Testament

Testament are a thrash metal band from Berkeley, California, who formed in 1983 under the name Legacy. They became Testament in 1986, the same year Chuck Billy took over vocals from Steve "Zetro" Souza. Guitarist Eric Peterson is the only original member still in the ranks, and he and Billy appear on every studio album. They are counted among the Big Six of Bay Area thrash, alongside Exodus, Death Angel, Lȧȧz Rockit, Forbidden and Vio-lence.

Their first three albums, The Legacy (1987), The New Order (1988) and Practice What You Preach (1989), built their reputation, and the last of them was their first to reach the Billboard 200 Top 100. They were also among the early thrash bands to sign to a major label, Atlantic. After many line-up changes and a reunion with Alex Skolnick, they returned strongly with The Formation of Damnation in 2008. Their latest album, Para Bellum, arrived in 2025.