Testimony of the Ancients [Import]

Testimony of the Ancients [Import]

Track Listings

1. Secrecies of Horror

2. Bitterness

3. Twisted Truth

4. Darkening

5. Lost Souls

6. Blood

7. Land of Tears

8. Free Us From Temptation

9. Prophetic Revelations

10. Impure

11. Testimony

12. Soulless

13. Presence of the Dead

14. Mindwarp

15. Stigmatized

16. In Sorrow

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Swedish edition of the Dutch death metal act's 1991 album. 16 tracks. Roadrunner.

Testimony of the Ancients,Pestilence,Roadrunner Int'l,Heavy Metal,Popular Music,Rock

Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients
Average customer rating:

Killer 2-Disc Reissue!!

It will make you wish for a quick and painless death ;-).

Slab of Evolution

WOW...too bad they didn't last

Death Metal Has A New Name

Consuming Impulse/Testimony of the Ancients
Pestilence
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Progressive Metal | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music
Death Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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Thrash & Speed Metal | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:

Effigy of the Forgotten/Pierced from Within

Slowly We Rot/Cause of Death

Slaughter in the Vatican/The Law

Considered Dead/The Erosion of Sanity

Unquestionable Presence

ASIN: B0000C0FIL
Release Date: 2003-09-09

Tracks:

Dehydrated
Process of Suffocation
Suspended Animation
Trauma
Chronic Infection
Out of the Body
Echoes of Death
Deify Thy Master
Proliferous Souls
Reduced to Ashes

Tracks:

Secrecies of Horror
Bitterness
Twisted Truth
Darkening
Lost Souls
Blood
Land of Tears
Free Us from Temptation
Prophetic Revelations
Impure
Testimony
Souless
Presence of the Dead
Mind Wrap
Stigmatized
In Sorrow

Album Description

UK twofer combines the Dutch death metaller's 1989 albums, 'Consuming Impulse' & 'Testimony Of The Ancients', both are unavailable domestically. Roadrunner. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Killer 2-Disc Reissue!!.......2007-04-03

Consuming Impulse- A pinnacle in death and thrash, this 1989 release, however dated it may be, is one of the strongest efforts by any band in the genre. Every track is killer and will tear the heads from the unsuspected. My personal favorites are "The Process Of Suffocation", "The Trauma", "Chronic Infection", "Defy Thy Master", and "Reduced To Ashes".

Testimony Of The Ancients- A solid, albeit dissimilar in many ways, follow-up to 1989's Consuming Impulse. This album is very similar to Atheist's Unquestionable Presence. The instrumental intros to each song are somewhat unnecessary but those can easily be skipped. A very different album than most in the genre and a true case of Pestilence's constant ability to push the envelope and redefine what metal is and can sound. Not for everybody but those with the right kind of ears will be pleasantly surprised with what they hear. Out of print for too long, this along with its predecessor, was reissued in a two-disc set by Roadrunner in 2003.

It will make you wish for a quick and painless death ;-)........2007-01-24

I honestly didn't know what to review for this since the reviewer below already did a better job and couldn't have said it any better but I'll try my best. Both these albums from Pestilence as you may know are classics and are true death metal masterpieces, Pestilence's music is a combination of death and faster speed and thrash style riffs. It was released during the time period of the early 90's when more influential death metal bands started arriving, I'm glad that roadrunner dicided to release these two awesome cds from their vaults and its like getting two albums for the price of one so its a bargain. Inside the cover you'll find some liner notes telling you about the history of this prolific band from Holland (O.k. I wouldn't exactely say prolific since they only had a few albums released!).

