Testament + Flaming Wrekage
Metro Theatre, Sydney
Friday, 20th of June, 2025
Score: Five Stars [5/5]
It has been many years since Testament last toured Australia, with a planned tour in 2020 scuttled by the pandemic. So, given the long wait for thrash metal fans to witness the San Francisco Bay Area thrash metal legends again, it wasn’t surprising that their most recent return tour was virtually sold out for all shows across the country. The queue for entry to the venue stretched around the block, and once inside, the queue for the merchandise desk, at the top of the stairs, snaked back to near the blue lit stage within the venue. Testament’s stage set was draped over with black curtains, and a large drum kit on the riser, teasing at what was to come.
To kick off tonight’s jam-packed sold-out show, Sydney band Flaming Wrekage were graced with the task of warming up the ever-growing audience. As lights dimmed, the PA played some choral type vocals with ominous intent, that filled the venue. Soon, the band walked on, with lead guitarist Justin Humphry taking up stage right, and vocalist and co-guitarist Dave Lupton at stage left, alongside bassist Lachlan Campbell, with drummer Matt Thornton in the centre.
Starting with “Witch Hunt” from Terra Inferna Humphry semi crouched as he windmilled his hair or headbanged between guitar parts, and threw in the odd reverse whammy bar, swift note bend. It was a barrage of cymbal work from Thornton, with slicing chords from Lupton, going into double time against guttural vocals and punching guitar lines with pinch harmonics, and octave runs amongst chordal rhythm figures. Humphry delved into fast soloing, and tapping runs, and dive bomb squeals, using a wah pedal filter, whilst staying in time with Thornton’s blasting snare.
Straight into “No Gods”, again from Terra Inferna, howling feedback and hi-hat hits were meshed with barked vocals and synchronised riffing. It was largely blast-beat driven with heavier chords to a wah pedal enhanced solo, using an exotic scale feel, which became more chromatic. Further wide vibrato, dives, squeals, feedback manipulation and cymbal walloping took things into slicing death metal territory. The stage was then purple lit, as more squealing reverse whammy and plectrum tapping ensued against double bass pedal kick, and windmilling of hair.
Their next track continued that feel but in a more Slayer style of approach of harmonised descending chromatics, against a tightly gated, galloping riff. This was followed by “Running Blind” from Cathedral of Bones whereby Lupton told the audience to ‘fire that sh-t up’, to attempt to get the pit going. It was again very Slayer influenced but in a more Seasons in the Abyss era style, that quickly jumped pace into fast extreme metal with guttural vocals. There were some decent twin guitar harmonised parts, and a post chorus, half-time breakdown before resumption of a sonic barrage with fluid soloing.
Terra Inferna track “Ghosts” had a different vibe, using rhythm section breakdowns and build ups, slightly reminiscent of Tool. Humphry added in some slide guitar lines before drum rolls, and riffing took the song back into intensity that fluctuated with brooding riffing. To complete their ‘short and sweet’ set, “Sin Survives” from Cathedral of Bones was suitably ferocious with tremolo guitar lines, smashing cymbals and blast beat drumming. More guttural vocals against fast and muted riffing continued into fast death metal drumming blasts before a driving rhythm figure. Big chords and Digitech guitar pedal style squeal noises brought the song to conclusion as the stage varied between red lit and strobe effected.
The stage set for Testament was now more visible after the changeover, with a large Eliran Kantor style artwork backdrop peeking out behind the drum riser and backline of Marshall cabinets As the PA played “Fight For Your Right (To Party)” by Beastie Boys, the audience sang along with ease, soon after which Testament walked onstage.
Opening with “Practice What You Preach”, a slow brooding introduction was played as band members took up their positions. Vocalist Chuck Billy casually bellowed vocals as the band kicked in, hitting the song’s knowns riffs and sustained chords, with rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson throwing in the odd pinch harmonic on his black EMG pickup equipped, and white binding adorned Gibson Les Paul guitar. New drummer Chris Dovas’ tight drum sound hit chests with power, perched up high on his kit riser. Lead guitarist Alex Skolnick, centre stage for his solo on stunning Lime Burst ESP signature guitar, demonstrated wide coverage of the fretboard, with tremolo picking, alternate picking, divebombs, sweeps, melodic phrases, stinging vibrato, and a plectrum throw at the end. Reprising opening verse lyrics, the audience sang along to the chorus. Rounding out the band’s perfect stage sound from the first track was bassist Steve Di Giorgio, adding thumping bottom end, with technical precision.
“Sins of Omission”, also from Practice What You Preach, followed as handclaps morphed into a mosh pit frenzy. All guitarists, including Di Giorgio added backing vocals. Peterson took first solo duties with both guitarists meeting at centre stage. Skolnick took the second solo providing wide vibrato, more tremolo picking, and expressive, blues-tinged lead phrasing in a metal context with Billy grinning, observing from the backline stage right, playing air guitar.
Billy addressed the audience, divulging how much he loves to play in Australia and launched the band into “The Pale King” from Brotherhood of the Snake, supplying fast thrash, pinch harmonics, and barrelling drums, with a more melodic chorus than the hammering thrash of old. Skolnick’s solo, saw him holding his guitar upright, angled vertically, peeling off fluid speed runs and sweeping phrases, adding in a little throw and catch of his guitar at the end of solo, to then throw another plectrum out. The song’s howling end added to audience excitement.
