Testament Brotherhood of the Snake Tour 4/24/2017

Written By: Eric Littman

Testament Brotherhood of the Snake Tour 4/24/2017

It could be said that The God’s of metal were smiling down on Rams Head Live in Baltimore as Testament took the stage and proved just why they are one of the most underrated metal bands to walk this planet….
With their eleventh studio album 2016’s Brotherhood of the Snake Testament has once again returned to the front of the line of the metal arena. Along for the ride tough with Testament is the Brazilian metal powerhouse Sepultura as well as New York’s own crossover trash band Prong and death metal band The Convalescence. Together these four groups put together an unforgettable night filled with a whole hell of a lot of banging heads. 
First up for the night was The Convalescence. This death metal monster of a band brought the crowd back to the days when death metal scared us while also giving us a melodic, doom groove that made us move or bodies and bang our heads. Next in line was the metal/trash/punk band let’s call it a melting pot known as Prong. With their blistering 30 minute set featuring tracks such as “Unconditional”, “Whose Fist Is This Anyway”, “Ultimate Authority” and of course “Snap Your Finger Snap Your Neck” . Prong waited no time reminding us just why they have been kicking our asses for the past 27 years.
Sepultura took the stage as only the Brazilian Metal Powerhouse could. If you didn’t know who Sepultura was before April 24th then you were living under a rock, and guess what they just pummeled that rock into dust. Sepultura awoke a sleeping giant not only in myself but in every fan at Rams Head Live, with old school Sepultura tracks like “Inner Self” and “Roots Bloody Roots” to 2017’s “I Am The Enemy” and “Phantom Self”
As I looked at the supporting acts for this night I thought to myself that anyone of these bands could be a headliner, but tonight Testament proved to everyone just why it was their night. From the first note our ears hear from Alex Skolnick’s guitar to the commanding vocals of Chuck Billy on the title track from the album Brotherhood of the Snake which bares the same name, we realize that this is what Testament does. They write songs that when they ear hears them seem epic, and commanding. Making you listen to ever intricate note and every lyric listen for the story and envisioning what exactly is being laid out before you.
Testament’s set can only be described as a journey. Their ability to mix the new music or tracks with the old tracks was almost as if they had a great recipe, one that each of us devoured. With songs like the title track of the album BrotherHood of the Snake to “Rise Up” and “Centuries Of Suffering” to my personal favorite “Into The Pit” and the “Electric Crown” Testament gave the fans a taste of everything, and I would be remise if I didn’t include Alex Skolnick’s guitar solo, as well as Eric Peterson’s guitar solo, and Gene Hoglan’s drum solo and Steve Digiorgio’s bass solo. Showing all of us the fans the commitment that Testament has to their shows, their fans and the music they make.
As I leave Rams Head I’m once again reminded that Testament is truly one of metals most underrated bands and deserve to be recognized as the Metal Giants, dare I say Gods that they are….

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