Thrash metal veterans Testament are nearing completion on their new studio album, confirming that renowned Swedish producer Jens Bogren will handle the mixing duties. This upcoming release, the follow-up to their 2020 album Titans Of Creation, is expected to be a significant addition to the band’s discography.
Guitarist Eric Peterson recently shared insights into the album’s progress during an interview with the Land Of Music Podcast. He revealed that mixing sessions with Bogren are currently underway. “I actually start mixing tomorrow until the end of the week with Jens Bogren. We have our new ballad and about three other songs that we started mixing, but we dropped off because the vocals weren’t done yet. So we’ve got, like, a week to finish it to turn everything in. So that’s what we’re doing. Yeah, we’re about 78 percent done. So by next Friday we’ll be ‘done done,’ and then we’re turning in the record,” Peterson stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth).
Jens Bogren is a highly respected name in the metal world, with an impressive resume that includes working with bands such as Opeth, Kreator, Paradise Lost, Soilwork, and Amon Amarth. Peterson previously commented on the selection of Bogren last September, noting the change from their usual collaborator, Andy Sneap, who is currently touring with Judas Priest. “Jens is a producer from Sweden, and he’s done — God, he’s done Kreator, he’s doing the new Behemoth, he’s done In Flames, Arch Enemy. A lot of European bands. We usually work with Andy Sneap, but he’s the touring guitarist in Judas Priest and he’s just, like, ‘Bro, I need some time off.’ It’s a good switch, though. I think Jens will do a good job. And yeah, there’s a lot of crazy stuff on this record. I’m excited for everybody to hear it,” Peterson told Brutal Planet Magazine.
The new album is anticipated to push Testament‘s sound further. Vocalist Chuck Billy discussed the musical direction with Oran O’Beirne of Overdrive.ie last August, highlighting a renewed energy. “We always try to outdo ourselves or make a better record or write better songs. It’s always a challenge for ourselves, and I think this time we really took a long time to create the record. We kind of got everybody in the same room to really go through the songs and kind of put their two cents in to the arrangements,” Billy explained.
He also credited the band’s new drummer, Chris Dovas, for injecting fresh vitality into the writing process. “I think by having our new drummer Chris — he’s a younger drummer, a really great drummer — but I think he brought you know a new fire to Eric in the writing process. And I believe because we’re going on 37 years of making records, it’s kind of full circle right now. We’re kind of inspired by new generation, I guess, of music and metal. And Chris is a big part of that. He’s a big fan of that. So I think he inspired Eric just to write some really aggressive, fast, creative riffs. And it really inspired me to really push myself to try to do a little more screaming, death vocals, melodic stuff. We even went as far as writing — I don’t wanna say ‘ballad’, but it’s something really catchy that’s really slow that’s something we haven’t done in over 30 years. So I think just the overall songs and the confidence in the writing this time really is gonna stand out on this record,” Billy elaborated.
Billy agreed that Testament consistently raises their own bar, pointing to The Gathering album from 2000 as a turning point for the band’s “second life.” He reflected on personal challenges, stating, “After I beat it and survived it, I kind of thought, ‘Okay, now it’s time to continue on with life.’ And then shortly after that we had the original lineup reunion. And I think that’s kind of what really set off the new life of Testament, because we were writing music, jamming with the guys who started it from the beginning and kind of taking the attitude, like, ‘We’re gonna finish this together, what we started.'” He concluded by emphasizing the band’s focus on creative satisfaction: “But from then on, I think we’ve just kind of been writing for ourselves, maybe not really caring what necessarily the press thought. You always wanna impress the fans, but we were really writing to make us happy.”
Guitarist Alex Skolnick also commented on the new album last August, highlighting Dovas‘ impact. “Well, I think everybody knows we went through a couple different drummers the past couple years, I know it’s very ‘Spinal Tap‘… Life imitating art. There were scheduling conflicts with Gene Hoglan. Then we got Dave Lombardo, who was amazing, but when it came to going all in on a next record, Dave was overbooked. And we needed somebody who could step in. And we’ve got a new drummer. His name’s Chris Dovas. He wasn’t even born when the first Testament record came out. But I’ve gotta say he is lighting fires. He’s lit a fire under everybody and just great to play with. He nails everybody’s parts from before, but he has his own style. And I’m excited about the next record,” Skolnick told SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk“.