The first album Consuming Impulse is my favorite of the two mainly because it sounds more raw and aggressive it's as if each track is trying to prove something and its unrelentless brutality creates an amazing wall of sound. The whole album is flawless and to me it seems difficult to choose a favorite track but I have to say that Suspended Animation was great and they incorporated a synthesizer during the middle to make it sound more wierd and evil as if it was a gothic horror film, it doesn't sound cheesy infact it helps the song sound better as the riff later uses the same sound as the synth to make an awesome headbanging track. Another highlight would be Chronic Infection and Out of the body which flow together very well and is very atmospheric. The singers vocals sound very twisted like a tortured soul and he sounds almost like John Tardy from Obituary so he sounds inhuman as he starts growling DEIFY THY MASTEEEERRRRRRR!!!!! yeah this is an album that has definitely stood out among the rest of the death metal groups and you will hear this immediately upon first listen that it was ahead of it's time so its very essential and heavy as hell.

Testimony Of The Ancients was slightly different as it has a more clear production, the band couldn't move into a more brutal level so they searched to gain in intensity rather than in brutality. They came up with the lyrical contents that include H.P. Lovecraft and a sci/fi concept which was very clever instead of the usual death and gore type lyrics that death metal is usualy known for. Each track cuts with an interlude this is usaualy a wierd sound effect, the songs have a classical and jazz influence to them but still sound as brutal as the first album, for me the highlight of the album was Prophetic Revelations with its slow and sludgier sounding riff in the beginning of the song which sounds like a grinding machine I loved it infact this whole album is pure brilliance with lots of wailing guitar solos, the other great songs are Stigmatized (which will make your neck snap from all that headbanging), Twisted truth, Lost souls, Land of tears and Testimony. What else can I say YOU NEED TO GET THESE TWO ALBUMS FROM PESTILENCE NOW! STOP READING THIS REVIEW!.

Slab of Evolution.......2006-02-03

Feeling nostalgic, I recently ordered this set, the jewel of Roadrunner Records' "Two from the Vault" series of two-for-one reissues, and now I can't seem to get it out of the CD player.
The package collects 1989's "Consuming Impulse" and 1991's "Testimony of the Ancients" by Pestilence, Holland's superb answer to the first wave of real death metal. The forerunners of the genre were spawning in Florida and England but "Impulse" was regarded as something of a landmark at the time, in large part due to the tortured vocals of Martin Van Drunen, who was also posing as the group's bass player at the time. By his own admission, Van Drunen had been hired as the lead vocalist, but as Pestilence had no bassist at the time, they handed him an instrument and told him to play. His inexperience resulted in guitarist Patrick Mameli playing all the bass lines on "Impulse" and its rawer predecessor, "Maleus Malefecarum." By the time of the release of "Consuming Impulse", Van Drunen had become a true vocal maniac, somewhere between Jeff Beccera of Possessed and John Tardy of Obituary, comparisons I certainly don't take lightly. He screams like his shorts are on fire throughout the album, giving distinctive character to the violent riffery of Mameli and newly recruited second guitarist Patrick Uterwijk.
The musical backdrop combines thrash-metal aggression with a burgeoning technicality that would come to full fruition on later releases. In a few spots on the CD, Mameli and Uterwijk step out of typical death metal confines by blending seperate rhythm guitar parts for a deeper web of sound, most notably on the fan favorite "Out of the Body." They also suggest their later prog tendencies with the quirkily timed opening riffs of "Echoes of Death." A personal favorite, lyrically and musically, is the eerie, keyboard-tinged "Suspended Animation", probably the most interesting sci-fi scenario on the disc. Van Drunen and murderous drummer Marco Foddis trade off writing lyrics for the album, touching on many standard themes of horror, religion, pollution, etc., and while neither was an ace with the English language yet, "Suspended Animation" could be the synopsis for a Twighlight Zone episode.
Van Drunen hits a vocal peak toward the end of the album with "Deify Thy Master", a shrieking fit that seemingly had him puking blood on the studio walls. Throughout the CD, producer Harris Johns is able to use what is obviously a low budget to its fullest, with every sound pounding from the speakers like it has something to prove.
Fast forward two years, and one lineup change has morphed Pestilence into an almost completely different band: Van Drunen, shockingly, has exited from the band, joining Asphyx, and with no way to properly replace him, Mameli steps into the role of guitarist/vocalist with admirable gusto. "Testimony of the Ancients" sees a stylistic shift beyond just the difference between the voices of Mameli and Van Drunen: the CD feels almost like a concept album, with 30-second interludes of samples, melodic guitars, and keyboards courtesy of Kent Smith (who provided similar creepy moments on Obituary's "Cause of Death" album)in between each song. The lyrics, now almost exclusively penned by Foddis, have improved substantially and tell tales of conjuring demons from pits of lost souls amidst revelations of Lovecraftian alternate universes and such. Mameli's diction is clear and concise; it's possible to understand most of what he says without consulting the lyric sheet. Overall, his sound is most easily compared to "Leprosy"/"Spiritual Healing"-era Chick Schuldiner.
The production is squeaky-clean Scott Burns all the way, with the drums settling back into the mix rather than pummeling your face off, and a nice, pleasant studio crunch in the guitars not heard on the earlier albums. The biggest step forward musically is the selection of the riffs themselves. Each riff on the disc is memorable and easy to follow, even in the most technical sections. Pestilence had truly learned how to write good songs by this point in their career. Foddis' English is tremendously improved, and his lyrics (as well as those of Mameli's sole lyrical contribution on the title track) are actually RHYTHMIC, falling in catchy, tribal cadences, particularly on "Twisted Truth". There is a stony, bendy hook riff on "Prophetic Revelations" which acts as a super satisfying intro and outro, melting through a moaning porn sample into Mameli's "Testimony", which is direct, simple, and absolutely superb. The band goes full-on prog metal for sections of the closer, "Stigmatized", which paves the way for Pestilence's final studio record, "The Sphere", a CD that pushed them to another level of technicality before the group disbanded at a creative impasse. Finally, a noteworthy contribution is made to the CD by then-Cynic bassist Tony Choy, who frankly isn't given much of a chance to spread his wings except on the bass solo "Soulless." Choy would miss out on the chance to play on Cynic's sole offering, "Focus", but would later become a full-time member of Atheist after guesting on this disc.
I can't say enough good things about this set. If you don't own it or plan to own it, you suck.

