Testament did not suffer from the infamous sophomore slump with their second album, "The New Order"; instead, they delivered what is arguably their best offering ever. Released on May 10, 1988, "The New Order" is every bit as brutally forceful as their debut, "The Legacy," but with even more memorable songs. The album played a crucial role in breaking Testament into the thrash metal mainstream, with singles like "Trial by Fire" and "The Preacher" gaining significant traction.
The band's outlook remained far from cheerful, as they embraced morbid gothic themes on bombastic tracks such as "Trial by Fire," "Disciples of the Watch," and "Into the Pit." Testament's cover of Aerosmith's "Nobody's Fault" stands out as one of their finest accomplishments, featuring a music video alongside "Trial by Fire."
Taking no prisoners either musically or lyrically, "The New Order" is an ideal choice for those purchasing their first Testament album. Its success laid the groundwork for the band's continued growth, which would only increase with their next album, "Practice What You Preach."
Tracklist:
1 Eerie Inhabitants - 5:06
2 The New Order - 4:25
3 Trial by Fire - 4:14
4 Into the Pit - 2:46
5 Hypnosis [Instrumental] - 2:04
6 Disciples of the Watch - 5:05
7 The Preacher - 3:37
8 Nobody's Fault - 3:57
9 A Day of Reckoning - 4:00
10 Musical Death (A Dirge) [Instrumental] - 4:05
