The Gathering

The Gathering is the eighth studio album by American thrash metal band Testament, released on June 8, 1999. It was the first release the band had done with Spitfire Records. Co-produced by band members, Chuck Billy and Eric Peterson, this was the first album featuring new musicians Steve DiGiorgio on bass guitar and Dave Lombardo on drums. Billy, Peterson and Lombardo, along with longtime Testament collaborator Del James, are also given composer credits on the album. It would also be the only Testament album for 23 years to feature Lombardo, who left the band right before the tour for The Gathering started and he would rejoin in 2022. The Gathering continued Testament's transition into death metal which began on their previous album Demonic, but it also brought back their thrash-oriented sound. As a result, this album has been seen as a return-to-form for the band. Overview The Gathering featured eleven tracks when it was released, drawing critic and fan acclaim for such songs as "D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)", "Riding the Snake", and "Legions of the Dead". After release Testament embarked on the Riding the Snake World Tour to promote the album with "touring" lead guitarist Steve Smyth (ex-Vicious Rumors) and Sadus drummer Jon Allen. The tour ended in 2001 shortly before frontman Chuck Billy was diagnosed with cancer. As a result, Testament would not release another studio album until 2008 with The Formation of Damnation, although they did release an album of re-recorded material, First Strike Still Deadly, in 2001. The Gathering is the first of five albums to date featuring engineering and mixing work done with artist and former Sabbat guitarist Andy Sneap. It is also the first of five reissues that Testament has done with Prosthetic Records. The album was reissued January 8, 2008, with an instrumental bonus track, "Hammer of the Gods," increasing the new track total to twelve. While "Hammer of the Gods" is listed on the track listing of the original American release, it does not actually appear on the CD. However, it does appear on the worldwide Prosthetic Records 2008 reissue.