Testament is an American thrash metal band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1983, the group is credited as one of the leaders of the second wave of thrash metal, after the genre's first wave in the 1980s.
They have released twelve studio albums, two live albums, four EPs, and a DVD. Their latest album, Dark Roots of Earth, was released on July 27, 2012 and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Testament has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.
Lead guitarist Eric Peterson and bassist Louie Clemente formed the band in 1983 under the name Legacy. Singer Steve Zetro Souza joined them soon after, and they began writing songs and playing shows in the Bay Area thrash metal scene. In 1984, Legacy's first demo, "Death Metal", attracted the attention of Megaforce Records. Producer Jonny Zazula signed the band and changed their name to Testament. He suggested that Peterson change his name to "Eric Atoms", but Peterson refused.
Zazula offered the band a record deal and flew them to New York City to record their debut album, The Legacy, in May 1987. The album was produced by Alex Perialas and released on August 21, 1987. Testament received positive reviews from music critics and earned a growing fan base in the underground metal scene.
In November 1987, Zazula's house in Maplewood, New Jersey was robbed by armed robbers, who stole thousands of dollars worth of musical equipment and merchandise, as well as Zazula's collection of rare metal records. This prompted the label to release The Legacy on compact disc in 1988.
On March 22, 1989, Testament's second album, Practice What You Preach, was released. It debuted at number 40 on the Billboard 200 chart and was Testament's first album to enter the charts. The album was supported by a successful world tour, during which the band played shows in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
In April 1990, Peterson left Testament to join Exodus. He was replaced by James Murphy, who had previously worked with Death and Obituary. With Murphy, the band recorded their third album, Souls of Black, which was released on October 16, 1990. The album debuted at number 54 on the Billboard 200 chart and was Testament's highest-charting album in the US at that time.
In 1991, Legacy embarked on a world tour to support Souls of Black. The tour included dates in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
In 1992, Testament released their fourth album, The Ritual. The album debuted at number 72 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the band's last album to enter the charts.
In 1993, guitarist Alex Skolnick left Testament to join Savatage. He was replaced by John Tempesta, who had previously worked with Exodus and The Cult.
In 1994, Testament released their fifth album, Low. The album was recorded in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills and was produced by Terry Date. Low debuted at number 152 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the band's lowest-charting album in the US.
In 1995, Testament embarked on a world tour to support Low. The tour included dates in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
In 1996, Testament released their sixth album, Demonic. The album was recorded in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills and was produced by Andy Sneap. Demonic debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the band's highest-charting album in the US since The Ritual.
In 1997, Testament embarked on a world tour to support Demonic. The tour included dates in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
In 1998, Testament released their seventh album, The Gathering. The album was recorded in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills and was produced by Andy Sneap. The Gathering debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the band's highest-charting album in the US since Souls of Black.
In 1999, Testament embarked on a world tour to support The Gathering. The tour included dates in the US, Europe, Japan, and Australia.
In 2000, Testament released their eighth album, First Strike Still Deadly. The album was recorded in a rented house in the Hollywood Hills and was produced by Andy Sneap. First Strike Still Deadly debuted at number 49 on the Billboard 200 chart and was the band's highest-charting album in the US since The Gathering.
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