Formed: 1983
From:
San Francisco,
CA,
United States
Last Known Status: Active
Latest Testament News
Below is our complete Testament news coverage, including columns and articles pertaining to the band. Some articles listed may be indirectly related, such as side projects of the band members, etc.
Note: We began associating news directly with bands in late 2003. Therefore, earlier band news may not be listed on this page.
Displaying records 1 - 20 of 560 1 2 3 ... 27 28 Last
Raven Debut Cover Of Metallica's "Metal Militia"
Raven have released their cover of Metallica’s classic track “Metal Militia,” now available for streaming. The British proto-thrash veterans were among Metallica’s earliest tourmates, having shared stages with them during a 1983 tour.
Their rendition appears on the upcoming tribute compilation “No Life ‘Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ‘Em All”, which pays homage to Metallica’s groundbreaking debut album (not “Load,” as the band cheekily notes) and is set for release this Friday, November 14th, via Silver Lining Music.
Raven frontman and bassist John Gallagher spoke about their take on the song — which features his brother Mark Gallagher (guitars/vocals) handling lead vocal duties — stating: More...
Testament Premiere Metallica Cover Track
Testament have unleashed their take on Metallica‘s early thrash metal anthem “Seek & Destroy.” The Bay Area legends’ cover will appear on the upcoming tribute compilation “No Life ’Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ’Em All,” which is set for release on November 14th through Silver Lining Music.
Frontman Chuck Billy reflected on revisiting the 1983 classic, stating:
“We had fun covering Metallica’s song ‘Seek And Destroy‘. Songs like this started a movement!”
You can find the full track-list for “No Life ’Til Leather – A Tribute To Metallica’s Kill ’Em All” below: More...
Testament Unveils "High Noon" Music Video
Bay Area thrash metal icons Testament return with their fourteenth studio album, "Para Bellum," which is out today via Nuclear Blast Records. The album stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity's uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, "Para Bellum" sees Testament reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.
Testament's newest single, "High Noon," is a Wild West adventure set to music, evoking images of duels and gunslingers. The song offers a nod to the band's acclaimed "The Gathering" period, yet successfully incorporating fresh, contemporary elements, demonstrating the band's forward momentum. Watch the animated video for "High Noon" created by Freakshot Films, below.
Chuck Billy comments; "We are so fired up about the release of 'Para Bellum.' There were a lot of hours spent putting this together. These new songs put me out of my comfort zone as a vocalist but the final result I am very proud of what I accomplished. See you in the pit!" More...
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Testament Thrashes With Titans In Bristol
Metal fans have always talked about their beloved genre with a sense of belonging and brotherhood. It's something which can sound very corny and many times, doesn't seem to ring true. However, in the world of thrash metal, especially nowadays, there's definitely more truth to this claim than in other areas. Frequently, when a thrash band heads out on tour, they'll bring fellow veterans with them, with Exodus's tour with Exumer and Hirax last year being one such example. This Autumn, Europe will experience a huge display of such camaraderie in the form of "Thrash Of The Titans," co-headlined by Testament and death metal stalwarts Obituary, while also featuring thrash metal flag bearers Destruction and Nervosa on what promises to be one of the tours of the year. Having kicked off in Hanover, the four bands made their way across the Channel to come to Britain, with their first stop being the Beacon, formerly the Colston Hall, in the south western city of Bristol.
Opening the show was Nervosa, marking what I believe to be my sixth time seeing them. Ten years ago, I conducted my first in person interview with their then vocalist Fernanda Lira at their first UK gig supporting Cryptopsy and Brujeria, so in addition to being a fan, I've always had a soft spot for them and have enjoyed seeing them grow as a band. Their latest album, "Jailbreak," showcased perhaps their most focused material yet and few would argue that guitarist Helena Kotina has breathed fire into their sound, helping to really beef up their sound. This was evident for everyone to hear as soon as the band ripped into the opening number, "Seed Of Death," which landed like a gut punch from Tyson Fury.
From then on, the quartet continued to fiercely shake the Beacon awake with more cuts from the aforementioned "Jailbreak" album, including "Behind The Wall" and the title track, which all sounded superb. They're clearly very proud of the record, and rightfully so, but it was nice to hear material from previous albums too, including "Kill The Silence" from "Downfall Of Mankind," and two helpings from "Perpetual Chaos," in the form of the title track and "Venomous." Nervosa seemed to be having a lot of fun and so were the crowd, including a man in full Elmo costume taking part in the pit and crowd surfing. The audience let out a sad groan when vocalist/guitarist Prika Amaral announced that they had one more song left, namely "Endless Ambition," and the band delivered a final sonic assault before ending their set. As I mentioned, I've been following Nervosa since their first album and I daresay that this was the best performance I've seen from them yet. More...
