Testament, Hidden Intent @ The Gov, Adelaide 22/6/2025
‘Happy birthday, Chuck!’ the sold out Gov chants to Testament front man Chuck Billy. The city’s largest birthday party has it all, killer music, lots of friends and drinks flowing like Niagara Falls.
The Gov is literally crammed, every vantage point swarming with metal fans eager to see a legendary band of the genre finally return to Adelaide in over a decade. Boy, are they in for a treat.
Opening are Adelaide thrashers Hidden Intent. With fourth album Terraform in tow, and a well-oiled touring set up already purring like the strings of Chris McEwan‘s bass, they sound terrific.
Having the room wall to wall full is like a shot of adrenaline in the arm for a band that sweats energy, as lead guitarist Phil Bennett gets his step count done in-between face melting solos and Paul Lewis drums shakes the dust off the venues fixtures and fittings. Newbies like the title track are slotted in seamlessly with Addicted To Trash as Hidden Intent whip up the crowd’s frenzy for the headliners.
Testament are regarded as the fifth band in the so called marketing brand of the ‘Big 4’. However, there was always something that made them stand out to the rest of them anyway. Their groove. Their ability to get a rock riff and arm it with lethal weapons of musical destruction.
Songs don’t need to be a million miles an hour, they just need to kick arse and opening with Practice What You Preach, those riffs are epic. The guitar tone from Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson makes me feel things I cannot write here.
Birthday boy Chick Billy is in a horns up, crowd chanting, pit inciting fine form, visibly laughing and joking with everyone. The lads clearly love what they do and makes for a special evening.
Drummer Chris Dovas is hidden away behind a huge kit however that doesn’t mean he is not noticeable as Sins Of Omission rips into The Pale King.
Billy’s enjoyment is palpable as he feeds off the crowd during Rise Up when the crowd as one cheer ‘roar’, Billy’s smile as wide as the stage.
The vibrancy of the whole band, Skolnick, Peterson and bassist Steve Di Giorgio is one of lads twenty, even thirty years younger. Musically almost perfect, the rock n roll groove underneath the thrash has people beaming.
WW3 is furious with the dual guitars again front and centre, the shift in pace during the track requisite before the devil horns and bellowing drums hit you in the chest during First Strike Is Deadly.
More Than Meets The Eye has punters rushing to the front and is one of the few times the bar is actually quiet as all focus is on the stage where the impressive Skolnick conjures to weave artistry magic.
Finishing with the aptly titled Into The Pit, another rock n roll foot stomper turned up to one hundred, the evening concludes on what was a pristine, classic, powerful performance from the legends of metal, Testament. A perfect evening with the perfect live band.
Live Review By Iain McCallum