Facebook: Testament Whenever a metal band gets some attention from the mainstream media without having to go on a drunken or drug-fueled rampage, we as fans definitely count it as a win for our beloved subculture. However, it’s even greater when a hilarious dichotomy is created between vanilla news anchors and metal musicians, which is what happened earlier this week (Feb. 21) when Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson of Testament stopped by a Fox news program in Michigan. Skolnick and Peterson are 2/5 of the current all-star Testament lineup, who are currently headlining the ‘ Dark Roots of Thrash ‘ tour. Shortly after filming a concert DVD in Long Island, N.Y., the duel shredders stopped by Fox 17 in Grand Rapids, Mich. to talk thrash with one of the most hilariously nerdy news anchors on the planet. The guitarists remained incredibly light-hearted during the interview, even when challenged with pressing questions such as, “What’s this thrash metal?” and “25 years you’ve been doing this. (Actually it’s 30, but who’s counting?) How do you maintain your music and not, you know, fall, you know, I guess, everything else, making you guys change the way you do your music? How do you keep it the same?” to which Skolnick replied, “It’s not the same,” while Peterson offered a more detailed answer about not allowing yourself to become too commercial. Skolnick offered some interesting insight on their live shows, noting that Testament are still bringing in young fans while keeping the old school thrashers as well. He explained, “Maybe the first time around with the band, it might have not been a show you would bring your family [to]. Now, you’ve got families coming. You’ve got kids who weren’t even born yet when our first album came out showing up with their parents who were fans back in the late ’80s or early ’90s.” Skolnick and Peterson even invited the Fox host to stage dive at tonight’s show, although the anchor politely declined. Check out Testament’s Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson’s appearance on the Fox 17 below! Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson Talk Thrash on Fox 17 [button href=”http://loudwire.com/testament-overkill-new-york-city-2013-review/” title=”Next: Check Out Our Review and Photo Gallery From Testament’s NYC Show” align=”center”]
Razor & Tie Shadows Fall had been set for a big spring overseas. The band had booked dates with Testament in Europe and Ill Nino in the UK, but now they’ve bowed out of both of those tours. Shadows Fall revealed that they were exiting the upcoming treks due to “a number of circumstances beyond our control.” It is unknown what those circumstances are. However, the band as a whole appears to be okay having just completed an early year tour with Hatebreed , Dying Fetus and The Contortionist . It is known that guitarist Jon Donais would be taking leave from the band over the next couple of months (with Shadows Fall’s encouragement) to play with Anthrax in Australia and on that group’s ‘Metal Alliance’ U.S. tour this spring. But it is not known if his absence played into the band bowing out of their overseas dates. The group offered their statement on the matter in a Facebook posting that reads as follows: Due to a number of circumstances beyond our control, Shadows Fall has been forced to cancel our upcoming European tour with Testament and our co-headlining UK run with Ill Niño. We tried everything we could to make this tour happen and exhausted all options we could think of but unfortunately we were not able to work it out. We sincerely apologize to all the fans, promoters and bands involved. Everyone in Shadows Fall thank you for understanding and we plan on making it up to our European fans as soon as possible. Shadows Fall have been promoting their ‘ Fire From the Sky ‘ album, which dropped last May. The disc has already spawned the title track and the follow-up single ‘ The Unknown .’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/shadows-fall-thoughts-without-words-top-21st-century-metal-songs/” title=”Next: Shadows Fall – Top 21st Century Metal Songs” align=”center”]
You will see this tour and you will like it ! Both Testament and Overkill successfully raided 2012 with awesome new albums, and luckily for thrash fans, the two bands have teamed up to create the must-see ‘Dark Roots of Thrash’ tour, beginning in January 2013. Many veteran thrash bands deserve the utmost respect when it comes to their accomplishments in 2012. Testament released their ‘Dark Roots of Earth’ album and toured extensively with Anthrax and Death Angel throughout the year; both the album and the tour were incredible well-received. Fellow thrash veterans Overkill unleashed their sixteenth studio album, ‘The Electric Age,’ in 2012 and embarked a mass of festival dates along with a monster tour with God Forbid . It’s only right that two of the greatest thrash acts outside of the ‘Big 4′ converge for a tour of mammoth proportions, taking along Arizona thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam along with Australian thrash metal act 4ARM. “It’s a thrill to announce our upcoming dates with Overkill and Flotsam and Jetsam,” says Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick . “It’s a tour that brings together three different metal bands from three different regions: West Coast, East Coast and Southwest. All three bands sound very different from one another yet are highly compatible. All have been around the block (and the world) a few times and all have managed to keep a sound that feels current. This tour will be a ‘must see’ for fans who remember the early days of thrash/speed metal as well as those whose age is younger than the genre itself.” Find out where you’ll be kicking in skulls by checking out the official tour dates below. ‘Dark Roots of Thrash’ 2013 Tour Dates: 01/30 – San Francisco, Calif. @ The Filmore (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 01/31 – Anaheim, Calif. @ House Of Blues (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/01 – Tempe, Ariz. @ The Marquee (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/02 – Hollywood, Calif. @ House Of Blues (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/04 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theater (no Flotsam And Jetsam) 02/05 – Austin, Texas @ Emo’s 02/06 – Houston, Texas @ House Of Blues 02/07 – Dallas, Texas @ House Of Blues 02/09 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade 02/10 – Charlotte, N.C. @ The Fillmore 02/12 – Silver Spring, Md. @ The Fillmore 02/13 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ Trocadero 02/14 – New York, N.Y. @ Best Buy Theatre 02/15 – Huntington, N.Y. @ The Paramount 02/16 – Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium 02/17 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Town Ballroom 02/18 – Toronto, Ontario @ Phoenix Concert Theatre 02/20 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Bogart’s 02/21 – Grand Rapids, Mich. @ The Intersection 02/22 – Milwaukee, Wis. @ The Rave 02/23 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ First Avenue 02/25 – Denver, Colo. @ The Summit Music Hall 02/26 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ In The Venue 02/27 – Reno, Nev. @ Knitting Factory 02/28 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Ace Of Spades
Gojira picked up their first win this week in our Death Match after defeating thrash legends Testament. Gojira’s track ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’ is proving to be one of the most exciting songs of the year, but another band with a sterling reputation for composition and musicianship is ready to challenge the French metallers with a spacey new jam. Between the Buried and Me showcase some of metal’s greatest pure musicians on
Testament have just dealt British grind innovators Napalm Death some ‘True American Hate,’ as the thrash legends claim their first win in our Death Match. Having conquered one of England’s most legendary metal bands, Testament now look further to the east, as they begin their attack on France and one of their most celebrated musical exports. Gojira couldn’t be any hotter right now. Having just released their fifth album, ‘L’Enfant