Practice What You Preach

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Practice What You Preach is Testament’s third studio album, released on August 8, 1989. It was recorded in February–March 1989 at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley, California, and released on Atlantic/Megaforce. The album sticks to thrash metal but adds influences from traditional heavy metal, jazz fusion, and progressive music. Its lyrics focus more on politics and society than occult themes, and it was reportedly recorded live in the studio. It was the last Testament album produced by Alex Perialas.

The album was built around the singles “Greenhouse Effect,” “The Ballad,” and the title track “Practice What You Preach.” It became Testament’s breakthrough, reaching the Top 100 on the Billboard 200 (peaking at No. 77 and staying for twelve weeks). By 1992, it had sold over 450,000 copies in the United States, and the videos for the singles received substantial MTV airplay.

Musically, Practice What You Preach kept the band’s thrash metal core but expanded into more political and social themes, with songs like the title track and “Blessed in Contempt” addressing religion, and “Greenhouse Effect” tackling environmental issues. Some longtime fans were alienated by the broader focus. Lyrically and musically, the album was seen as a bridging point between earlier speed and the more progressive, polished metal that followed.

In terms of legacy, the album helped Testament gain mainstream attention and earned a place in various “best of” lists, including Guitar World’s Top 10 Shred Albums of the Eighties (listed later in 1999). It also marked a phase that led to Souls of Black in 1990. In 2025, to celebrate its 35th anniversary, Testament performed the entire album live for the first time on their U.S. tour. All music was written by Chuck Billy, Alex Skolnick, Eric Peterson, Greg Christian, and Louie Clemente.