Legendary Bay Area thrashers Testament are back with their 11th studio album and first in four years, Brotherhood of the Snake. The band hasn't been the most prolific in the 21st century with this being just their third record of the current millennium. When axeman Alex Skolnick was in our studio, this was the first thing we discussed, as well as their diverse writing scope with Gene Hoglan cemented behind the kit and a lot more as seen in the video above.

Whenever a band slows down their output, it tends to place everything they do under a microscope. When asked about the mounting pressure, Skolnick remained at ease, describing how a band like Testament doesn't need to follow the same release cycle they enjoyed during the early years of their career. Understanding the nature of the business as touring has ramped up exponentially with the shift in the music industry, the guitarist expounded on this notion.

One of the most immediate aspects of Testament's previous record, Dark Roots of Earth, was Gene Hoglan's drumming. His style brought a fresh, new element to the band, even incorporating blast beats. With this widening sonic writing scope to work with, we asked Skolnick if having more doors open excited the writing process, especially with the incredibly diverse range of frontman Chuck Billy.

Brotherhood of the Snake will be out Oct. 28 through Nuclear Blast. To order your copy, head to the Nuclear Blast webshop to explore a variety of options and for digital orders, go here.

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