Testament - Para Bellum (2025)

There are only a handful of bands in Thrash Metal that have legendary status and have continued to push the envelope with their music. Testament is definitely one of them as with each release they come refreshed and improved, never staying static and constantly evolving. With “Para Bellum”, the band continues to spread their devastating sound while trying new things and inducing massive amounts of headbanging.

Opening with the brutal “For the Love of Pain”, we immediately had to make sure we were listening to Testament as this track is vicious and crushing thanks to its aggressive guitars and massive drumming. However, it’s the harsh vocals that got us confused, in a good way. Things come back to the band’s more ‘normal’ thrashing ways with “Infanticide A.I”, “Shadow People”, and “Meant to Be”, were Chuck Billy’s snarls come center stage alongside the vicious riffing of Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.

With a more melancholic and metallic edge, “Meant to Be” is one hell of an epic track that clearly stands out particularly with its crafty and catchy nature. The band’s ability to create trippy and unconventional melodies like on “High Noon”, as a testament to the masterful instrument abilities of the likes of Steve DiGiorgio and the band’s guitarists. Giving the band a more modern edge, newcomer drummer Chris Dovas keeps things tight and crafty, as songs like “Nature of the Beast”, "Havana Syndrome”, and the album title come around.

It is always a pleasure to see one of the legendary bands pushing the envelope and not being afraid of shaking some things around. “Para Bellum” is definitely an excellent Thrash album that any fan of the genre and the band will love, particularly because it has just the right amount of nostalgia and freshness to be relevant these days. Don’t miss out on the band touring Europe with the Thrash of the Titans tour alongside Obituary.

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Release: October 10th, 2025

Genre: Thrash Metal

Country: USA