With the release of their fourteenth studio album, Para Bellum, Bay Area thrash titans Testament have gone in a new era of ferocity, largely fueled by the injection of the new drummer. In a recent interview, lead guitarist Alex Skolnick praised the band’s newest member, drummer Chris Dovas, crediting the Berklee College of Music graduate with revitalizing the group’s sound and energy.
Speaking on the “Talk Louder” podcast—hosted by “Metal Dave” Glessner and Dangerous Toys vocalist Jason McMaster—Skolnick detailed how the lineup shift has impacted the band’s creative output. According to the guitarist, Dovas didn’t just fill a seat; he actively helped shape the architecture of the new record alongside founding guitarist Eric Peterson.
“He’s fired us up. He’s brought a whole new flavor,” Skolnick told the hosts (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “There’s definitely more extreme music there [on Para Bellum]. And I think it’s good. We have enough music now of the classic Testament. And some of those songs… do venture into that territory. But I’m glad — I’m glad we’re going into new territory, and doing it with a musician on that level just makes it really exciting.”
Dovas, known for his technical precision with bands like Seven Spires and Vital Remains, originally entered the Testament as a substitute for the legendary Dave Lombardo. Lombardo had rejoined the band for a tour cycle but found himself stretched thin by commitments to Mr. Bungle and the Misfits, creating an opening for a younger talent to step in.
Skolnick recalled the high stakes of introducing a relative unknown to replace a drumming icon.
“[Chris] came out, and I have to say, that’s a tall order, filling in for Lombardo and explaining to the fans, ‘Sorry, Dave will not be making an appearance tonight.’ It’s like an understudy in a play… So, he was the understudy… And nobody complained after the shows,” Skolnick said. “I remember just thinking about this: ‘Everybody’s happy. I can’t picture them being any happier had Dave been able to make it.’ So, okay, that really says something.”
The transition from Lombardo (and prior to him, long-time drummer Gene Hoglan) to Dovas was born out of the chaotic scheduling conflicts of the post-pandemic touring world. Skolnick explained that Peterson specifically sought out a younger musician who could bridge the gap between classic thrash and modern extreme metal.
“I have to give credit to Eric Peterson… ’cause he found Chris online,” Skolnick revealed. “He was kind of leaning towards getting somebody young, getting somebody that’ll fire us up, that knows our stuff, but also is very in touch with what’s going on now, groups that are sort of millennial and even maybe Gen Z.”
The result is Para Bellum, an album that critics have noted features some of the fastest and most technical material in Testament‘s catalog. Skolnick emphasized that Peterson thrives when he can work out riffs with a live drummer in the room—a luxury Dovas was able to provide for “hours upon hours,” unlike his busier predecessors.
Testament is currently supporting Para Bellum on a world tour, with Dovas firmly cemented as the engine driving the machine forward.
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