TESTAMENT – Para Bellum (2025)
Jackie Dusza
With every generation comes a great war. It may take years to fully reveal itself, but the seasoned warrior knows preparation is everything. Now in 2025, Bay Area thrash metal icons TESTAMENT return with their fourteenth studio album, Para Bellum, via Nuclear Blast Records. Taken from the Latin phrase Si vis pacem, para bellum—“If you want peace, prepare for war”—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.
True to their legacy, Para Bellum is a masterclass in dynamic thrash songwriting, guided by founding guitarist Eric Peterson and vocalist Chuck Billy, who continue to lead the band with vision and force. Each track on the album stands on its own—distinct in structure, key, and atmosphere—but when taken together, they create a record that flows seamlessly, puzzle-like, through eras and styles. From the haunting, groove-laden “Shadow People” to the whiplash intensity of “Infanticide A.I.,” the band explores themes both timeless and immediate: technology’s encroachment, supernatural dread, generational collapse, and duels worthy of a standoff in “The Gathering”-esque “High Noon”.
“Who’s the fastest?” Billy jokes, “It sounds like there is about to be a draw.” Songs shift effortlessly from pummeling thrash to eerie darkness, with Chuck stretching his voice across clean chants, guttural roars, and whispers of doom, all in perfect sync with the mood of each piece.
To the delight of many life-long Testament fans, this record also sees the inclusion of a ballad for the first time in many years. Precisely formulated to weave effortlessly with the album, “Meant To Be” contains a world of variety within itself; “I love how the song takes off at the end and just doesn’t look back,” explains Peterson. “It’s different, but it fits. It’s like a breath of fresh air.” This also marks another novel moment for the band using true, orchestrated strings performed by world renowned cellist Dave Eggar.
A major evolution on Para Bellum is the addition of powerhouse drummer Chris Dovas, whose precision, speed, and instinctive dynamics infuse the album with fresh energy. Working closely with Peterson throughout the writing process, Dovas helped shape song structures, accelerated the workflow, and injected a level of versatility that amplifies the album’s modern edge without straying from the Testament sound. “He’s so inspired and quick to throw ideas back,” says Peterson, who also embraced his own black metal influences more heavily this time, both vocally and in the guitar work. Tracks like “Infanticide A.I.” and “For the Love of Pain” reflect this genre-blending approach—tight thrash foundations with ripples of black metal atmosphere. “Eric and I have a lot of similar influences,” explains Dovas, “We worked really closely on this album and had a great time.”
Alongside Peterson, Alex Skolnick’s guitar work remains both razor-sharp and exploratory. “This album captures many different sides of the band through the years, along with some fresh new sounds,” Skolnick notes. “There’s a little something for everyone. You will not be disappointed.” Rounding out the rhythm section is the inimitable Steve DiGiorgio, whose walking bass lines add a unique low-ness, and technical depth, locking in flawlessly with Dovas’ expressive drumming. Meanwhile, Chuck leads the lyrical vision with contributions from longtime collaborator Del James and other friends, weaving a mix of supernatural mythos, sociopolitical commentary, and apocalyptic dread.
Recorded with Juan Urteaga and mixed for the first time by Jens Bogren, Para Bellum is extremely polished and operating at full throttle. The cover art, once again painted by Eliran Kantor, captures the album’s essence: a serene angel made of missiles, an explosion turned halo, surrounded by shovel-bearing cultists with books strapped to their faces. It’s a visual metaphor for blind belief and self-destruction—created, notably, by hand – in an era flooded by AI-generated imagery.
In its opening notes, Para Bellum nods to the past by resurrecting a lost bridge from The Legacy—a full-circle moment that anchors the album’s expansive sonic journey. And as it ends, it does so peacefully, with a moment of classical-esque finger picking long used by Peterson to warm up his hands before battle. From first note to last breath, Para Bellum is an album by warriors—crafted in chaos, and built to outlast the wars to come!
Album Punchline
With every generation comes a great war. It may take years to fully reveal itself, but the seasoned warrior knows preparation is everything. Para Bellum, Testaments fourteenth album and first in 5 years, stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity’s uneasy alliance with its own creations, reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human
Overkill
In an age where music is available instantly and bands appear and fade just as quickly, the power and resiliency that is OVERKILL who’s initial social media was stuffing show flier ads under windshield wipers in the 80s, has remained as resolute as ever, and even more so.
New frontiers aren’t often conquered in the modern world of heavy metal, yet OVERKILL remain unfazed by the growing presence of social media, modern internet, a demand for streaming services, and a general sense of competition between the sea of other metal bands trying to make a name for themselves, today.
It’s with over 30 years under their leather belts that these New Jersey natives are prepared to unveil their latest offering: “The Wings Of War.” With 10 tracks and fifty one minutes long, their 19th full length album is the ultimate combination of sickening brutality and addictive melody. It was yet another incredible album cover design by Travis Smith that sparked the idea of what to name this next album. With 5 of the iconic Overkill winged skulls brooding powerfully around the table seemingly prepared for battle, “The Wings of War” simply rolled off the tongue.
With the fresh addition of seasoned drummer Jason Bittner, OVERKILL is experiencing a new chemistry this time around, truly giving the record a unique feel. The writing was funneled through its familiar foundation, but now had a fresh influence and energy that inspired the entire band. “We’ve never had an identity crisis,” says frontman Bobby Blitz, “but we still like raising an eyebrow from time to time!” Morphing into the modern day and taking advantage of the convenience of technological advances, this old school group of guys utilize technology for its instantaneous qualities that help fuel their momentum, and prevent the build up of stagnant ideas.
Although Bassist DD Verni and guitarist Dave Linsk have their own recording set up, OVERKILL goes out of house for their drum recording to longtime friend Joey De Maio of Shorefire Studios in Long Branch New Jersey, and for their vocals to Johnny Rod of Rockland County New York. The the real guitar work gets accomplished at DD’s studio, Blitz absorbs the sounds and fills in the guts with melodies, phonetics, dirty-sweet lyrics, and the songs develop organically.
Album opener “Last Man Standing” is OVERKILL kicking the door in with a hard and loud tune that’s rooted in some of the best angst that thrash possesses. Memories retained from this song are memories similar to the classic 80’s vibe but with a new-age mechanical feel that thoroughly updates it. This was also the first song recorded with newcomer Jason Bitner.
The album’s second single “Head Of A Pin” is a lyrical journey about disappointment and trust. Musically, the song comes across as “Black Sabbath on meth” proclaims Blitz. It intertwines riffs and vocal melodies that pick it up into a real pounder and create something truly special.
“The Wings Of War” also holds something to look forward to for east coast metal heads with a track entitled “Welcome To The Garden State.” Bobby Blitz explains: “It’s all about us. It’s the way we grew up as kids, it’s a certain attitude about the area, it’s responding to “we don’t do that where we’re from” with: “well guess what, you’re not where you’re from! You’re here, now!” The song sums up the New Jersey attitude with over 4 minutes of thrashy, punky, honest vibration, and defines OVERKILL, as well.
With at least the next six months already blocked off for a South American tour, followed by a European Tour and U.S. Tour, OVERKILL are on overdrive as usual with no signs of coming to a halt. This most recent cycle has a different feel; an old formula that evolved with new life and new breath and that after all these years, still generates an exquisite power.