Peterson anecdote of writing the “The Haunting” from The Legacy, with Skolnick in their youth, citing Celtic Frost influence and casually mentioning it included bong hits on a weeknight indicated the band’s laidback attitude. The music was not though, as harmonised muted riffs at the introduction, moving around half steps, ripped into blast beat rhythms as Billy barked out vocals. Skolnick again took up a centre stage position for his solo with scalar patterns, full of wide vibrato. Next, with Skolnick and Peterson both facing each other they reprised the introduction riff figure to much applause.
“Rise Up” from Dark Roots of Earth coaxed the audience chant the chorus in call and response with Billy, with Di Giorgio adding the backing vocal roar to guide the audience, as his fingerstyle five string bass technique moved air in the room. Skolnick briefly took to the drum riser, jumping back down, to play a fast solo with the guitar vertically held, as speed runs were effortlessly unleashed, and was soon kneeling, to then throw out another plectrum. Newer drummer Chris Dovas’s drumming was impressive with numerous rolls, cymbals hits, and ride cymbal strikes.
“D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)” from The Gathering saw Skolnick changing guitars to a Lemon Burst ESP signature guitar, delivering a fast thrash metal track with growl level vocals from Billy. “Low” got another crowd chant happening and saw low tuned riffing with Peterson’s wah pedal infused riffage and a dash of howling notes over pummelling thrash. Peterson’s fast soloing was expressive to bombastic, and he resumed to rhythm playing to the riff driven end of the song.
Next, “Native Blood” from Dark Roots of Earth saw a red lit stage, with tasteful twin harmony guitar lines, and Skolnick’s climbing solo at centre stage. Cymbals were hammered by Dovas, whilst Peterson’s soloing included wide interval run flourishes, enhanced by his wah pedal.
“Trail of Tears” from Low had the stage blue lit, with white down lights offering contrast, as did Billy’s more melodic vocal delivery for this track. Peterson took to the introduction volume swell, sustained soloing lines on his signature Dean Z Floyd, a shape somewhat reminiscent of his old Gibson Explorer days. Skolnick, swapping back from the track’s rhythm duties, took the first solo then traded licks with Peterson, who then took the guitar soloing baton for wild, wah pedal fuelled soloing. Skolnick was then at centre stage resuming rhythm parts whilst Peterson soloed with some restraint to close out the song.
“The Formation of Damnation” saw Peterson return back to his Gibson Les Paul, and Skolnick to his Lime Burst ESP, as the lighting alternated between downlit and strobe effects. Midway, Billy orchestrated a wall of death with the audience. Returning to the heavy track, Billy’s voice had a hint of delay effect with some reverb, to add to the gravitas of his powerful singing.
Di Giorgio followed swiftly with a bass solo that took on a call and approach, teasing at the introduction to “Souls of Black”, which was soon enough formally introduced, met with enthused audience applause to finally hear this classic track in the Testament live set in Australia. The song included Skolnick’s highlight guitar solo for the evening, played from his stage right location, offering up a perfect solo; harmonic finger taps, speed runs, octave slides, and superbly fast alternate picking, all delivered with a sense of melody, and precision for harmony. Skolnick then joined Peterson and Di Giorgio for the closing rhythm figures.
“Return to Serenity” from The Ritual provided a slight change of pace, with the stage green lit, and more intricate soloing from Skolnick, plus backing vocals from Peterson. Dovas’ drum solo segment was a flurry of rolls, cymbal hits, snare speed, rhythm figures and lighting pulses of red, green and strobes to punctuate the beats. Next, “First Strike is Deadly” from The Legacy had Skolnick soloing with his guitar again held vertically, but resting on his leg, and let Peterson return to his Dean Z Floyd for maximum rhythm crunch tone. Dipping back into The Ritual, “Electric Crown” offered up fast paced thrash melodicism including dramatic chords, some trade-off soloing, and whammy bar work from Skolnick.
More recent material resumed with “More Than Meets the Eye” from The Formation of Damnation started with the audience signing the chant chorus melody line as the opening chords hit. The song also coincided with more lighting variety of purple and yellow down lights, beams and strobes. Skolnick provided backing vocals, with twin harmony guitar parts deftly executed, and saw Peterson add some soloing and sliding palm harmonics, Edward Van Halen style.
Introducing “Over the Wall” from The Legacy, Billy discussed provided an amusing anecdote about their sightseeing trip to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary decades ago being a cover for what Skolnick described as ‘guerilla style’ filming methods for the classic debut video. It was of course welcomed with enthusiasm, and barrelled along at a stupefying and tight pace, with more harmony guitar parts, plus saw Skolnick mimicking a conductor for the more melodic, brief interludes within the song. As the song resumed intensity, after a breakdown, Billy played air drums along to Dovas’ drum rolls and cymbal clasping drum parts that ushered back in the riffage, continuing the song to a hammering conclusion.
As the encore hit, “Into the Pit” from The New Order was the final track aired this evening and was as thumping and energetic as expected. The audience yelled the chorus loudly back at the band, with the song ripping along at pace. Time has not slowed Testament down at all, if anything they have gotten heavier live, but their musicianship, sense of melodic variety, and rhythmic precision this evening was extraordinary to witness. Their promise of a new album release hints at the possibility of a return tour down the track, sooner than later, in which case, they will need a bigger venue. A fantastic live band without peer in their genre.
Set List:
Practice What You Preach
Sins of Omission
The Pale King
The Haunting
Rise Up
D.N.R.
Low
Native Blood
Trail of Tears
The Formation of Damnation
Bass Solo
Souls of Black
Return to Serenity
Drum Solo
First Strike is Deadly
Electric Crown
More Than Meets the Eye
Over the Wall
Encore:
Into the Pit.