Testament Premiere New Single & Music Video
Bay Area thrash legends Testament have unleashed a second single from their forthcoming album “Para Bellum“. Arriving less than a month after the debut of “Infanticide A.I.“, the band are now streaming their latest track, “Shadow People“. An animated music video accompanies the release, crafted under the direction of Freakshot Films. Due out October 10th through Nuclear Blast, “Para Bellum“ will stand as the group’s fourteenth studio album.
Testament Announces New Album "Para Bellum"
Bay Area thrash metal icons Testament return this autumn with their fourteenth studio album, "Para Bellum." The album which will be released on October 10th via Nuclear Blast Records stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity's uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, "Para Bellum" sees Testament reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.
Today, Testament deliver one of their most intense songs they've written to date, "Infanticide A.I.". Lead by the blinding speed of their new drummer Chris Dovas, the band shows off its musical talent far beyond their expected norms. Watch the music video for 'Infanticide A.I.'' directed by Joey Durango, below.
Testament's Chuck Billy comments, "The new album 'Para Bellum' consists of some fast, heavy and melodic tunes. Once again Peterson has found a way to keep the song writing fresh and modern sounding. It’s gonna be hard to choose what songs to play live cause to many to choose from."
Guitarist Eric Peterson states, "It’s been 5 years since our last record 'Titans Of Creation' was released. Since then, we all waited to get back to it and we all did in a big way! Now our long over due new record 'Para Bellum' is upon us and about to be released in October. We are super stoked and excited to release new blood and fury to you all! With our first single 'Infanticide A.I.' we’re coming out swinging! But with new velocities of fury, while maintaining a balance that we all love and know from a Testament track, enjoy!" More...
Quadvium (Testament, Ex-Obscura) Premiere Video
Quadvium, the progressive metal fusion project led by fretless bass virtuosos Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, ex-Death) and Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-Obscura, etc.), have unveiled an animated music video for their track “Adhyasa.” The surreal visual accompaniment was directed and animated by Costin Chioreanu (Borknagar, Katatonia).
The song appears on the band’s recently released debut album, “Tetradom,” which dropped last month.
Quadvium (Testament, Ex-Obscura) Premiere Single
Quadvium have just premiered their latest single, “Apophis,” accompanied by a video directed by Philipp Koch. The song marks the newest collaboration between renowned fretless bassists Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, ex-Death) and Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-Obscura, etc.). It appears on the duo’s upcoming debut album, Tetradom, which is set to arrive on May 30th via Agonia Records.
Speaking together on the track, the pair shared: More...
Headline News
Dark Angel Premiere First New Track Since 1991
Fans of Dark Angel will be pleased to know that the band has officially returned with more than just a one-off track—the Californian thrash metal pioneers are charging back with a full-length studio album, “Extinction-Level Event”, their first in nearly 35 years. The album was produced by Rob Shallcross, with the final mix handled by the esteemed Mike Fraser.
The title track, which recently received its live debut, serves as the album’s first single and carries special weight. It includes musical ideas from the band’s late guitarist Jim Durkin, who tragically passed away in early 2023 following a battle with liver disease.
Drummer Gene Hoglan (Testament, etc.) shared the following about the track: More...
Quadvium (Testament, Ex-Obscura) Debut Single
A music video for Quadvium’s debut single, Náströnd, has just premiered. This fretless bass-driven track comes from the minds of bassists Steve Di Giorgio (Testament, ex-Death) and Jeroen Paul Thesseling (ex-Obscura, etc.), who are gearing up to release their debut studio album, Tetradom, on May 30th.
The duo shared the following thoughts on this new release: More...
OpEd
Greekbastard's 2024 Anti-List
Is there anything more annoying these days than someone else’s opinion? Stolen from quotes anonymous, I think the old adage goes… “Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one, and they all stink.” And if you’re not opinioned out yet regarding every bloggers 2024 top albums lists, It’s my turn to drop my top 5 albums for 2024 upon your bored and bloodshot corneas.
