Testament will release their new album, Para Bellum, on October 10th through Nuclear Blast. The LP stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity’s uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, Para Bellum sees Testament reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.
Today, Testament deliver one of their most intense songs they’ve written to date, Infanticide A.I. Lead by the blinding speed of their new drummer Chris Dovas, the band shows off its musical talent far beyond their expected norms. Watch the music video for Infanticide A.I., directed by Joey Durango, below.
Testament singer Chuck Billy comments, “The new album Para Bellum consists of some fast, heavy and melodic tunes. Once again [guitarist Eric] Peterson has found a way to keep the song writing fresh and modern sounding. It’s gonna be hard to choose what songs to play live cause to many to choose from.”
Peterson states “It’s been five years since our last record Titans Of Creation was released. Since then, we all waited to get back to it and we all did in a big way! Now our long over due new record Para Bellum is upon us and about to be released in October. We are super stoked and excited to release new blood and fury to you all! With our first single Infanticide A.I. we’re coming out swinging. But with new velocities of fury, while maintaining a balance that we all love and know from a Testament track. Enjoy.”
With every generation comes a great war. It may take years to fully reveal itself, but the seasoned warrior knows preparation is everything. Now in 2025, Bay Area thrash metal icons Testament return with their fourteenth studio album, Para Bellum. Taken from the Latin phrase “Si vis pacem, para bellum” — “If you want peace, prepare for war” — the album stands as both a battle cry and an observation of humanity’s uneasy alliance with its own creations. As technology accelerates and disconnection grows, Para Bellum sees Testament reflecting the modern chaos through music that’s urgent, sharp, and unflinchingly human.
True to Testament‘s legacy, Para Bellum is a masterclass in dynamic thrash songwriting, guided by founding guitarist Eric Peterson and vocalist Chuck Billy, who continue to lead the band with vision and force. Each track on the album stands on its own — distinct in structure, key, and atmosphere — but when taken together, they create a record that flows seamlessly, puzzle-like, through eras and styles. From the haunting, groove-laden Shadow People to the whiplash intensity of Infanticide A.I., the band explores themes both timeless and immediate: technology’s encroachment, supernatural dread, generational collapse, and duels worthy of a standoff in The Gathering-esque High Noon.
“Who’s the fastest?” Billy jokes, “It sounds like there is about to be a draw.” Songs shift effortlessly from pummeling thrash to eerie darkness, with Chuck stretching his voice across clean chants, guttural roars, and whispers of doom, all in perfect sync with the mood of each piece.
To the delight of many life-long Testament fans, this record also sees the inclusion of a ballad for the first time in many years. Precisely formulated to weave effortlessly with the album, Meant To Be contains a world of variety within itself; “I love how the song takes off at the end and just doesn’t look back,” explains Peterson. “It’s different, but it fits. It’s like a breath of fresh air.” This also marks another novel moment for the band using true, orchestrated strings performed by world renowned cellist Dave Eggar.
A major evolution on Para Bellum is the addition of powerhouse drummer Chris Dovas, whose precision, speed, and instinctive dynamics infuse the album with fresh energy. Working closely with Peterson throughout the writing process, Dovas helped shape song structures, accelerated the workflow, and injected a level of versatility that amplifies the album’s modern edge without straying from the Testament sound. “He’s so inspired and quick to throw ideas back,” says Peterson, who also embraced his own black metal influences more heavily this time, both vocally and in the guitar work. Tracks like Infanticide A.I. and For The Love Of Pain reflect this genre-blending approach — tight thrash foundations with ripples of black metal atmosphere. “Eric and I have a lot of similar influences,” explains Dovas, “We worked really closely on this album and had a great time.”
Alongside Peterson, Alex Skolnick‘s guitar work remains both razor-sharp and exploratory. “This album captures many different sides of the band through the years, along with some fresh new sounds,” Skolnick notes. “There’s a little something for everyone. You will not be disappointed.” Rounding out the rhythm section is the inimitable Steve DiGiorgio, whose walking bass lines add a unique low-ness, and technical depth, locking in flawlessly with Dovas‘s expressive drumming. Meanwhile, Chuck leads the lyrical vision with contributions from longtime collaborator Del James and other friends, weaving a mix of supernatural mythos, sociopolitical commentary, and apocalyptic dread.
Para Bellum is extremely polished and operating at full throttle…
…In its opening notes, Para Bellum nods to the past by resurrecting a lost bridge from The Legacy — a full-circle moment that anchors the album’s expansive sonic journey. And as it ends, it does so peacefully, with a moment of classical-esque finger picking long used by Peterson to warm up his hands before battle. From first note to last breath, Para Bellum is an album by warriors — crafted in chaos, and built to outlast the wars to come.
Para Bellum track listing:
1. For The Love Of Pain
2. Infanticide A.I.
3. Shadow People
4. Meant To Be
5. High Noon
6. Witch Hunt
7. Nature Of The Beast
8. Room 117
9. Havana Syndrome
10. Para Bellum
2 Responses
What a crushing song! I just put in a “pre-order” for this forthcoming Testament album! Into the pit!!
Glad you liked it.