’ on their upcoming U.K. and Ireland tour with Amon Amarth and Grand Magus this autumn. A full list of dates can be viewed below.
Amon Amarth with Testament and Grand Magus U.K. and Ireland 2016 Dates.
31 Oct – Manchester, Academy
1 Nov – Glasgow, O2 ABC
2 Nov – Dublin, Vicar Street
4 Nov – London, Roundhouse
5 Nov – Birmingham, O2 Academy
Legendary Bay Area thrashers Testament have unveiled the cover art for new album 'Brotherhood Of The Snake'. Due for release via Nuclear blast on 28th October, the disc's striking sleeve, which can be viewed below, was created by renowned artist Eliran Kantor.
Kantor was also responsible for the artwork for Testament's last album, ‘The Dark Roots Of Earth’, and has in the past worked for bands such as Hatebreed, Soulfly and Kataklysm.
Testament's twelfth album, 'Brotherhood Of The Snake' was recorded under the watchful eyes of producer Juan Urteaga, whose previous credits include Exodus, Heathen, and Machine Head, along with guitarist Eric Peterson and singer Chuck Billy. The disc was mixed and mastered by well-known metal producer Andy Sneap, who has worked with earlier this year produced Megadeth's 'Dystopia'.
Says Peterson about the release: "It's very diverse, but it's very epic. There's nothing on there that breeds commercial. And I think for thirty years of recording music and trying different formulas and stuff, we've found a formula that is very metal. I think for the metal fan that is looking for something, for the nooks and crannies… not just your normal, 'Oh, it's got a thrash beat and a riff.' There's a lot going on here."
The guitarist continues: "It's different. This one is more thrash. I mean, this has got some of the fastest stuff that we have ever played. Usually, we have one or two thrash songs, and then we have some mid-tempo, and then we have a slow, heavy one, and then up-tempo kind of stuff. Half of the new record is thrash, which we've never done before."
Finally, Eric adds: "It's kind of like ‘Demonic’ and ‘The Gathering’, but a little bit wiser. Chuck's not singing so death. I mean, he does some death stuff but he's singing more like he did on the last record and then with the craziness of ‘The Gathering’ or even heavy stuff like ‘Demonic’."
Speaking exclusively to eonmusic earlier this year, Billy confirmed the heavier direction of 'Brotherhood Of The Snake'. Said Chuck: "The songs are definitely going to be a little faster paced than the last record. A lot of the songs - at least five or six are just straight-up thrash style songs".
Testament are planning to celebrate the release of ‘Brotherhood Of The Snake’ on their upcoming U.K. and Ireland tour with Amon Amarth and Grand Magus this autumn. A full list of dates can be viewed below.
Amon Amarth with Testament and Grand Magus U.K. and Ireland 2016 Dates.
31 Oct – Manchester, Academy
1 Nov – Glasgow, O2 ABC
2 Nov – Dublin, Vicar Street
4 Nov – London, Roundhouse
5 Nov – Birmingham, O2 Academy
