Demonic
Demonic is the seventh studio album by American thrash metal band Testament, released on 24 June 1997 through Spitfire Records. It followed Low from 1994 and sits at a sharp turn in the band's story. Vocalist Chuck Billy and guitarist Eric Peterson are joined by Derrick Ramirez, who had been the band's first guitarist but plays bass here, along with guitarist Glen Alvelais and drummer Gene Hoglan.
The record leaves the thrash of earlier Testament albums behind for a much darker death metal sound, matching its exorcism theme in both music and lyrics. Reviews single out "John Doe" and "Hatred's Rise" as good examples of the heavier approach. It is also the only Testament album Hoglan played on for fifteen years, until he returned for Dark Roots of Earth in 2012, which makes it a distinctive chapter worth hearing.
Demonic: tracklist, credits and charts
11 tracks · 41:13Tracklist
- 1Demonic RefusalPeterson, Ramirez, Billy5:24
- 2The Burning TimesPeterson, Ramirez, Billy5:18
- 3Together as OneEric Peterson and Chuck Billy4:19
- 4Jun‐JunPeterson, Ramirez, Billy3:46
- 5John DoeEric Peterson and Chuck Billy3:14
- 6Murky WatersEric Peterson and Chuck Billy3:03
- 7Hatred’s RiseEric Peterson and Chuck Billy3:17
- 8Distorted LivesEric Peterson and Chuck Billy3:38
- 9New Eyes of OldAlvelais, Peterson, Billy3:02
- 10Ten Thousand ThronesEric Peterson and Chuck Billy4:39
- 11NostroviaEric Peterson and Derrick Ramirez1:32
- Produced by
- Eric Peterson, Chuck Billy, Douglas Hall
- Recorded at
- Driftwood Studios, Oakland, California
- Recorded
- 1996–1997
- Labels
- Spitfire Records, Burnt Offerings Inc.
- Length
- 41:13
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Rock & Metal Albums · 1997 | 33 |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 24 June
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The best of 1997
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Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 1997-06-24; musicbrainz + wikidata 1997-06-09 (15 days apart, likely another territory)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 9 June 1997 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 24 June 1997 | |
| Wikidata | 9 June 1997 | |
| US release | 24 June 1997 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 9 June 1997 | earliest UK or European date |
13 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | US | Prosthetic Records | 656191005227 | other |
| 1997 | US | Spitfire Records | 670211500226 | other |
| 1997 | US | Burnt Offerings | 090861110727 | other |
| 9 June 1997 | GB | Music for Nations | 5016583122102 | original |
| 9 June 1997 | GB | Music for Nations | 5016583122126 | original |
| 24 June 1997 | US | — | other | |
| 21 July 1997 | JP | BANDAI MUSIC | 4988015070651 | other |
| 2000 | XE | Spitfire Records | 5036369500221 | other |
| 8 August 2008 | US | Prosthetic Records | 656191005227 | other |
| 2009 | US | Prosthetic Records | other | |
| 2012 | US | Prosthetic Records | 656191005227 | other |
| 26 January 2018 | US | Nuclear Blast | other | |
| 26 January 2018 | XE | Nuclear Blast | 727361422301 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 500×500 | upscaled |