TESTAMENT have announced a European and UK summer tour running from June 29 in Antwerp, Belgium through August 16 in Eindhoven, Netherlands, bringing one of thrash metal's most formidable live acts back to the continent with a support bill that reads like a Bay Area hall of fame. DEATH ANGEL and METAL CHURCH will provide direct support, with ARMORED SAINT and HELLRIPPER joining on select dates.
TESTAMENT, led by the powerhouse tandem of vocalist Chuck Billy and guitarist Eric Peterson, have been a cornerstone of the Bay Area thrash scene since their 1987 debut "The Legacy." With fourteen studio albums to their name — including the critically acclaimed "Para Bellum," released in October 2025 via Nuclear Blast — the band remains one of the most technically proficient and intensely heavy live acts in all of metal. Billy's guttural-to-clean vocal range and Peterson's razor-sharp riffing have lost none of their potency over nearly four decades.
DEATH ANGEL, fellow Bay Area thrash veterans who formed in 1982, bring their own brand of precision thrash and infectious energy. METAL CHURCH, now featuring former MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson, continue to deliver the power metal-inflected thrash that has been their calling card since 1984. ARMORED SAINT, fronted by John Bush (also a former ANTHRAX vocalist), and Scottish speed metal sensation HELLRIPPER round out an impressively diverse bill.
The tour follows a massive year for Bay Area thrash, with KREATOR and EXODUS also hitting Europe in spring 2026. The concentration of thrash metal touring activity suggests the genre is experiencing a renaissance, driven by both veteran acts and a new generation of fans discovering the music. Tickets are expected to go on sale within the coming weeks. For European metal fans, the summer of 2026 is shaping up to be a thrash paradise, with multiple top-tier packages competing for attention and ticket money across the continent. TESTAMENT's particular combination of technical precision, vocal power, and sheer heaviness makes them one of the most consistently rewarding live acts in all of metal.