The Good
Hmmm... Now I'm a big Testament fan, but I can't say that this was one of my most anticipated releases this year. I think it is great that they got Alex Skolnick back for the lead guitar work, he still sounds great. And bringing in original Legacy singer Steve Souza is a real treat for Testament fans. None of the songs stand out as being better that the original, however. Including Reign of Terror is the highlight, I guess, but I would have preferred to hear Chuck Billy singing at least part of this.

The Bad
Alone in the Dark sounds like they slowed it down a little. Maybe Souza couldn't sing it as fast as Billy. While I like the fact that they brought Souza in for a couple of songs, I think it would have been much cooler to hear him trading off verses with Billy. You know, both singing on the same song. Oh well, I guess (and hope) that this is just filler while Chuck is battling cancer.

The Packaging
The cover is a greenish black picture of the Legacy symbol. Pentagram and demon, how frightening. Lyrics are also included, so that is nice.

Bottom Line
I guess "indifferent" is the best way to describe this. I like the original versions better, but this is still Testament, so it definitely shreds. For die-hards only.

December 5, 2001

1. First Strike Is Deadly
2. Into The Pit
3. Trial By Fire
4. Disciples Of The Watch
5. The Preacher
6. Burnt Offerings
7. Over The Wall
8. The New Order
9. The Haunting
10. Alone In The Dark
11. Reign Of Terror