Testament

As the spring release of Testament’s new album, Formation of Damnation, looms over the metal landscape, Prosthetic Records re-releases a modern classic from these thrash legends. First Strike Still Deadly was the result of the band’s former greats reuniting around front-man Chuck Billy’s bout with cancer in order to revisit fan favourites. Guitarist Alex Skolnick shines radiantly on career-long crowd pleasers "Into the Pit,” "Trial by Fire” and "Disciples of the Watch.” Drummer John Tempesta nails down "The Preacher” and "Burnt Offerings” for bassist Steve DiGiorgio’s fretless wizardry, while Billy has never sounded better on "The New Order,” "The Haunting” and the breakneck "Over the Wall.” The band invite vocalist Steve "Zetro” Souza (founding front-man of pre-Testament band Legacy) to scream on his tracks "Alone in the Dark” and "Reign of Terror,” though his voice hasn’t held up as well as Billy’s over the years. With Skolnick in tow on the new album, the second coming of Testament is imminent.