December 2020 Feature Release - The Pit Edition
It's now December which of course means that we'll be nominating a brand new monthly feature release for each clan. This essentially means that we're asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We're really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don't be shy.
This month's feature release for The Pit is the classic 1987 debut album "The Legacy" from the immensely popular Californian thrash metal establishment that is Testament. This was a big record for Ben & I as kids but it's been many years since I've revisited it so it's time to reassess my position on it whether it's earned the right to sit amongst the great debut releases in all of thrash metal or not.
https://metal.academy/releases/1501
Ah, I rated this but never wrote an actual review so this will be a good opportunity to put some words to the stars.
I was in the same boat actually & I have to admit that I've cheated a bit by reviewing this one over the past week. Will post it shortly.
I've just posted my review here:
https://metal.academy/reviews/19421/1501
It's a very solid debut that promises plenty for the future & should be essential listening for thrash fans but I'm not sure I regard it as a genuine classic personally. I've gone with a 4/5 rating on this occasion.
I actually reviewed this for The Pit clan challenge a bit back. As I said there, I never really gave Testament much credit, coming a bit late to the game as they did. In the past couple of years though I have been re-evaluating them and have recognised them for the damn fine thrash outfit they are, turning out to be more consistent long-term than three of the big four as the years have passed. Alex Skolnick's scintillating solos and Chuck Billy's vocals are as good as any thrashers have produced and the songs are anthemic and memorable, with no duffers in the whole 38 minutes. A neck-wrenching 4.5/5 from me.
Because of the extended workload that comes with the month of December for any music critic, I will not be able to complete full album reviews for this months featured clan albums. Even though I really want to with Testament. They were/still are a band that went underappreciated by so many, even though I would argue that their discography stands out above those of even the big four; they are my favourite eighties thrash band.
The debut record is one that is a benefactor of being released later in the 1980s, so that it did not have to feel the full brunt that came along with records like Kil Em AllI and Show No Mercy of being too slapdash and dirty (and especially one particular Overkill debut album that was talked about a couple months ago). It is remarkably clean, the riffs are humungous, Chuck Billy's vocals are among the best in all of thrash metal, and it hits like an eighteen wheeler. It does have some faults, mostly within the performance execution. I hold The Legacy up as being the best thrash debut of the 1980s, and yet, they would only be scratching the surface in regards to their ceiling.
8/10
Review is up and I stood by my original 4 star rating. Strong debut that shows the huge potential of Chuck, Alex and Eric in particular. Held back by a lazy mix that makes it hard to hear all the performances.