WOW...too bad they didn't last.......2005-02-07

These guys are unbelievable. I picked this up with the Gorguts "Considered Dead/The Erosion of Sanity" double cd and I must say, they are both worth the 18.99 price tag. Roadrunner is trying to resurrect what made them the label they were before 2000. With the "Two from the Vault" releases, they are releasing two cds for the price of one, mainly old school death metal that made them successful. The thing that gets me is they let some 20 bands go and signed all Nu-Metal when the movement was big. Now that it's dying, they realize no real extreme metal bands (Cradle of Filth doesn't count, if black metal or supposed black metal as they are got any more mainstream it would be sick) want to sign to their label because of the crappy treatment.

Anyway, the music is great, the production is top notch, and listening to Martin van Drunen pre-Asphyx is a blast. Get them.

Death Metal Has A New Name.......2004-11-07

Pestilence is not just any death metal or prog metal band. They're a mixture of both, and I am super lucky that Roadrunner records was able to combine the group's finest albums, "Consuming Impulse" and "Testimony Of The Ancients", together in one package. Both albums are great, especially "Consuming Impulse", which has headbanging classics like "Out Of The Body" and "Dehydrated". "Testimony Of The Ancients" is as good, since "Twisted Truth" and "The Secrecies Of Horror" are some of my favorites. This is a true classic, and if you don't have both albums already, buy this. No penny will be wasted.

Average customer rating:

Better than Consuming Impulse!!!
Awakening of the Ancients.
Testify!
ahh...love it
A must-have for every serious death metal fan

Testimony of the Ancients
Pestilence
Manufacturer: Roadrunner Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock & Metal | Imports | Stores | Music

Rock | Imports | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Consuming Impulse
Spheres
The Ten Commandments
Effigy of the Forgotten
Severed Survival

ASIN: B000008JEW
Release Date: 1991-07-01

Tracks:

Secrecies of Horror
Bitterness
Twisted Truth
Darkening
Lost Souls
Blood
Land of Tears
Free Us From Temptation
Prophetic Revelations
Impure
Testimony
Soulless
Presence of the Dead
Mind Warp
Stigmatized
In Sorrow

Album Description

Swedish edition of the Dutch death metal act's 1991 album. 16 tracks. Roadrunner.

