TESTAMENT's ALEX SKOLNICK On New Drummer CHRIS DOVAS: 'He's Fired Us Up. He's Brought A Whole New Flavor.'

During an appearance on a recent episode of the Talk Louder podcast, hosted by veteran music journalist "Metal Dave" Glessner and lifelong hard rock/metal vocalist Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS),TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick spoke about the band's latest album, "Para Bellum", which marks the recording debut with the group of powerhouse drummer Chris Dovas. Working closely with guitarist Eric 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. Regarding how Chris came to join TESTAMENT, Alex said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I have to give credit to Eric Peterson, the band founder and guitarist, 'cause he found Chris online. And it would be very easy [to find someone well-known] — we have so many friends in the community now. And, of course, all our phones blow up, drummers we know: 'Hey, man…'"

Skolnick continued: "[Eric and Chris] were in in touch. Eric was looking at these guys. And he was kind of leaning towards getting somebody young, getting somebody that'll fire us up, that knows our stuff, but also is very in touch with what's going on now, groups that are sort of millennial and even maybe Gen Z. One of our friends that hit us up was our great buddy Dave Lombardo [ex-SLAYER], who's one of the greatest drummers of all time. And he sort of just became available as we were starting this tour cycle, and Gene Hoglan [now-former TESTAMENT drummer] was overly booked. And this was partially because of the pandemic, 'cause all the plans got shifted. So all our 2020 plans, by 2022 and 2023, that calendar is getting filled with plans from 2020. But Gene already had his 2022, and so forth, plans laid out after the TESTAMENT record cycle. So suddenly he had this conflict, and that was what led to him departing. And then suddenly Dave was available. We did the tour with Dave. It was amazing, and we've gotten to be even be better friends, but when it came to doing the next record and doing the cycle and spending hours upon hours in a room with Eric as he works out his riffs — 'cause Eric really likes to work out riffs with a live drummer — Dave, he was spread too thin between MR. BUNGLE, the MISFITS and various other things. And even during the tour, we had to have a sub for him for a few shows. So when we did, Chris was the sub."

Skolnick added: "Chris came out, and I have to say, that's a tall order, filling in for Lombardo and explaining to the fans, 'Sorry, Dave will not be making an appearance tonight.' It's like an understudy in a play… So, he was the understudy… And nobody complained after the shows. I remember just thinking about this: 'Everybody's happy. I can't picture them being any happier had Dave been able to make it.' So, okay, that really says something. So, yeah, he's fired us up. He's brought a whole new flavor. There's definitely more extreme music there [on 'Para Bellum']. And I think it's good. We have enough music now of the classic TESTAMENT. And some of those songs [on 'Para Bellum'] do venture into that territory. But I'm glad — I'm glad we're going into new territory, and doing it with a musician on that level just makes it really exciting."

Two months ago, Eric spoke to Alex Stojanovic of Metal Master Kingdom about his musical chemistry with Chris, who is less than half his age, having been born in 1998, 11 years after the release of TESTAMENT's debut album. Eric said: "Well, we're in modern times, so everyday life is the same for everybody. But, yeah, it's not like I'm getting somebody from Elvis's [Presley] band in the '50s and I'm in the '70s and I'm a hippie. It used to be really decades apart, but for some reason in the 2000s everything's kind of not really changed, if that makes any sense. And I think from his schooling and his dad's a metalhead, he was very much influenced and listens to the same kind of stuff we did. I mean, the first question I would ask someone of that age is, 'Have you ever tripped on DEEP PURPLE or UFO?' Or, 'What about RUSH? He's all, 'RUSH. I love 'Hemispheres'.' And I'm, like, 'Dude, that's my favorite record.' So the technicality of those kind of records. And then, of course, for me in TESTAMENT, I'm probably the only one that listens to [black metal bands like] DISSECTION and EMPEROR and knows about WATAIN and stuff like that. I don't think any of the other guys listen to that, but Chris is, like, 'Oh, yeah.' So right away we're just like two peas in a pod."

Released on October 10 via Nuclear Blast Records, "Para Bellum" was recorded with Juan Urteaga, mixed by Jens Bogren at Fascination Street Studios, and was mastered by Tony Lindgren at Fascination Street Studios. TESTAMENT once again enlisted Eliran Kantor to create the album artwork.