Before I begin, I need to point something out. I don’t check the release calendar with intense vigor to seek out new albums to listen to. My listening choices for the most part happen haphazardly. Quite often, it’s just a band I’ve always liked and happen to notice that they released some new material. Other times, there’s a buzz about an album and I want to see what the fuss is about. So, without further ado, this is my top five albums list for 2024.
Honorable Mentions:
Testament – The Legacy (Remaster 2024) and The New Order (Remaster 2024)
Testament’s first two albums were instant classics, I’m not going to review them because that’s old news. However, the remasters make them relevant again because they sound sonically superior to the original 1980’s releases. These re-releases reaffirm that Testament is one of the top thrash bands to ever exist and still sound relevant in today’s metal “metalverse.”
Electric Wizard – Black Magic Rituals & Perversions Vol. 1
Just dropped like free LSD in mid-December, this live album deserves a shout out. When it comes to contemporary doom metal, Electric Wizard is the benchmark and you can take your Black Sabbath comparisons and smoke them. That’s old news. “Black Magic Rituals & Perversions Vol. 1” is the ultimate Electric Wizard compilation album when it comes down to track selection. In fact, it was actually a live setlist from 2020 when live music was put on pause in order to keep their live chops up to par. The sound of this album is deliciously raw and lo-fi for fans of unpolished Doom and Stoner Metal
The Actual Top 5 List:
5. Necrot – Lifeless Birth
If you ask me, this is the best Death Metal album of 2024, not that trendy Blood Incantation album. Necrot makes THAT band sound like Celtic Frost did during their Cold Lake era. “Lifeless Birth” is guttural, grisly and induces grave digging. That other band makes me want to take a nap. This is TRVE Death Metal!
4. Shining – The Helsinki Tapes
When not popping up in not so favorable click bait headlines on other metal blogs, Shining has consistently put out excellent releases. “The Helsinki Tapes” is another example of this. Shining pushes the boundaries of Black Metal musically and this album is no different. As unstable as Niklas Kvarforth may seem at times, his musical prowess should never be discredited.
3. Cavalera Conspiracy – Schizophrenia
Before you start your insolent complaints that this release was a money grab and was stolen from the original members of Sepultura, let me stop you right there. This release in actuality prolongs their legacy. The original “Schizophrenia” was way ahead of its time. The masses finally took hold of the badassery of Sepultura during “Arise” and the albums leading up to it never inherited the respect they deserved. “Schizophrenia” 2024 gives the original release a much-needed makeover and prolongs the legacy of early Sepultura. More...
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Anthrax & Kreator Team With Testament In London
Thrash metal is a fascinating field. Arguably the first metal sub-genre, fusing the anthems of Judas Priest and Iron Maiden with the "fuck you" attitude of punk icons like Discharge and Dead Kennedys, it kept the youthful spirit alive in metal and was a perfect antithesis to the glam stylings of Motley Crue and Poison. Over forty years on from the debut albums of its stalwarts like Metallica and Slayer and thrash still has an important place in metal, with many of its big names just as popular as ever. Recently, three of these iconic names joined forces for a tour fans will never forget, even if the bands and fans alike are now more concerned with mortgages and car insurance than skateboarding and day drinking.
Only a few months ago, Kreator and Testament trekked across the United States and Canada for the North American leg of the Klash Of The Titans tour and with Anthrax replacing Possessed for the European portion, it was Testament's turn to kick off the evening of metal. Rarely can it be claimed with legitimacy that Testament put in a bad shift and that was the case tonight, as the Bay Area representatives got things going in style with "D.N.R.," a personal favourite and a highlight from the excellent 1999 effort, "The Gathering," which was followed immediately by "3 Darks Of Darkness" from the same record. Twenty five years after the release of the cult favourite album, it was good to hear its songs alongside older and fresher favourites alike.
Being in the special guest role, there was only so much time Testament had to make their impact felt but they did just that with a number of songs from their reunion era onward, including "More Than Meets The Eye" from "The Formation Of Damnation," along with the album's title track, plus "Native Blood" from "Dark Roots Of Earth" and two numbers from the band's latest album, "Titans Of Creation." "The Ritual" is often represented by the exciting "Electric Crown" when it comes to live shows, but tonight Testament had another surprise in store as they performed "Return To Serenity" for the first time since the year 2000. Of course, most sets end with an old school classic and that was just what happened tonight when the quintet finished with "Into The Pit," the only song from their eighties material. A furious end to a storming set. More...
