The last studio album to feature drummer Louie Clemente and guitarist Alex Skolnick, until the latter rejoined the band in 2005. It was also their first album to be released and distributed only by the Atlantic, whereas Testament's previous four albums were co-released by Megaforce Records. On "The Ritual", Testament began exploring a slower and more melodic approach, while still maintaining their Thrash roots. Certain songs on the album, including the title track (the longest song they had recorded at the time) and "Return To Serenity", also see the band continuing to explore a Technical and Progressive vein that was used on "Practice What You Preach" and "Souls Of Black". In support of "The Ritual", Testament toured for over a year with bands like Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, White Zombie, Corrosion Of Conformity, Pro-Pain, D.R.I., Green Jelly, Body Count and GWAR. By the end of 1992, during the middle of the tour, guitarist Alex Skolnick had decided to leave the band, with Clemente following suit. Several line-up changes took place before guitarist James Murphy and drummer John Tempesta were hired for the band's next album, "Low". The album was a minor success, reaching No. 55 on the American Billboard 200. This would be Testament's highest position in their career, until 2012's "Dark Roots Of Earth", which reached No. 12 on the same chart. The record also spawned the band's only charting Single, "Return To Serenity", which reached No. 22 on Mainstream Rock Tracks. By June 2007, "The Ritual" had sold 485,000 copies in the United States.
