SNAKE CHARMERS
S
an Francisco thrash titans, Testament, are the epitome of what thrash metal should be. As one of the forerunners of the burgeoning scene in the early ' 80s, the band has stood the test of time. Although never included in the Big Four of thrash— which includes Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax – Testament has continuously laid down a tried and true thrash ethos throughout its 30-plus year career. Brotherhood of the Snake, its 12th full-length release, is Testament’ s crowning achievement. It’ s a diverse record that combines the vocal tone and melodic hooks of 1989’ s Practice What You Preach with the speed and aggression of 1999’ s The Gathering. Vocalist Chuck Billy explained to Mosh writer
By Kelley Simms
Testament, 2016
Kelley Simms why he thinks that Brotherhood of the Snake is some of the best stuff they’ ve ever written.
Mosh: What’ s the meaning behind the album title? Chuck Billy: Brotherhood of the Snake is basically about a race of people 6,000 years ago that were out to dethrone religions. They say it’ s an alien race who use the earth for its minerals and basically a prison for beings. That kind of spawned the alien and earth religion connection; speaking of flying objects, the process and the role and the songs and direction where we were going with it. Then from there, it took another life in other songs and we went with something off-topic.
Mosh: In a previous interview, you stated that this was the most difficult record you’ ve ever made. How so? Chuck Billy: We took some big tour offers that came in the middle of the writing process. Some tours you just got to do – we did the Lamb of God tour and the Slayer tour. There was a lot going on and everyone was busy. I think within the frustration, the anger, and the emotions, and everything that went into it, what we were feeling pretty much poured out onto the record. We had a lot of songs written for awhile, but they really weren’ t brought forth to the band until right before we went into the studio. Everybody had to step up their game and do the best they could. We have an amazing band, and it all just came through – everyone kicked ass. Just with everything going on with the creativity, and because of that, it turned out way better than we’ d ever imagined. I think it’ s some of the best stuff we’ ve written in awhile.
Mosh: Your last album Dark Roots of the Earth was praised by fans and critics. Was it your mindset to try and top it with Brotherhood of the Snake? Chuck Billy: We always try to, we always want to. And I think that’ s what built up the frustration and emotions. It was being uncertain where you’ re at at that point writing the record;‘ Are they good enough? Are these songs as good as the last record?’ All that stuff goes through your mind and these things come into play. So you’ re always thinking you want to outdo it, but sometimes you second guess yourself.
Mosh: Vocallly, you’ ve strayed from the death growls and stay in your raspy midrange. Is that how you and Eric write now,
or did these particular tracks call for it? Chuck Billy: They called for that. I think I put a lot of time in the lyrics and I had a lot of it written. I just lived with them for so long. That’ s the way they came out when I went to track. I never know until I’ m going to track what voice I’ m going to go in to. But on this one, every time I got in there the more raspier voice seemed to fit better. And when I do the death stuff, it’ s in the right places and not just a whole verse or chorus in the same voice.
Mosh: You wrote all the lyrics and melody lines, what inspired you this time around? Chuck Billy: Because I knew I was using the different voice, I wanted to definitely have more melody and vocal hooks. I wanted to make sure you hear every lyric and have the hook in the right spot. Usually on some records we’ ve probably overthought the writing process. For this one, we just kind of just let it flow. Eric had the riffs and a lot of pieces, not necessarily songs yet, but I just wrote lyrics to everything. So it kind of worked out to where a lot of it worked together and I think that’ s what made it so interesting.
Mosh: During the writing process, do you listen to any of your favorite bands to get inspired, or do you shut off everything except the music you’ re trying to create? Chuck Billy: When we’ re writing we’ re focused on what we’ re doing. It’ s really listening over and over to the riff without having any idea of what you’ re going to do. It’ s so confusing on your brain. It’ s like a problem that you have to solve, but you can’ t solve it. And that happens for a long time, until all of a sudden it hits you and the timing is right and you find it. You find the niche. And that’ s the cool part of it.
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34 illinoisentertainer. com october 2016