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The Klash Of The Titans Tour Thrashed Phoenix, AZ
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen a concert in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. I’ve been spending most of my time in Europe these past years and I’ve somewhat assimilated into the European metal culture. One of the things I’ve noticed is that there are some stark differences between the United States and European crowds at shows. For example, with a billing like tonight (Klash Of The Titans Tour with Testament, Kreator and Possessed), it would more than likely be a sold-out show if you matched the venue size (The Van Buren). Second, there would be a line of people going around the block to get into the venue to be on time for the first band to start. I’m not writing this to disparage American metal crowds, I’m simply pointing out the differences. Regardless of my observations, I loved the Klash Of The Titans lineup and I was excited to see every band play tonight.
The Van Buren has the capacity to fit 1,800 rabid and horn throwing metal heads inside. When Possessed started, my guess was that there were just a couple of hundred people milling around and maybe half of those were actually paying attention to them. The Death Metal legends started their set with “Pentagram” from their initial masterpiece, Seven Churches. Covered in a blanket of red light and fog, Jeff Becerra called on the crowd to come closer to the stage. Possessed was allotted a 35-minute set, so I expected their set-list would consist of only the classics, which was fine by me.
I felt that other than those in front headbanging against the security barriers, most of the crowd was aloof. In fact, the only time I saw any sort of life from the rest of the crowd was when the fabled intro for “The Exorcist” started and that was halfway through their set. Jeff Becerra kept egging the crowd on and eventually by the end of their allotted set time, I would say there was some slight improvement. They wrapped up their brief, yet dominant set with “Death Metal.” They were THE Death Metal band on this tour’s roster, so they couldn’t have picked a better finisher. I loved their set, but I was let down with the crowd’s blasé attitude. I’m sure that if it was an actual Death Metal band line-up, things would have been different.
I have a love/hate relationship with Kreator. I used to love Kreator when I was in my teens, but I’m not a fan of what they’ve matured into present time. The 80’s Kreator was raw unadulterated German thrash. There’s a reason why they’re part of the German Big Four, they’re Teutonic titans. They’re still relevant after four decades of metal metamorphoses. That’s where my “hate relationship” comes into play. I hate that they changed their sound to keep up with the contemporary sound of the “metalverse.” I completely respect them as a band, I just can’t stand listening to any of their releases post “Extreme Aggression.”
The crowd increased in girth and decibels by the time Kreator took to the stage, and by their second song, there were some crowd surfers riding towards the front the stage. In fact, the band coaxed the crowd into making a wall of death! The sleepwalking that took place during Possessed’s set was all but distant memory now. Both Possessed and Kreator have been around for just about the same amount of time, but Kreator has put out fifteen full-length studio albums compared to just three from Possessed. Yet, both are legendary, underground favorites. It still bothered me that there wasn’t more love shown for Possessed.
Hey look! It's a wall of death! More...
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Rain Was No Match For Brutal Assault's Second Day
The schedule for the second day of Brutal Assault was going to be more relaxed than the previous day’s. I had only penciled in seven bands to see, so there would be plenty more time to enjoy the other festivities the festival has to offer other than just stage hopping all day/night long. The weather was still unsettled by the time we arrived at the grounds during the early afternoon, but according to the forecast, the only chance of rain for the duration of the festival would be for today.
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Cool stuff lurking about the festival grounds
Year after year, there are always newer bands that go viral as popularity. One of those bands, Escuela Grind, has been on my radar but I haven’t got to check them out until this year’s Brutal Assault. Before leaving for the Czech Republic, I did a little homework and listened to them during the flight. I do like Grindcore, thus I was interested in seeing how Escuela Grind would translate onto a Brutal Assault main stage.
When Escuela Grind took to the stage, I can only liken it to a simultaneous and timed grenade detonations. There were explosions of energy in every direction with the majority coming from their lead vocalist, Katerina Economou. I can only compare her to Barney Greenway of Napalm Death fame when it comes to stage presence. During one of the breaks between songs, she stated that Brutal Assault was the largest stage that Escuela Grind had ever played on. With the excitement I saw, without any doubt, I believed her. They were so pumped to be on a main festival stage and took full advantage of it.
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Katerina Economou of Escuela Grind
After Escuela Grind, the soggy weather had returned and I had a difficult decision to make. Do I run the risk of checking out thrashers Havok knowing that it was definitely going to rain during their set? After the last night’s catastrophe during Abbath, it was a pretty easy decision. I'm sorry but I’ll have to catch you another time Havok.
