KASC The Blaze 1330 AM (web site) recently conducted an interview with vocalist Chuck Billy of San Francisco Bay Area metallers TESTAMENT. The chat is now available for streaming using the SoundCloud player below.

TESTAMENT played its first show with stand-in drummer Mark Hernandez (ex-FORBIDDEN) on November 27, 2012 at the Garage in Glasgow, Scotland.

TESTAMENT's drummer of the past year, Gene Hoglan, was unable to make the recent tour due to his commitments to his other band, DETHKLOK.

TESTAMENT's new album, "Dark Roots Of Earth", sold more than 20,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No, 12 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD arrived in stores on July 31, 2012 via Nuclear Blast Records.

"Dark Roots Of Earth" was produced, mixed and mastered by acclaimed British producer Andy Sneap (ARCH ENEMY, NEVERMORE, ACCEPT, EXODUS). Special bonus tracks were recorded, mixed and mastered by Juan Urteaga (MACHINE HEAD, EXODUS, TED NUGENT, NIGHT RANGER) at his Trident Studios. The cover artwork for the effort (see below) was painted by Eliran Kantor, who has previously worked with ATHEIST, SIGH, ANACRUSIS and GWAR, among others.

TESTAMENT last year took part in a co-headlining North American tour with fellow American thrash metal greats ANTHRAX and Nuclear Blast labelmates DEATH ANGEL.