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)
Trial By Fire
Testament Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sentenced to endless time
The price you have to pay
Won't get away!
Sworn in by the stand
Your rights are gone
The system's banned
They think you are a liar
Hey!
This is what the people say,
A new way
A trial by fire!
Locked in an empty cell
Your life becomes a living hell
The river of fire flows
Time only knows!
Trapped by flames of fury
Ordered unto by the jury
Death is their desire
Thrown in the fire!
Hey!
This is what the people say,
A new way
A trial by fire!
Quiver by the fiery light
Cringing as your soul ignites
The book of law's been thrown away
Starting today!
The system before the war
Is gone for now and evermore
There is no sentence higher
A trial by fire!
Hey!
This is what the people say,
A new way
A trial by fire!
The lyrics of Testament's song "Trial By Fire" depict the horrors of being falsely accused, tried, and sentenced to long-lasting punishment. The accused is stripped of their rights, and the system that is supposed to protect them has failed. They are left alone to face punishments, which include being locked in an empty cell, and eventually, death. The "trial by fire" serves as a metaphor for the intense suffering and pain they endure.
The song represents the lengths that people can go to in pursuit of justice. In some cases, the legal system may fail and lead to an unfair outcome. This song challenges the idea of whether the society is essentially just or not. The lyrics also address the fallacy of the legal system – that it cannot differentiate between truth and lies but just considers evidence presented before the courts.
In conclusion, the song "Trial by Fire" portrays the unfairness and brutality wrought by the legal system onto an innocent person. The song is a warning about how the legal system can fail to provide justice, leading to the innocent suffering. The lyrics criticize the human tendency towards vengeance instead of seeking the truth.
Line by Line Meaning
Accuse you of a crime
You've been accused of something illegal
Sentenced to endless time
You'll be imprisoned indefinitely
The price you have to pay
You'll suffer the consequences of your actions
Won't get away!
There's no escaping punishment
Sworn in by the stand
You've taken an oath to tell the truth
Your rights are gone
You're no longer entitled to your basic human rights
The system's banned
The justice system has failed or been abolished
They think you are a liar
The authorities don't believe your innocence
A trial by fire
You'll face a brutal and intense test of your guilt or innocence
Locked in an empty cell
You'll be confined to a small, isolated room
Your life becomes a living hell
Your daily existence is miserable and torturous
The river of fire flows
You're engulfed in flames of punishment and suffering
Time only knows!
Only time can tell how long your suffering will last
Trapped by flames of fury
You're surrounded by intense anger and aggression
Ordered unto by the jury
The jury has made a decision against you
Death is their desire
The jury wants you to be executed
Thrown in the fire!
You're mercilessly cast into the flames to be punished
Quiver by the fiery light
You tremble in the glow of the flames
Cringing as your soul ignites
You're filled with intense fear and agony
The book of law's been thrown away
The justice system is no longer being followed
Starting today!
From now on, things will be different
The system before the war
The justice system used to function normally, but not anymore
Is gone for now and evermore
The system is gone permanently and can never be restored
There is no sentence higher
The punishment you face is the most extreme there is
A trial by fire!
You'll face a brutal and intense test of your guilt or innocence
Hey!
An expression of attention-grabbing
This is what the people say,
This is the ominous message from those in power
A new way
A change in the way things are done
A trial by fire!
You'll face a brutal and intense test of your guilt or innocence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER NATHAN SKOLNICK, CHARLES BILLY, ERIC STANLEY PETERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Andrew Martin
One of the best metal intros I ever heard.
Jessica Rozalowska
Agreeeee ✨
PoetryETrain
you got it.
Artem Mezen
Sepultura School.
Rodney Torres
Without a doubt!
69Curtdog
@Julian Scholnick was a student of Satriani so you know his shit is tight.
Thaydrian
I was 15 when I saw Testament on The New Order tour with Raven (Drummer wore a hockey mask) and Sanctuary! I have been a loyal and dedicated Testament fan ever since! Alex Skolnick has been my guitar idol since that day! I am 42 now, I would give anything to go back and do it all over again.
Thaydrian
@Aidan B I know man, growing old FUCKING SUCKS! METAL 4-LIFE!!
Aidan B
Ooft, you're 49 now
oui.
My first time seeing theme was at the same age but it was one month ago lol