Get your Testament tickets HERE!!!

**TESTAMENT “Para Bellum” (2025)**

Out OCTOBER 10th, 2025 on Nuclear Blast Records

“PARA BELLUM” Album Pre-Order / Pre-Save:
https://testament.bfan.link/para-bellum

“Infanticide A.I.” Single:
https://testament.bfan.link/infanticide-a-i

Jackie Dusza

With every generation comes a great war. It may take years to fully reveal itself, but the seasoned warrior knows preparation is everything. Now in 2025, Bay Area thrash metal icons TESTAMENT return with their fourteenth studio album, Para Bellum, via Nuclear Blast Records. Taken from the Latin phrase Si vis pacem, para bellum—“If you want peace, prepare for war”—the album stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity’s uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, Para Bellum sees TESTAMENT reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.

True to their legacy, Para Bellum is a masterclass in dynamic thrash songwriting, guided by founding guitarist Eric Peterson and vocalist Chuck Billy, who continue to lead the band with vision and force. Each track on the album stands on its own—distinct in structure, key, and atmosphere—but when taken together, they create a record that flows seamlessly, puzzle-like, through eras and styles. From the haunting, groove-laden “Shadow People” to the whiplash intensity of “Infanticide A.I.,” the band explores themes both timeless and immediate: technology’s encroachment, supernatural dread, generational collapse, and duels worthy of a standoff in “The Gathering”-esque “High Noon”.

“Who’s the fastest?” Billy jokes, “It sounds like there is about to be a draw.” Songs shift effortlessly from pummeling thrash to eerie darkness, with Chuck stretching his voice across clean chants, guttural roars, and whispers of doom, all in perfect sync with the mood of each piece.

To the delight of many life-long Testament fans, this record also sees the inclusion of a ballad for the first time in many years. Precisely formulated to weave effortlessly with the album, “Meant To Be” contains a world of variety within itself; “I love how the song takes off at the end and just doesn’t look back,” explains Peterson. “It’s different, but it fits. It’s like a breath of fresh air.” This also marks another novel moment for the band using true, orchestrated strings performed by world renowned cellist Dave Eggar.

A major evolution on Para Bellum is the addition of powerhouse drummer Chris Dovas, whose precision, speed, and instinctive dynamics infuse the album with fresh energy. Working closely with Peterson throughout the writing process, Dovas helped shape song structures, accelerated the workflow, and injected a level of versatility that amplifies the album’s modern edge without straying from the Testament sound. “He’s so inspired and quick to throw ideas back,” says Peterson, who also embraced his own black metal influences more heavily this time, both vocally and in the guitar work. Tracks like “Infanticide A.I.” and “For the Love of Pain” reflect this genre-blending approach—tight thrash foundations with ripples of black metal atmosphere. “Eric and I have a lot of similar influences,” explains Dovas, “We worked really closely on this album and had a great time.”

Alongside Peterson, Alex Skolnick’s guitar work remains both razor-sharp and exploratory. “This album captures many different sides of the band through the years, along with some fresh new sounds,” Skolnick notes. “There’s a little something for everyone. You will not be disappointed.” Rounding out the rhythm section is the inimitable Steve DiGiorgio, whose walking bass lines add a unique low-ness, and technical depth, locking in flawlessly with Dovas’ expressive drumming. Meanwhile, Chuck leads the lyrical vision with contributions from longtime collaborator Del James and other friends, weaving a mix of supernatural mythos, sociopolitical commentary, and apocalyptic dread.

Recorded with Juan Urteaga and mixed for the first time by Jens Bogren, Para Bellum is extremely polished and operating at full throttle. The cover art, once again painted by Eliran Kantor, captures the album’s essence: a serene angel made of missiles, an explosion turned halo, surrounded by shovel-bearing cultists with books strapped to their faces. It’s a visual metaphor for blind belief and self-destruction—created, notably, by hand – in an era flooded by AI-generated imagery.

In its opening notes, Para Bellum nods to the past by resurrecting a lost bridge from The Legacy—a full-circle moment that anchors the album’s expansive sonic journey. And as it ends, it does so peacefully, with a moment of classical-esque finger picking long used by Peterson to warm up his hands before battle. From first note to last breath, Para Bellum is an album by warriors—crafted in chaos, and built to outlast the wars to come!

“The Legacy” + “The New Order” REMASTERED

ORDER The Legacy (Remastered)

ORDER The New Order (Remastered)

Testament @ Nuclear Blast Records

Biography

Chuck Billy | vocals
Eric Peterson | guitar
Alex Skolnick | guitar
Steve DiGiorgio | bass
Chris Dovas | drums

TESTAMENT is an undisputed titan of thrash metal. One of the definitive acts of the historic and high-octane genre since they first emerged from the San Francisco Bay Area in 1983, the modern icons established themselves with a series of classic records (released each year from 1987 through 1990). They never wavered creatively, unleashing one acclaimed album after another across four decades.

