The lights finally dimmed to the sounds of The Boys Are Back In Town then TestAmenT takes the stage and let me tell you THEY are back in town! BB Kings was packed with Metal fans young and old to see one band...TestAmenT and the band rose to the occasion and matched the fans intensity.  This was a night that the veteran thrash band TestAmenT stood tall and proud and like an army of brothers they conquered all in their sights.

I was especially surprised how close Alex plays to the fans, his guitar and body were pratically hanging over the barricades into the audience, same goes for Eric...Right in front of the fans..up close and personal.  Eric and Alex work perfectly together and it's obvious that each make the other player better and each guitar player rises to the occasion.  With Alex back in the fold I feel TestAmenT has found the fountain of youth because they are now playing on fire!

Chuck was amazing as well, all over the stage , during the encore he actually walked off side stage and sang in front of the fans, I think it was during 'Disciples'.  Chuck's voice was strong as ever and his stage presence is second to none.  Chuck covered every corner of the stage and many times right in front of the barricades in the face of the fans too.

Greg..smiled the entire night..did his usual Souls Of Black intro and talked about how the airline, misplaced one of his basses ,I believe haha!.
And Paul on drums is like a human metronome..right on point,killer.  Greg and Paul easily make the strongest rhythm section to date and that is saying alot.

Here's the setlist (17 songs) Hell Yeah!
1.Over The Wall
2. Into the Pit
3. Apocalyptic City
4. Practice What You Preach
5. The New Order
6. Electric Crown
7. More Than Meets the eye
8. Low (dedicated to Johnny Tempesta)
9. Trail of Tears (deciated to Longest Walk)
10. Henchmen Ride
11. Souls Of Black
12. The Evil Has Landed
13. The Preacher
encore
(fake out, the light go on for a second and they play(the boys are back in town for 5 seconds.haha- that was the last song before the show started too)
Band comes out smiling..Alex was laughing..haha!
14. D.N.R.
15. Days Of Darkness..(super extended version- I never seen Alex headband that much to a song)
16. Alone In The Dark (extended sing along)
17. Disciples Of The Watch

Final farewell, Louie Clemente walks along the stage and Alex laughs, and makes him go to the front of the stage , and Chuck announces him, and says: "Louie Clemente, our sixth member and brother for life"

It's been a while since I've seen a concert when the band was SO on point! There was definitely magic in the air...I'm sure that TestAmenT would agree too! killer show!

MTV was also on hand to report the killer concert.

Also Chuck Mentioned..THEY will be back in NYC in August w/ Judas Priest,Heaven& Hell, Motorhead and TestAment opening, they will play a 30 minute set, first band on..Chuck said no talking..just as many songs as possible ,going full speed ahead...bam bam bam.

Today in 2008 TestAmenT are even more popular and more powerful than when they first released their debut album The Legacy...How many other Metal bands can make that claim? Over 20 years of Thrash Metal at it's finest.

See TestAmenT on this tour and pick up their new cd The Formation Of Damnation this April 29th.  I would say TestAmenT are back...but they never left... A night to remember! A night of Metal!

-Steve Saks

www.LivingForMetal.com

"When I had journeyed half our life's way, I found myself within a shadowed forest, For I had lost the path that does stray"