There’s no denying that the drummer in a band can radically impact (good or bad) the overall dimension, weight, and power of a band’s sonic palette. And when that drummer is DAVE LOMBARDO, and that band is TESTAMENT, and those two forces join together, it results in the most dynamically brutal album of their entire catalog. 

Testament’s 1999 opus, THE GATHERING, is the first and only album (thus far) to feature Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, Grip Inc.) behind the drums. Now that Dave is officially back in Testament again, we can reflect on this thrash masterpiece and begin to genuinely appreciate (and anticipate) the crushing level of awesome that the next Testament album will possess.

You’ll want to have “King Krug” help with the uncorking (“remember when we used to gulp?”) before you get your boots and spurs ready for “riding the slug” (hey, there’s a first time for everything…*gulp*) and find out “The New Core” that’s been officially sanctioned for this episode by none other than “Elvis Anselmo” as you JOIN US for a dive into the brutally glorious, sonic ecstasy that is Testament’s eighth studio album, “THE GATHERING”.

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Show Notes:

(00:01):  #innit #STFU #wordvomit #arewerollingjimmy #theuncorking #theanticipation #squeakygoodness #climax #spokealloverit / ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** #onehundredpercentuncorked #pourinitup #choppinitdown #vibratorASMR and #phonemysteries (#Skynet is #fuckingstupid!!!) #masking #magic #smokin #thisepisodesclinkyoftheepisode #FireOnTheMountain #HailAndFareWell #TaylorHawkins #trexarmsunite #clinky ***HAIL AND FAREWELL TO TAYLOR HAWKINS AND POSITIVE ENERGY AND UPLIFTING VIBES TO THE FOO FIGHTERS!!!*** #hailandfarewell #TaylorHawkinsRIP #FooFighters / A #Studio666 #moviereview #shocker courtesy of Russell… #dontdenythepowerof #Krug #ItsFine (***Go check out #DreamWidow!!!  It’s like #Probot on #steroids!!!***) #continuity and the beauty of #streaming

(07:04):  Surprise guest / #segue / #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #whatdidimiss (#seealsofat instead of #portly) / #SlightlyMighty #DogfishHeadBrewery #ummm #firsttimeforeverything #monkfruit ***not bad for a lite beer*** #shotgun and #beerchugging #Vergina #noswallowingforme #rememberwhenweusedtogulp #theartofgulping and #adultshit (#Parents are #ridiculous!!!) #dontworryaboutit #thosewerethedays #waitwhat (and a #newsegment:  #RussellRecalls) / #TheVoicemailSegment #asamatteroffuckingfact ***GIVE US A CALL AND LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182!!!*** #olympicgrade #didithaveodor #burpbouquet #what!? #Blessing (***Make it make sense!!!***) #markthetime #SpartanRaces and #healthconsciousness (as a choice!) #Whostherealassholehere? 

(13:48):  An #email from #pissingpost regarding #TheUnending (we think, anyway)…#channelling #relaxerinfusion #dontdenythepowerof #herewego #pissingpostimpression #taketwo (#ThanksRon) / #addtreatment #foreducationalandinstrucionalpurposesonly #safer #paynoattention #gingerburger / #LEGALIZEITALREADY (and let those #dominoes fall…) #skunkfarm or a #skunkorgy / ***THANK YOU, PISSING POST!!!*** / An #email from Trevor regarding the #LegacyOfTheBeastTour ***EMAIL US AT [email protected] *** / #thatsoundsprettygood #chicharron ***Check out our alternate upcoming tentative #FoodNerdery #podcast!!!*** #chunkyburps and #herewego #wearegonnareadit #ThankYou #somethinginyourbeard 

(21:55) #ournewsegment ***A NEW METAL NERDERY SEGMENT!!!  WE’LL PLAY YOUR SHIT!!!*** #PoonDoom #listencarefullyforinstructions / #MetalNerderyWillPlayYourShit #WellPlayYourShit:  The artist is Salvations End:  The song is MONARCH (#SalvationsEnd) #HellAintABadPlaceToBe #Eh #fromearth #fuckyeah #badass #KingDiamondPowerProgThrash #Hail #loadsofriffs (***HOLY FUCK…GIVE US A CALL, GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK!!! LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182!!!***) / Also, there are hints of #Nevermore and even #Sanctuary #Testamentesque and #Forbiddenesque #getsome / #jingle 

