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)
Draw The Line
Testament Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Beat you at your own damn game
No dice honey
I'm livin' on the astral plane
Feet's on the ground
Your head's going down the drain
Heads I win, tails you lose
To the never mind
An indian summer
Carrie was all over the floor
She was a wet net winner
And rarely ever left the store
She'd sing and dance all night
And wrong all the right out of me
Pass me the vile and cross your fingers
It don't take time
Nowhere to Draw The Line
Hi we were singin' on your cowboy song
You told Carrie
And promised her you wouldn't be long
Heads I win, tails you lose
Lord it's such a crime
No dice honey
You're salt, you're the queen of the brine
Checkmate honey
You're the only one who's got to choose
Where to Draw The Line
Checkmate, don't be late
Take another blow
That's right
It's possible to wreck it
Cuz' you kill yourself
When you rock to the top
Your the boss of yourself
So suffer
Now Draw The Line
ooo-Yeah
(Repeat)
The lyrics to Testament's Draw The Line are enigmatic and open to interpretation. The song appears to be about a relationship gone sour and a power struggle between two individuals. The singer seems to be coming out on top and confidently declaring that the other person can choose where to draw the line. The mention of Indian summer and Carrie suggest a sense of nostalgia, perhaps indicating that this relationship had been going on for a while.
The lyrics utilize chess and gambling metaphors such as "checkmate honey," "heads I win, tails you lose," and "no dice honey," emphasizing the manipulative nature of the relationship between the two people. The singer is portrayed as living on the astral plane, distinguished from the grounded and more inferior headspace of the other person. The reference to passing the vile suggests drug use, further complicating the scenario. The song ends with a call to action, encouraging the listener to draw their own line and take control of their own life.
Line by Line Meaning
Checkmate honey
I've got you beat, there's no way to win
Beat you at your own damn game
I've outsmarted you using your own tactics
No dice honey
You're not going to get what you want
I'm livin' on the astral plane
I'm above you, operating on a higher level
Feet's on the ground
I'm firmly grounded and practical
Your head's going down the drain
Your thoughts and plans are falling apart
Heads I win, tails you lose
I'm always going to come out on top
To the never mind
I don't care about what you think or say
That's where I Draw The Line
I won't tolerate any more of your behavior
An indian summer
A brief period of false hope
Carrie was all over the floor
Carrie was causing a commotion
She was a wet net winner
She succeeded by cheating
And rarely ever left the store
She was obsessed and didn't have a life outside of her scheme
She'd sing and dance all night
She put on an act to hide her true intentions
And wrong all the right out of me
She corrupted my values and morals
Pass me the vile and cross your fingers
Let's roll the dice and hope for the best
It don't take time
Luck can change in an instant
Nowhere to Draw The Line
There are no boundaries to her deceit
Hi we were singin' on your cowboy song
We were enjoying ourselves with your entertainment
You told Carrie
You confided in Carrie
And promised her you wouldn't be long
You gave her false hope and made her wait for you
Lord it's such a crime
It's a tragedy and a betrayal
You're salt, you're the queen of the brine
You're worthless and beneath me
Checkmate honey
I've got you cornered, there's no escape
You're the only one who's got to choose
You have the power to change your actions
Where to Draw The Line
To decide what behavior is acceptable
Checkmate, don't be late
Don't delay in accepting defeat
Take another blow
Endure another setback
It's possible to wreck it
You can ruin everything
Cuz' you kill yourself
You're sabotaging your own success
When you rock to the top
When you experience success
Your the boss of yourself
You're in control of your own destiny
So suffer
Face the consequences of your actions
Now Draw The Line
Take responsibility and establish boundaries
ooo-Yeah
An expression of enthusiasm
Contributed by Sebastian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.