TESTAMENT: To "Possibly Get Back To The Studio In Early 2010"

BW&BK photographer Patryk Pigeon spoke with Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick recently about a number of topics including the band's highly-praised comeback album, “The Formation Of Damnation”. The chat reads as follows:

BW&BK: The reviews are great for “The Formation Of Damnation” album. Some also think it's the thrash album of the year. Can you tell us more about the album?

Alex: "Well, the album came out this year, but we'd been playing together with most of the original line-up for about 2 years and there was a lot of pressure to do a new album right away and we took our time. The band hadn't done a record in a long time for a number of reasons and when this line up got back together we just decided to play some shows and build on our strength to really just get together. We did have some complaints from the fans that we shouldn't tour so much we should just put a record out. But you know what? That touring really helped prepare us and I think the record came out naturally and better because of it. I don't think it would have been as good if we had rushed it."

BW&BK: And were the vibe and writing process the same or did you decide to take a new approach for this new album?

Alex: "Well, it was a slightly different approach. I've been out of it for a long time and I've been doing very different music. So, for me, it felt right to just kinda ease back into it. And the previous Testament record, “The Gathering”, I thought is the one where they really sorta found their formula outside of the original line up and I wanted that process to continue, 'cause that's a great album. So I didn't just wanna come in and expect it to be like it was 20 years ago when everybody was writing."

BW&BK: One cool thing about the new album is that you have the old school that meets the new school. So it makes it an actual record with strong 80/90s influences.

Alex: "Absolutely! And I think I was able to bring some of that influence, not just by writing music but also by listening to what they were coming up with and really making suggestions and I did write some stuff that's on there."

BW&BK: Did you write a lot on the new album?

Alex: "Not a whole lot. I did more of like arranging and listening and suggesting. There is a whole song, 'F.E.A.R.', which I wrote music and lyrics, and it's kinda funny I got this reputation of being like the melodic guy in the band by writing more mellow stuff. A lot of people think that's one of the heaviest songs."

BW&BK: On the song Leave Me Forever, the last song of the album, there's a jazzy feel to the verse… Do you have something to do with it?

Alex: "Not really. Only with some of the guitar stuff but as far as the arrangements and the concept of it, we tried different things. Eric and I have tried some different ideas and it seems to come together naturally. That was supposed to be an instrumental. We were practically done with the whole song and Chuck came in with some lyrics for it and just to try it, it just took on a whole new life. And now it's one of the most popular songs on the record."

Singer Chuck Billy walks in:

BW&BK: By the way, Chuck, the bridge near the end of that song is killer!

Chuck: "Thanks, man! That part of the song was written for the “Demonic” record, when we worked with Gene Hoglan. But it didn't end up on the record. It was supposed to be an instrumental and as far I was concerned it was meant to be that way until the last day of recording. They were putting leads on the song and I said, wait a minute, I know that song! That's the song that we have worked out and never finished. So the instrumental that they were putting leads into made me wanna try something. I had an idea…"

Alex: "Chuck, it's so good that you did that!"

Chuck: "So I said, let me go in and try something. The next Monday, I came up with the lyrics and recorded it and it fell just right."

Alex: "It just became a completely different type of song and it's a good closer song.

BW&BK: Any plans to release a DVD of this tour?

Alex: "I think so… I think it's a possibility. We have a friend that is coming to some of the east coast shows that is going to film. We haven't filmed so far on this tour. But if we capture the stuff that our friend is gonna shoot I think it's gonna be cool."

BW&BK: I think you can agree that the fans deserve some pro-shot material instead of the YouTube crap.

Alex: "Oh yeah, absolutely! But that is funny, everything we do is all over YouTube. So the fans need a good quality DVD that captures the energy of the shows. You know, the first thing we did when we got back together it was to film a DVD, but I think right now we are light years beyond that. So a DVD of what's going on now will just destroy the last one."

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