When legendary thrash drummers Gene Hoglan and Dave Lombardo vacate the drum stool, filling that void is no small task. Yet, Testament‘s newest recruit, Chris Dovas, hasn’t just filled the seat—he’s re-energized the entire creative engine of the veteran Bay Area outfit.
In a comprehensive new interview with Blabbermouth, frontman Chuck Billy detailed how Dovas‘ youthful energy and technical proficiency became the catalyst for the band’s fourteenth studio album, Para Bellum, set for release in October.
According to Billy, the 26-year-old Berklee College of Music graduate formed an immediate and potent songwriting partnership with guitarist Eric Peterson.
“He may have inspired Eric to write and push himself to do something more aggressive,” Billy explained. “The combination of those two hanging out — Chris probably put the most time in with Eric one-on-one at Eric’s house, drinking, cooking, watching movies, getting drunk, jamming late at night. They did it all… They let it flow, and Eric came from all directions, which is weird for me, hearing the riffs vocally. Some of them, I was like, ‘Are these metal riffs? Are these metal songs?'”
This collaboration injected a distinct black metal influence into tracks like “For The Love Of Pain” and “Infanti**de A.I.,” pushing Testament into more extreme territory while maintaining their signature groove on songs like “Room 117.”
“We had some of that back in The Gathering,” Billy noted regarding the extreme influences. “But I think Chris is just a little more on it, which leaves it wide open for me. I don’t have to follow it; I know there’s a blast beat there, and I can find my way over the top of it.”
The album also marks a significant shift in production, with Jens Bogren stepping in for long-time collaborator Andy Sneap. Billy praised Bogren‘s attention to detail, particularly on the album’s centerpiece ballad, “Meant To Be.”
That track, a seven-minute epic featuring orchestration, represents a stylistic risk Billy has been eager to take for years.
“I’ve been fighting for years not to play [ballads]. I don’t know. Maybe it wasn’t metal; I don’t know. We had the ba**s to do it this time, and it went over so well,” Billy said. “It was such a pretty piece that needed something. We talked about orchestration, which fits perfectly in there… Lyrically, I wanted to set it up so people would interpret it as a love song between two people, but it’s really about a love song between humanity and the Planet Earth.”
Beyond the new record, Testament is currently revisiting their back catalog after regaining the rights to their Atlantic Records era albums. The band is preparing to remix and remaster their 1990 classic Souls Of Black, while also readying a full album performance for future tours.
“We’re trying to figure out our approach: Do we want to keep it like it’s 1990 or make it modern and bring in some different tones? I don’t know yet… I know mastering-wise, it will definitely sound better sonically. I think we may have squished those records a little too much when we were pressing them to CD,” Billy revealed.
Despite the generational gap—Billy joked that the band members are “older than his parents”—Dovas has integrated seamlessly into the lineup, which also features lead guitarist Alex Skolnick and bassist Steve Di Giorgio.
“He’s an old soul, and he’s an old-school fan of all kinds of music… so he and Alex speak the same lingo when it comes to talking music and that kind of s**t. It goes right over my head,” Billy laughed.
As for the band’s longevity and chemistry, Billy emphasized the lack of ego and drama within the current ranks.
“You have to get along. All of us, I have to say, we’ve never had an argument or a fight… We’ve all grown up. We try to make it not stressful… We’re in a great place as a band.”
Testament‘s Para Bellum arrives this October.
Para Bellum track listing:
- “For The Love Of Pain“
- “Infanti**de A.I.“
- “Shadow People“
- “Meant To Be“
- “High Noon“
- “Witch Hunt“
- “Nature Of The Beast“
- “Room 117“
- “Havana Syndrome“
- “Para Bellum“
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