Labeled as one of the "big six" of the 1980s Bay Area thrash metal scene (along with Exodus, Death Angel, Lååz Rockit, Forbidden and Vio-lence), Testament is often credited as one of the most popular and influential bands of the thrash metal scene, as well as one of the leaders of the second wave of the genre in the late 1980s. They have also been referred to as one of the "big eight" of thrash metal, along with Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Anthrax, Exodus, Overkill and Death Angel. The band has sold over 1.4 million albums in the United States since the beginning of the SoundScan era and over 14 million copies worldwide. To date, Testament has released thirteen studio albums (one of which is a collection of re-recorded songs), four live albums, five compilation albums, twelve singles and three DVDs.
After signing to Atlantic Records in 1986, and changing its name from Legacy to Testament, the band released their debut album The Legacy in 1987, followed a year later by The New Order (1988); both albums were acclaimed by critics and the press, including heavy metal-related publications. The band achieved mainstream popularity with its third album Practice What You Preach (1989), which was Testament's first album to climb up the Top 100 on the Billboard 200 chart. A string of more successful albums were released during the early-to-mid-1990s, including Souls of Black (1990), The Ritual (1992) and Low (1994), with the first two also entering the Top 100 on the Billboard 200 chart. After Atlantic dropped the band in 1995, Testament (who had at this point had begun to experiment with a death metal-influenced sound) continued to record and perform until their temporary hiatus in 2001, when Billy was diagnosed with cancer. By 2005, his cancer was in remission and Testament had resumed activity, which saw a brief reunion of The Legacy lineup, resulting in the live album Live in London. Since then, Testament has experienced a resurgence of popularity, with four of their studio albums—The Formation of Damnation (2008), Dark Roots of Earth (2012), Brotherhood of the Snake (2016) and Titans of Creation (2020)—all entering the Top 100 on the Billboard 200, and they have continued to tour consistently.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testament_(band)
Studio albums
The Legacy (1987)
The New Order (1988)
Practice What You Preach (1989)
Souls of Black (1990)
The Ritual (1992)
Low (1994)
Demonic (1997)
The Gathering (1999)
First Strike Still Deadly (2001)
The Formation of Damnation (2008)
Dark Roots of Earth (2012)
Brotherhood of the Snake (2016)
Titans of Creation (2020)
Down for Life
Testament Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What I see is like no other
What we had forever lost
Can't deny our friendship
Feeling like it's time to end this
Bad relation ripped apart
And disaranged
We didn't know it
Any other way
Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I am not about to run away
Turn my back to him
In his darkest hour
Give him will to fight
Antagonize his thoughts
See him thew his thoughest times
Purify his weakened heart
All the friends
We feel the same
The way it was
Back in the day
The more we change
He stays the same
Will we ever see our friend again
I... feel that...
I can't protect myfriend from himself
All I've got
Are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain
Inside me thoughts
Even as we speak
As troubled as it seems
He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was
And always will be
When we're young
And disaranged
We didn't know it
Any other way
Now were grown
He's still the same
People see him suffering
I... feel...
I cannot help my friend
Help him self
You... can't hear what I say
Never going away...
Still friends down for life...
Can you still fight...
All I've got
Are these lessons learned in life
The lessons I've been taught
They still remain
Inside me thoughts
Even as we speak
As troubled as it seems
He'll always be a friend of mind
That's the way it was
And always will be
Now in the end
It plain to see
What kind of friend
He has been for me
All along he could never see
Who he was
And always be
I... feel...
I cannot help my friend
Help him self
The song "Down For Life" by Testament is a heartfelt tribute to the band's friendship and brotherhood. The lyrics paint a picture of a tight-knit group of friends who have grown and changed over the years but still feel a deep connection to each other. The singer laments the fact that his friend is struggling and suffering but is determined to stand by him and offer support, even when it seems impossible to help. The song is a powerful reminder of the importance of loyalty, solidarity, and compassion in the face of adversity.
The first verse sets the stage for the rest of the song, emphasizing the uniqueness and depth of the friendship. The second verse acknowledges the challenges that the group has faced over the years, including the pain of their past and the difficulty of growing up. However, the chorus reaffirms the band's commitment to each other, expressing their unshakable bond and willingness to fight for their friendship no matter what.
The third verse takes a more introspective turn, addressing the singer's own limitations in helping his friend. However, the final verse reveals the true strength of their relationship, as the singer reflects on his friend's character and how much he has contributed to their lives. In the end, the song is a celebration of the enduring power of friendship and the importance of being there for each other through thick and thin.
Line by Line Meaning
When I see my brother
When I see my friend and lifelong companion
What I see is like no other
The unique bond I share with him
What we had forever lost
The connection that we had previously lost for a time
Can't deny our friendship
The unmistakable friendship we shared
Feeling like it's time to end this
Feeling like it's time to end the animosity between us
Bad relation ripped apart
The negative feelings that have torn us apart
When we're young
During our younger and formative years
And disaranged
During a time of confusion and turmoil
We didn't know it
We didn't understand or recognize it
Any other way
We didn't know any other way to live or interact
Now were grown
Now that we are mature
He's still the same
My friend is still struggling with the same issues
People see him suffering
Others can see that he is going through a hard time
I am not about to run away
I'm not going to abandon him
Turn my back to him
I will not ignore his problems
In his darkest hour
During his most difficult moments
Give him will to fight
Encourage him to keep going and never give up
Antagonize his thoughts
Challenge his negative thinking
See him thew his thoughest times
Support him through his most trying moments
Purify his weakened heart
Help him recover emotionally
All the friends
All of our mutual friends
We feel the same
We all have the same feelings towards our friend
The way it was
As it was in the past
Back in the day
In our younger years
The more we change
Despite our personal growth and evolution
He stays the same
Our friend remains in a difficult place
Will we ever see our friend again
Can we help our friend overcome his struggles?
I... feel that...
I have a sense that...
I can't protect my friend from himself
I can't shield my friend from the harm he brings upon himself
All I've got
The only thing I have
Are these lessons learned in life
Are the lessons I have learned from experience
The lessons I've been taught
The important lessons I was taught growing up
They still remain
They are still applicable to my life
Inside me thoughts
Deeply ingrained in my thoughts and beliefs
Even as we speak
Even now in this moment
As troubled as it seems
Even though the situation seems difficult
He'll always be a friend of mine
He will always be my dear friend
You... can't hear what I say
You can't grasp the depth of my message
Never going away...
My feelings and loyalty will never fade
Still friends down for life...
We will always be close friends
Can you still fight...
Are you willing to persevere through the challenges?
Now in the end
Now that we are older and more experienced
It plain to see
It is evident
What kind of friend
What a loyal and steadfast friend
He has been for me
He has been there for me through thick and thin
All along he could never see
All along, he was unable to see
Who he was
His true identity and worth
And always be
And who he will always be
I cannot help my friend
I am unable to fix my friend's problems by myself
Help him self
He must take action and help himself
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JOSEPH ANGEL, DARREN, JR. BILLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind