Testament - Down For Life

Batten down whatever loose hatches you’ve got, folks, because they’re about to be blown off their hinges by the thrashiest thing since bread sliced by Dave Mustaine himself. Ever heard of a little band called Testament? We’d refuse on principle to go for a pint with anyone who claimed they hadn’t around here. Often referred to as one of the Big Eight of thrash (which is like the Top Six in football, where I suppose Death Angel are the Tottenham Hotspur of the gang), Testament have been rampaging through speakers with their unique blend of death-metal tinged speed metal for as long as thrash has been important – which we all know is every single day since 1979.

Born of the Bay Area Thrash movement of the 1980s, Testament have plied their trade under two monikers since their inception. Appropriately, their original name was Legacy, before signing on to Atlantic Records in 1986 and changing it up a little to the Testament we know and love today. The three album run on joining Atlantic – The Legacy, The New Order and Practice What You Preach – was nothing short of sensational, critically and commercially, cementing the band in the upper echelons of particularly pacy music for probably all eternity.

With no pomp, no circumstance and nothing but a good time, our pick for Rock Song of the Week is one of Testament’s finest. Down For Life starts as it means to go on and goes on mean, a relentless barrage of sonic goodness that will put exceptionally long hairs on your chest. Consider this your reward for a week well worked (or spent doing whatever it is you rascals get up to).