Customer Reviews:

Better than Consuming Impulse!!!.......2005-04-19

This is one of the best technical death metal albums of all time. Every single track is a masterpiece, just buy it!!!!

Awakening of the Ancients........2004-12-11

The concept behind "Testimony of the Ancients" reveals a great deal of interest towards the legacy of past entities, the album arrangement with a short interlude before or after (depending on perspectives) a song create an atmosphere enhanced by the subtle use of keyboards on the main songs. Such complex songs such as "Twisted Truth", "Testimony" and "Presence of the Dead" have interesting use of tempo and variation underlined by defined bass lines that play at their own pace. Guitars and Drums shows higher technicality than those of previous efforts and the vocals sound brutal and right at place.
A technical Death Metal Landmark with enough creativity and punishment that make the Ancients proud.

Testify!.......2004-12-03

Whatever Pestilence produced after the stunning "Consuming Impulse" would always be judged against that album. That album had pushed the band to the forefront of the Death Metal explosion in the early 90s. In Martin Van Drunen, Pestilence possessed one of the most brutal voices in the world, and Patrick Mameli had shown himself to be a brilliant song writer within the Metal sphere.

However, Van Drunen left the band after "Consuming Impulse" to join Asphyx, so Mameli had to pick up the vocal duties, and his voice was no match for Van Drunen's guttural retch. So instead of trying to top "Consuming Impulse", Pestilence shuffled sideways a little. The bludgeoning weight of it would be difficult to match anyway, so the band showed their increasing skill and dexterity on "Testimony Of The Ancients".

While some bands played heavy for heavy's sake (take a bow Suffocation), Pestilence never neglected the fact songs are written to be listened to, not weighed. As such, the riffing and vocal refrains (it's a bit much to call them choruses) stick in your head. The band also showed a willingness to include traditional Metal influences, particularly in the soloing. "Twisted Truth" features a great example. Mameli had a great love for Jazz, and introduced a few rudimentary Jazz elements to the sound, producing some creative and at times unexpected riffs.

At the time this was recorded, Atheist and Atrocity were beginning to inspire other bands to explore more technical avenues within the bounds of Death Metal. Tony Choy, bassist for the legendary Cynic, and later Atheist, handled the four string duties on the album, and while there isn't the syncopation and choppy time signature changes of those bands, his playing is quite pliant and flexible, while sacrificing little of the bottom end.

It's not all experimentation and boundary pushing music though. "Lost Souls" is a good, old fashioned blast from the start. The half pace harmonic riffing features again, as it did on "Consuming Impulse", with the rhythm section and solos creating the illusion of speed.

One slight annoyance on the album is the 30 second interludes between songs. They mean very little, and don't really relate to the songs, and the four minutes or so of the album they take up would have been better served being filled by another song.
The overall impact of `Testimony Of The Ancients' is less of a crushing bodyblow than `Consuming Impulse', but it is an album with twists and turns not always noticeable at first. While not the instant classic of its predecessor, `Testimony Of The Ancients' shows Pestilence were about more than just being heavy, and on their day could play rings around a lot of other bands.

ahh...love it.......2004-04-13

the feel of this album is amazing. imaginative, and overwhelming. excellent musicianship, and great hooks. i love the whole idea its a concept album too. i highly reccomend this album to any fan of metal. indeed, you must approach with an open mind, as you should with all things.

A must-have for every serious death metal fan.......2003-12-28

If you are listening to Death Metal and you haven't heard this album, maybe it's time to switch to Britney..

Pestilence's "Testimonies.." is by all accounts one of the crucial Death metal from the golden age of this genre. It goes together with Death's "Human", Obituary's "Cause of Death," Sepultura's "Arise." It's a classic and you will love it.

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