Review by Sonny for Testament - The Legacy (1987)

I have to admit that over the years I probably haven't given Testament the credit they deserve, dismissing them as just another Megadeth / Exodus knock-off. I'm returning to them now after many years and have to admit that this, their debut, is one hell of a great record. The riffs are classic thrash chuggers and Alex Skolnick's solos are scintillating and vibrant, guaranteed to make your neck hairs stand on end! Chuck Billy's vocals are great, particularly for a thrash singer, with a versatility few vocalists in the genre could equal. On the downside,  the production could be better, the bass in particular seems to have got buried in the mix somewhere.

And then there's the songs. There's some anthemic tracks on here, such as The Haunting, Alone in the Dark and Do or Die, which surely has one of the most singalong choruses in thrash. There really isn't a duff track during the entire 38 minutes which, by the way, is virtually the perfect length for such a high octane thrash album. Just goes to show, it's never too late to re-evaluate music that may have previously underwhelmed you. Sorry guys!