What does it take to reclaim past glory? Testament are trying to answer that question with The Formation of Damnation. The band, which was one of the pioneers of the Bay Area thrash-metal scene along with groups like Exodus and Metallica, has not released an album of new studio material since 1999. Since then, most of the classic lineup has gotten back together and raised expectations through the roof for the new album.

WEST HOLLYWOOD, California - Thrash metal veterans Testament have always lived in the shadow of contemporaries like Metallica and Megadeth, though one would never have known it during their statement-making performance at the Key Club in West Hollywood last night. The band returned to the historic venue with most of its original lineup for the first time in quite awhile and received a hero's welcome from the SoCal faithful.

Children of Bodom have been all over the metal spectrum throughout their career. The Finnish sensations have been classified as everything from power metal to black metal to death metal. Blooddrunk, however, finds them pretty firmly entrenched in thrash-metal mode. Frontman Alexi Laiho had stated in an interview several months ago that the new stuff would be thrashy with some progressive influence thrown in for good measure. It turns out that he was spot on in his diagnosis.