Jaw dropping…  stunning…  incredibly moving…  flat out killer…  just how do you describe a piece of music or song that you enjoy?  I had a hard time figuring out how I wanted to start this version of the “Shameless Plug” series of posts.  Did I want to highlight artists re-recording one of their originals?  How about how the dichotomy between a band’s regular style and their more lighter fare?  Or maybe touch on the impact of the unplugged movement of the late 80s/early 90s?  Sure, all of that applies here but what I really want to hit on with Testament’s acoustic remake of their 1992 thrash ballad “Return To Serenity” is just how good it is.

The early 90s for the thrash movement had already started to shift gears when Testament came out with The Ritual in 1992.  Whether it be due to record company interference, the onset of grunge, or possibly due to the success of Metallica’s “Black Album”, many of the band’s peers were changing up their sound- songs were less frenetic, paces were slowed down just a tad, and things often felt a bit more overproduced and overthought.  In the case of Testament, their fifth album felt the same effects although with more tightly hewn riffs akin to Judas Priest rather than the manic assault felt on their first couple of albums.  However, the original “Return To Serenity” was a minor masterpiece in songwriting and craft that stood far apart from the rest of the release-  a semi-ballad with multiple layers, a subtle vocal, and incredible musicianship.  I loved the band’s fast and heavy stuff, but this?  THIS was different.  And very, very good.

Fast forward a few years to 1995…  after the music world had been turned on its ear courtesy of “the Seattle sound” and the growing prominence of gangsta rap, thrash music had fallen out of favor with the major labels and had gone underground.  Testament had released another major label album the previous year and as a stopgap before they planned their next move they self financed and released their first live album Live At The Fillmore.  While their heavier tunes were up front and in your face, tacked on to the tail end of the CD were acoustic studio versions of three of their more atmospheric songs:  “The Legacy”, “Trail Of Tears”, and in my mind the definitive version of “Return To Serenity”.

How do you top an original?  That’s often a difficult task (and why would you?), but in more ways than one the acoustic version of this song should be viewed as a Testament classic.  It is no doubt far removed from their thrashier material and exists as a dark horse/outlier in the catalog, but based on delivery, song structure, ebb and flow, vocal, and all parts in between it deserves your attention.  While the original has a certain level of sonic mastery, the acoustic version reveals a deeper emotional depth at its core as those heavy layers are peeled back.  What’s left is an incredibly haunting and beautiful performance on all fronts.  Let’s break it down:

Song structure…  three echoed notes really set the tone here, offset with a separate acoustic pattern and the onset of drums and bass to a slightly heavier tempo before a liquid solo slithers out and continues the build.  About one minute in comes a dynamic change; a simply played yet elegant figure reminiscent of daybreak on a chilly November morning offset by a second guitar’s slight flamenco vibe.  The ebb and flow of the song moves between both motifs and increases come solo time before it eases out to an elegant ending.

Delivery…  where do I start?  What stands out on this version compared to the original is the slightly faster pace, which has a bit more swing to it than the somewhat choppier original (cursed a little by a more pronounced and heavier drum thwack).  This version flows extremely well between all parties, allowing the melody to breathe more via the exquisite guitar layers (including electric guitar overdubs and understated yet grooving bass) and less heavy handed production that focuses more on the strength of the vocal.

Vocal…  good Lord…  Chuck Billy really is an outstanding vocalist and his delivery here is spot on but the real “star” here is the incredible accompaniment from Native American singer Star Nayea, who echoes Billy’s vocal and adds her own flair deep in the mix.  Both voices mesh well together and the performance easily outdoes that of the original as Chuck and Star’s dreamlike vocals have a more definitive flow courtesy of the acoustic delivery and subtler touch.

Musicianship…  one of the reasons this band stands above some of their peers is the incredible guitar work courtesy of Eric Peterson and Alex Skolnick.  However!  This version includes the talents of James Murphy, who hopped on board for the Low album and adds his mind-bending talents to this version.  Acoustic, flamenco, electric…  Murphy does it all (accompanied by Peterson) and his replication of the original solo is phenomenal as he balances half the solo with a dramatic acoustic build before an electric crescendo kicks the song into an even greater stratosphere.  Skolnick’s original solo is magnificent in its own right and I would have loved to have heard his take on acoustic but Murphy delivers his all and then some.  His silvery touches are similar to his predecessor yet slightly more aggressive, adding to the already heavy emotional scope of this performance.

Download now, dim the lights, throw on the headphones, and ease in to a master performance by these Bay Are legends that may surprise you.  Hit that repeat button a few times while you’re at it.