The rain arrived as predicted but it weened to a drizzle by the time I had to leave to see the next band, Dopethrone. I threw on my flimsy emergency rain poncho and covered my camera with a sort of “camera condom” that’s “supposed to” keep moisture away from the camera body and lens. However, I didn’t trust the condom for use during a constant downpour like what happened during Abbath and Havok.
During the moments leading up to start of Dopethrone, there was still a bit of sound checking going on. The slender, dreadlock draped vocalist, Vincent Houde, was conversing with the soundboard engineer in a voice mimicking Butthead of Beavis and Butthead fame. Everyone that was waiting for the band to start really didn’t mind that the unplanned comedy skit was spilling onto Dopethrone’s allotted playing time.
If you haven’t figured it out already by just band’s name alone, Dopethrone is a stoner/doom metal band. If marijuana were legal in the Czech Republic, I am absolutely certain I would have gotten a contact high during their show. Dopethrone’s set consisted of plenty fuzzed out, doomelicious riffs, however Vincent Houde has another career outside of stoner/doom waiting for him in standup comedy if he ever so desires.
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Vincent Houde of Dopethrone
I have been waiting 34 years to see the next band on my list. That band was Bay Area Thrash Metal titans, Forbidden. The first time I saw them, they played on a stage that could accommodate a three-piece local band. Was today’s set worth the thirty-four-year interlude? It was a resounding YES, a thousand times over. Only two of the original members were on stage today, but it sounded just like the band I remembered from so many years ago. Even Chuck Billy from Testament was spotted headbanging from the side of the stage during their set.
The new vocalist, Norman Skinner, effortlessly nailed every one of Russ Anderson’s vocal lines. I could barely tell the difference between the two at times. Daniel Mongrain, the guitarist on loan from Voivod, was an excellent fill in choice for the second guitarist role. I heard a rumor that he might join Forbidden on a permanent basis. What does that mean for Voivod if that happens? Enough of the rumor mill. Overall, this was one of my favorite sets from this year’s Brutal Assault.
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Matt Camacho and Craig Locicero of Forbidden More...
Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed) Premieres New Music Video
Jamey Jasta, vocalist of Hatebreed and more, has unveiled a music video for his track "Suicidality" under his solo project, Jasta. The song includes a guest appearance from Phil Demmel (known for his work with Kerry King, ex-Machine Head, and more) and will be featured on Jasta's upcoming solo album, "...And Jasta For All."
The album is set to be released on May 17th, with the following track-list confirmed: More...
Kreator And Anthrax Announces European Tour Dates
International metal forces join in a monstrous union between US metal monsters, Anthrax and German thrash titans, Kreator. Completing this unmissable line-up, a very special guest, the Bay Area's metal machine, Testament! Tickets go on sale on January 26th and are expected to sell quickly for this highly anticipated tour, between three of the genres' most legendary bands.
Anthrax stated:
"It’s been about four years since we last toured the UK AND Europe, so these dates ARE LONG overdue! And what a line-up – Anthrax, Kreator and Testament – so much f**cking metal! We can’t wait to bring the noise to you, and maybe surprise you with a song from our brand new album coming later this year. So get ready to rage friends, this time, we ARE coming!!"
Kreator added:
"This is possibly the most irresistible thrash package ever put together, the best of the US and Europe in one night! These will be some of our biggest shows in Europe, so we are bringing a huge production and plan to tear it up every show!’"
Testament also commented:
"As 2024 kicks off, we are thrilled to announce plans to wind down the year in epic fashion: By touring with Kreator and Anthrax, two of the mightiest bands who are also great friends. Our first tour with Kreator was in 2023, and was a perfect fit. Our history with Anthrax dates all the way to our earliest years, through some of our favorite tours of the 2010s. 2024 will mark the first time all three bands tour together as a package. So join us as the heaviest sounds from Europe, the East Coast and West Coast come together to unite the world - Kreator, Anthrax & Testament!"
The tour dates are as follows: More...
Brutal Assault Unveils 23 Additional Bands
Legendary death metal act Carcass is set to make a triumphant return to the Fortress after a five-year hiatus. Joining them is Cytotoxin, promising an onslaught of toxic and brutal death metal. Death/goregrind force from Belgium Aborted will join the lineup alongside Sweden's Dark Tranquillity, renowned for their signature Gothenburg melodic death metal sound. Vltimas, the apocalypse riders, will complete this imaginary death metal circle.
