Testimony Of Apocalypse – “Born Not Of Blood” / “I Surrender”

Testimony Of Apocalypse – “Born Not Of Blood” / “I Surrender” – Singles Review

Well, I said I’d be willing to listen to more from these guys, didn’t I?

So here I am, doin’ exactly that.

Word on the street is that Testimony Of Apocalypse is set to release their brand-new record called AGONY IN THE GARDEN this October 31^st, and I’ve got my hands on a couple samples from it here in review for ya today.  If you’ve been anxiously awaiting your next dose of Christian Death Metal music, then I’m happy to report that your wait is almost over…AGONY IN THE GARDEN is merely weeks away.

If you read the previous review I’d written on this band back in early 2024, you know that this band is coming from a faith-based perspective that is vastly different from my own world view, so I’ll save you the spiel this time around and simply state that my ears are always open to music of all kinds.  If you need further proof of that, you’re welcome to read the other 3800 some-odd reviews I’ve written for this site of ours…there should be at least a few different styles of music in there for ya somewhere that will back up what I’m claiming.  In any event, the real proof is right here in front of your eyes and ears – I like what I hear in this band quite a bit.  I don’t need to agree with every band or believe in every word in order to like the music…which is a good thing – if that was the criteria, my list would be really short.

Whether or not TOA sees this as the compliment it’s intended to be…you’ll have to ask them.  My point is that when I put on a track like “Born Not Of Blood” and feel like I’m completely interested in what I hear from start to finish, they’ve earned my attention.  Objectively speaking, it’s a freakin’ great tune – it hits brutally hard, brilliantly mixes in melody, and finds a way to balance its length extremely well between the harsh growl of Derek Corzine and his cleaner singing voice.  Right from the drop as you push play on “Born Not Of Blood,” you can feel the power in this band surge to full strength, and they continue to impress from there.  For real, the beginning of this track has that high-octane level of raging excitement you wanna hear to kick things off, and from there, Testimony Of Apocalypse does what they do so well in taking their listeners through a compelling series of twists and turns in the rest to follow.  Obviously I’m well aware that the signature Death Metal growls and snarls aren’t gonna be for everyone – and I’m sure that TOA is even more aware of that than I am – but IF that’s something you dig, then I’m actually quite positive you’ll love what Derek can do on the mic.  Am I a bigger fan of his natural singing voice?  Of course I am, this dude’s a killer singer.  But make no mistake, when this dude hollers, you’ll hear it from wherever you are.  Some of his most intense moments are straight up fascinating to listen to, even if the screaming and yellin’ ain’t your normal thing.  Perhaps most importantly, his ability to carry these tunes with a split personality on the mic provides an insane level of interesting contrast between the two gears you’ll find Derek in…so really, when you get to hear his vocals come through clean & clear after sounding so beastly beforehand, makes a huge impact on a structural level.  Lyrically, I actually dig a whole lot of this track and how the story in the words really fits along with the energy in the music…for real, the pairing is inspired and goes together like the proverbial PB & J.  Even “All things were created through Him” / “Without Him, nothing was created,” the only lines I questioned a bit, because they seem a little redundant back-to-back, still sounds as badass as it gets…so don’t get it twisted, I ain’t complaining.  No harm in over-explaining for the sake of clarity, right?  Guitars from Nick Pacitti are perfectly on-point, the drums from Paul Graham are amazing, and the lead guitar from honorary member/featured guest star Cameron Nealey is right on the money as well.  While it’s probably fair to say that it’s the chorus that will prove to be the most memorable part of “Born Not Of Blood” over time, do not overlook the stunning execution and structure of this song in its entirety.  It’s a clear-cut case of focused attention to detail, and the talent required to make those details all stand out.

Now…I might be breaking news here…but from what I’ve heard, Testimony Of Apocalypse is making plans for “I Surrender” to become one of their next singles from AGONY IN THE GARDEN.  These dudes represent themselves well if you ask me…I have yet to hear a single from TOA that doesn’t feel like it’s important to them, you know what I mean?  You can hear the high level of intention that they play with, and it genuinely makes a difference when you’re listening from outside the Death Metal realm.  The sought-after ingredient that any band making music that’s not usually a part of your personal taste or what’s on your playlist is to create/record with true conviction…and Testimony Of Apocalypse seems to have this aspect of their music locked down as tight as tight can be.  For fans of Death Metal, they’re going to hear a band that pays proper respect to the genre in the way they play it, and for those on the outside looking in, they’ll hear a band that plays with such commitment, that they can’t help but listen.  The way that they play gives every cut the opportunity to be heard…that’s ultimately what I’m saying.  You’ll find TOA in the sweet spot of their career right now, thriving in their prime and executing with professionalism in abundance, and giving listeners nothing less than their A-game all-around.  So just like the last time, I’d tell you that despite Death Metal not being something that’s always in rotation over here on this side of the speakers, I listen to more than enough of it to tell you this is some of the best that’s being made in the scene today.  I hear a track like “I Surrender,” and I truly fail to hear what they could do any differently to make anything better than it already is.  “I Surrender” gets a little bit closer to something like Faith No More at its most intense…and anything that resembles Mike Patton is sure to score major points with the people out there.  Of the tracks, I might be more partial to “Born Not Of Blood” for the most part, but make no mistake, I had moments where I’d listen to “I Surrender” and feel like this could easily be the stronger of the two tracks.  The raw power these dudes play with is seriously something to behold and they crank out an authentically addictive energy to accompany their highly engaging ideas, and “I Surrender” is a remarkable example that speaks strongly on behalf of what the band can do.  From the killer bass-lines from Derek, to Paul’s ever-punishing drums, to the wildly intricate & inventive lead guitar work from Cameron, and the rock-steady rhythm from Nick, Testimony Of Apocalypse leaves you wanting for nothing more than exactly what they give ya.  I maintain, these guys sound like they’re completely at the top of their game right now – if they’ve got the rest of the material on their new record sounding as great as all this is, AGONY IN THE GARDEN will be incredible.

Find out more about Testimony Of Apocalypse through this multi-link to their music right here:  https://linktr.ee/testimonyofapocalypse

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