It would be grossly unfair to say that TESTAMENT looked like a fish out of water when gracing the UK’s huge arena stages, opening up for the recent ‘Priest Feast’ tour. They did a bloody good job of starting the show, but this band is truly at home in smaller, more intimate venues, such as Nottingham Rescue Rooms which hosted tonight’s show. Around 300 metalheads were packed in like sardines in a can, and they were witness to an awesome night of thrash metal, with the band obviously enjoying playing a headline set in a less pressured environment.

One thing was sure from the off, this was going to be a night to remember, with towering frontman Chuck Billy stating early on that tonight’s show was going to be nothing like the recent Priest Feast, with alot of ‘Old Shit’ as he put it being played, with some of these including the rarely played ‘Do Or Die’ and the ferocious ‘Day of Reckoning’. A few new tracks were also thrown in for good measure including ‘More Than Meets The Eye’ and the outstanding title track from their latest album ‘The Formation of Damnation’ which the crowd seemed to enjoy just as much as the classics. Other highlights of the set included ‘The New Order’, ‘Burnt Offerings’ and a pummeling rendition of ‘DNR’ with legendary drummer Paul Bostaph (SLAYER/EXODUS) putting in an awesome display of power.

As soon as ‘Over The Wall’ started, the mosh pit erupted into a massacre, with Chuck Billy encouraging people to get on stage and do some stage diving, to which, just like the good old days, they duly obliged. After all that destruction, it was time for a bit of a sing song with ‘Alone In The Dark’, starting off their two song encore, and as the crowd woah’ed and ooh’ed, you could tell everyone here were enjoying the gig, with Billy getting down to crowd level to interact with the first few rows. As the set closed with ‘The Formation of Damnation’ and the crowd departed from the venue, everyone seemed to be reflecting on what was a truly remarkable, rememberable and absolutely awesome night for one of the true kings of thrash metal, who were top class tonight and remain firmly on their thrash metal throne.

TESTAMENT Setlist: For The Glory Of / Reign of Terror / The New Order / Burnt Offerings / More Than Meets the Eye / Do Or Die / DNR / 3 Days In The Darkness / Practice What You Preach / Day of Reckoning / Souls of Black / Over The Wall / Alone In The Dark / The Formation of Damnation

Review by Adam Fredericks

Photography by Alexander Shaw (click here)