(28:06):  #whatisprobrem #Fonzi / THE DOCKET:  DAVE LOMBARDO IS BACK WITH TESTAMENT!!!  HAIL AND REJOICE!!!  We’re diving into 1999’S “The Gathering” (The mix is incredible…#elephantscrotumcore #TheNewCore) and the transition of Testament’s sound from “Souls of Black” to more the “Low” and heavier era… / **Are you familiar with #TestamentsBlackAlbum?” ** #moredeathmetaly #moreheavy / A giant side of #extragravy / #BookEndsOfGreatness / The personnel (and relative tangentionalality to #JudasPriest and also #Sabbat) / #SkolnickTheJazzMan / #crispybois #crispyballs / #theopener and #blacklight #galaxies / #killeropener D.N.R. (DO NOT RESUSCITATE) #laypeople #inclusivepositiveASMR and the #playthings of #laythings #cantbeloudenough (***BUCKLE UP CHILDREN!***) #joyfulnoise / A “different kind” of Testament (now with #DaveLombardoChili) / The change in Chuck Billy’s vocal style, and the ever important #vocalballs

(39:40):  Killer second track energy:  DOWN FOR LIFE (#killertone) / Very cool incorporation of groove with Thrash. (#ThankYou #Pantera!) 😉 / A “deeper” version of Chuck (#postvocalballdrop) / #howdoyoufeel #onoraround #handsonmyhorn / You can completely alter an album with the same album mix.  / #softintro EYES OF WRATH #doomy with shades of #doommetal #creepy #eerie #hashtagprojectilevomitous #itsfine #readthoselyrics (EDIT:  That’s Dragon LORD, not FORCE! Sorry, it was #relaxers) / TRUE BELIEVER (NOT the “Nightstalker”). Dude, #CharlesBronson vs #CharlesManson would be rad! / #mayismellyourbox 

(48:32):  #verver #era #ElvisAnselmo #awwmannn 3 DAYS IN DARKNESS (#alltheballs) #earlyVikingThrash #drumbone vs #guitarbone / The “least best” Testament album per #MetalNerd (and #applicableanalogies) #ehhhhh / #ashortone LEGIONS OF THE DEAD #TheManIsAMachine #violentthrash #likethegoodolddays (Side 2 #killer opener or no? With regard to the #cassette).

(54:24):  CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR #canyoupickupwhatimlayingdown #swing and #shuffle (***Definitely listen through headphones. Very nice! ***).  Was Pantera the Black Sabbath of the 90’s? #isaidit / ***Go check out “The Dark Roots of Thrash” Double Live album…most excellent!!!***) / #ridingtheslug RIDING THE SNAKE #oldschoolsound (*Go check out our Legacy / The New Order Album Dive episodes! *) #awwmannn / #newgenre ALLEGIANCE #heyeverybody #groove

(1:00:27):  SEWN SHUT EYES (#deathgroove) *Updated production techniques…* / FALL OF SIPLEDOME #antarctica #flatearthbros #spaceisdark #howcomespaceisntbrightasfuckingfuck #volcano #pubesacrifice #buckleupchildren #nothingbutgoASMR #cantbeloudenough #newfavoriteTestamentalbum #veggieveggie / Favorites #markthetime and a reasonable #analogy (or, as we say here in the bowels of our 33rd Floor Inverted Underground Bunker Poon (I.U.B.P.) Studio complex / #Oreos and various “colour combinations” / Tracking? / Production credits and the re-release with #differentalbumcover for #TheGathering / #amomentofrant #FuckVlad #nottheimpaler #untilthenext #illenditwiththis #tits and #thelastword #youvegottawantit #igaveittoyoulasttime #teaserino #outroASMR