The band’s nearly 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone is a clear demonstration of the enduring strength of the Testament legions. Testament’s biggest anthems run the gamut of their storied career, from early classics like “Over the Wall” and “Into the Pit,” late ‘90s bangers like “Down for Life,” through modern scorchers like “For the Glory of…” and “Brotherhood of the Snake.”

An internationally recognized heavy metal institution, Testament regularly appears as a headlining mainstage act at major festivals. Over the years, they’ve toured alongside Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Korn, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax, and Lamb Of God, among other contemporaries.

Charismatic frontman Chuck Billy’s distinctive voice infuses their signature sound with rich and diverse textures. Primary songwriter and cofounding guitarist Eric Peterson summons endlessly timeless riffs on command. Alex Skolnick, named one of the greatest of all time by Guitar World, was just 18 years old when Testament recorded their debut, The Legacy (1987). Longtime bassist Steve Di Giorgio (Sadus, Death, Obituary) brings rhythmic heft and fluid dexterity to the proceedings.

Drummer Chris Dovas, the band’s newest (and youngest) addition, adds his own passionate bombast while honoring the astounding legacy of former Testament drummers. (An alumnus including past and present members of Slayer, White Zombie, Dethklok, and Machine Head, among others.)

Both The Legacy (1987) and The New Order (1988) were inducted into Decibel Magazine’s prestigious Hall Of Fame, alongside albums from Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Motörhead. Revolver included The New Order on their list of 14 Thrash Albums You Need to Own. Guitar World recognized Practice What You Preach (1989) as one of the Top 10 Shred Albums of the Eighties. Souls of Black (1990) entered the Billboard 200 at No. 73; The Ritual (1992) debuted at No. 55. Guitar World called Low (1994) one of the Iconic Albums That Defined 1994. Demonic (1997) and The Gathering (1999) saw Testament mining new depths of extremity without sacrificing their bluesy swagger.

The Formation of Damnation (2008) won Best Album at Metal Hammer’s Golden Gods Awards, beating out records from Avenged Sevenfold, Children Of Bodom, Atreyu, and Down. Released nearly 30 years after the band’s formation, Dark Roots of Earth (2012) became their highest-charting album yet, moving more than 20,000 copies during its first week in the US and debuting at No. 12.

Brotherhood of the Snake (2016) enjoyed another Top 20 debut and hit No. 1 on the Independent chart. Titans of Creation (2020) joined year-end lists in Consequence, Loudwire, and Metal Hammer.

As the band gears up for a fall 2024 co-headlining tour with Kreator dubbed Klash Of The Titans, Testament continues work on their next studio album, which promises to become another modern classic. During the tour, the band will perform an “old-school set” celebrating the forthcoming remastered reissues of their landmark first two albums, The Legacy and The New Order.

The worldwide Testament Legions only continues to grow with renewed fervor and passion as one of the definitive acts of modern heavy metal marches forward, never wavering and always crushing. [new bio by Ryan J. Downey, written 5/24/2024]

Discography

Live At Eindhoven 2009 (Re-release 2017)

News

We're just about half way through our current Euro

December is officially here. Tonight we play Munic

Black Friday deals on select Testament releases at

This tour is just getting started! We’re current

Tonight’s our last show in the UK for a while! G

We're having a 30% Off Black Friday sale starting

Our show in Milan Italy on December 6th has offici

HUGE Thank you to Kiliminjaro and our great promot

Tonight! Another sold out show with our brothers i

Night 1 Manchester in the books! Tonight we’re

TOUR STARTS TONIGHT! 🤘 We're officially ready

For a LIMITED TIME ONLY take advantage of this com

TURKEY 🇹🇷 We’re here! JJ Arena, Istanbul -

Testament x @pabstblueribbon Custom Kanga Coolers

Rally the crew, we’re headed to @welcometorockvi

Hey, Istanbul! What are YOU doing in 6 days? TESTA

Attention Metalheads of Istanbul! We’ll be there

Follow on Instagram

Testament Follow

Bay Area Thrash! https://t.co/LSm1mFERuh

Testament @testament ·

19 Dec

We've got a new year on the horizon! Tickets for THRASH OF THE TITANS 2026 are on sale NOW!

Grab yours at http://testamentlegions.com and catch us on the road this spring with @OverkillBand and @destruction

Reply on Twitter 2002080037181480978 Retweet on Twitter 2002080037181480978 19 Like on Twitter 2002080037181480978 191 Twitter 2002080037181480978

Testament @testament ·

16 Dec

THRASH OF THE TITANS returns across the USA this March 2026! 🤘Joining us will be our friends in @OverkillBand & @destruction!

Exclusive @metalinjection Presale Wed 12/17 @ 10:00 AM EST http://MetalInjection.net

General On Sale Fri 12/19 @ 10:00 AM LOCAL
https://www.testamentlegions.com/