Testament Album: “Demonic (Prosthetic)”

Yes it's a turn in a heavier direction for Testament, and less "thrashy". Nonetheles this is an excellent, catchy, brutal album with crushing production that is grossly underrated and overlooked. Heavy, memorable, melodic guitar hooks, punding rhythm section, excellent writing, and Chuck really bellowing from his guts, adds up to one of the most memorable albums from 1997, a metal masterpiece, meant to be cranked. If you didn't like it, you don't "get it". Amust-have for any Testament fan and for any fan of good, powerful, well-crafted metal with top-notch lyrics.

What can I say, this album rips !!!!!!! Demonic is a perfect title for this album because it sounds Demonic. It might be hard to swallow at first but belive me, it grows on you like cancer. I think this album scared off some Testament fans cause of the way Chuck Billy sings on it. Most of the album his voice sounds like death metal but the funny thing is that it works, it sounds great. Highlites for me on this album are the opening track "Demonic Refusal" "Burning Times" "John Doe" and "Hatdreds Rise". I you like metal and Testament, don't let this one pass you by. One more thing,if you want to pick up an even better album, get their next album "The Gathering" it's a classic !!!!!!! D. N. R. !!!!!!!!!!

When I first popped this CD in and heard the lead-in countdown of "10, 9, 8, 7, 6...6...6..." followed by the most ear-bleeding G-minor power riff in heavy metal and the arachnid like drum licks from Gene Hoglan, I began to get excited. Moments later, the otherwise melodic voice of Chuck Billy emitted a gutural shout akin to Linda Blair in "The Excorcist" and then snarled at me vehemently, "Youtook my hand and sympathize..." I began to feel uneasy...like I sold my soul to satan for [money amount]. The rest I don't remember, however, as I began swirling my head and moshing around loving every moment of it!!

This follow-up to "LOW" truly lives up to its name - DEMONIC. Throughout 90% of this entire CD, Chuck Billy is literally barking the lyrics of rage and damnation while Peterson and Murphy strangle their respective guitars churning out some of the most intense and brutal grindcore riffs and solos known to man. This CD is blistering and loud - something that has been missing from much of Testament's "LOW" (sans "Dog Faced Gods") and "The Ritual" offerings. Highlights of this CD are the lead in track "Demonic Refusal", "The Burning Times", "John Doe" and "Hatred's Rise". With these 4 accompanied by the other strong and intense tracks, it'll be a tough job for Testament to outdo themselves. Excellent CD! Well worth the whiplash!!

This is one of Testament's BEST albums to date (in my opinion). I started getting into death metal in the late 90's with bands like Entombed, Bolt Thrower, and a few others. I am a big fan of many good death meatal bands now, but am still very picky about which ones.

Having said that, if you know anything about death metal, then you also know that death metal vocalists around the globe sat on the ends of their beds and weeped after hearing Chuck's amazing and natural ability without giving up any clarity. No other death metal vocalist that I've ever heard even comes close to the amazing and natural depth to Chuck's voice that is on this record! And just because something isn't fast doesn't mean that it's not heavy! Quite the contrary my metal brothers and sisters. The end of PANTERA'S 'THIS LOVE' breakdown, at the end of that song throws that theory right out of the window.

Yeah, Gene's superhuman double bass footwork isn't exactly showcased here, but can't a brother stretch his horizon's? This album is about showing others what a REAL solid metal band with REAL integrity is capable of if they choose to pursue a different avenue. Many times it's harder to successfully play a slow solid destroyer, than it is to be able to miss a few notes shredding thru something like Megadeth's HOLY WARS or somethin'. Testament did this album solely to please themselves and hopefully open the minds of many of their fans as well. I was on the same wavelength with the guys when this came out, so I listened to it many times over with much pleasure. I'm writing this review because I need to buy another copy of this album 'cuz mine is scratched, and saw all of the lame, snap judgement reviews.

So if you're a REAL Testament fan (even if you don't like death metal) I suggest that you buy it anyway and try to open your mind up just a little bit and see what they were trying to accomplish (and did) on, in my humble view,is one of the best "death metal" albums in many years.

As a bid to reclaim underground cred, Demonic spares little to chance. This is easily Testament's heaviest album of their career, adopting grindcore and extreme metal effectively. Frontmen Chuck Billy almost exclusively uses a death throat, rather his trademark singing, and it's an effective throat indeed. Moreover, the playing is extremely tight, especially with the intensely rhythmic riffs. In every way, Demonic is heavy.

And yet, it's surprisingly dull. Underneath the clothing and you still have a 80s thrash band, which is fine except that the combination doesn't completely gel. That grindcore sound works best with extremely fast tempos or slower dirges that groove the riff home; but here it accentuates a creative drought. The riffs, save for different rhythms, sound the same due to the production. Besides that, the songs are relentessly mid-tempo; except for the drum rolls, there's rarely an explosive moment. The lead parts are cheesy and monotonous. The songs tend to blend into each other.

However, these problems aren't readily apparent until a few consecutive songs. Taken in small doses, Demonic works as well as average death-metal does -- heavy, brutal, but monotonous. If you want to hear it done right, check out Testament's The Gathering.