TESTAMENT's 'Dark Roots Of Earth' Cracks U.S. Top 15
"Dark Roots Of Earth", the new album from San Francisco Bay Area metal veterans TESTAMENT, 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 via Nuclear Blast Records.
TESTAMENT's previous studio album, "The Formation of Damnation", opened with 11,400 units back in May 2008 to debut at position No. 59.
"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.
The "Native Blood" video can be seen below.
TESTAMENT vocalist Chuck Billy collaborated with seasoned director Mike Sloat to put together a clip that is universal in message while bringing the spotlight to Billy's Native American heritage — The Pomo Indians.
The performance portion of the video was shot on the Billy Ranch in Hopland, California, where the flames were huge and the temperatures were high.
The "Native Blood" clip is about the growth a Native American youth throughout the years. When faced with hatred, racism, bullying, and harassment, he uses nature's sanctuary to recharge and meditate on the lessons he learned from his grandfather to handle these very tough situations in a way to honor and dignify himself and his people.
Billy previously stated about "Native Blood", "It's almost like a protest song, that the Native Americans have a voice that needs to be heard — that's the chorus of the song."