American band Escuela Grind will bring chaos with their grindcore, followed by Misery Index and Rotten Sound, known for their mixes of death and grind genres. The onslaught will culminate with Pig Destroyer.
Representing the black metal genre are American act Akhlys, underground sensation Yellow Eyes, and folk psychedelic ensemble Hexvessel.
From the gothic scene, the lineup will welcome industrial favorites Deathsars and the post-punk-tinged Unto Others. Finnish melodic outfit Kalmah will arrive from the dark swamps, and heavy-rock-metal band Soil will come from overseas. Cynic, known as "tech metallers," will present a special Focus set in celebration of the re-release of their iconic debut album. Additionally, acts like Master Boot Record, with their 8-bit computer sounds, and the brutally honest post-hardcore group Svalbard will offer their unique musical perspectives.
Prepare for some hardcore action as Madball makes a comeback to Brutal Assault, after six years, promising a lively moshpit. Also making their debut at BA are established bands like Cancer Bats, Show Me The Body known for their innovative musical identity, and This Is Hell, recognized for their intense and energetic live performances in the metal punk scene.
Newly Announced Bands: More...
Brutal Assault 2024 Adds Several Thrash Bands
Four big names who have been involved in the formation of this genre will be coming from California - namely Testament, Exodus, Armored Saint and Sadus.
The younger blood will be represented by Colorado's Havok, multi-instrumentalist Joel Grind's Toxic Holocaust and Czech-American Laid To Waste.
Brutal Assault will take place in the Czech Republic at the Josefov Fortress during August 7-10, 2024.
Festival passes are available HERE! More...
Lamb Of God Premiere “Omens” B-Side Track
Richmond, VA's groove metal outfit, Lamb Of God, has digitally unveiled their "Evidence" b-side track from "Omens." Originally exclusive to the Japanese edition of the album, this release commemorates the one-year anniversary of "Omens" this weekend.
The group is also set to embark on their inaugural 'Headbangers Boat' cruise this month. The festival will include two headline performances by Randy Blythe and the band, one of which will feature a live rendition of their gold-certified 2003 sophomore album, "Ashes Of The Wake."
Other featured artists include: More...
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Mystic Festival 2023 - Day One
The first full day of Mystic Festival was in full swing when I arrived today. I had some free time before my coverage started so I took advantage of it and explored the inside food court area. There were plenty of food and drink options at Mystic again this year. There are different pizzas, burgers, vegetarian/vegan options and even tacos to choose from. Whatever your dietary needs or drink preferences are, you are covered at this festival. There are also several food trucks and beer trailers located near the Park and Main stages so you don’t have to walk very far when your cravings start.
Did I mention that there is also a ton of open seating everywhere if you need to take a break? There are hammocks, beach loungers and picnic benches outside next to the food court area. Inside some of the venues there are even couches! Both of the large stage areas have picnic benches nearby as well. And, if you splurged on VIP tickets, you have pretty much luxury seating available in select areas.
Inside Food Court Seating Area
The only hiccup during the entire time of the festival occurred today. Due to safety concerns, the Park Stage was not available yet. There were some changes made to the running orders, but there were no band cancellations to my knowledge. One of the benefits of this last-minute change was that Testament was moved over to the Main Stage and they took full advantage of it.
Testament
Like seasoned veterans of the summer metal festival circuit, Testament took to the stage sporting their Ray Bans and ripped right into “Rise Up,” which the crowd did so immediately after the “Testament! Testament!” chants ceased. To my delight, and I’m sure for many in the crowd, they played many of their classic thrashers from their early catalog. The end of their set went from “Over The Wall” to “Into The Pit” as a closer. What a start to the day!
Next up was the hometown favorites of the festival, Behemoth. Nergal never could have imagined when the band first formed that he would eventually play a show at the shipyard where he grew up. The other peculiar thing was today’s date. Today in Poland, the country was celebrating “Corpus Christi”, the Solemn Holiday of the Body and Blood of Christ. How convenient that would be the day Behemoth played.
Behemoth
Behemoth’s set was full of fire, costume changes and Nergal’s witty banter. I would find out later that there were religious protestors outside of the festival grounds before their set. Guess who was there to film them and share it via his socials…you guessed it, Nergal himself! There are several videos online of him pestering the protestors at Behemoth shows, I really think he enjoys it more than being on stage at times. More...