During a concert in Columbia on May 2nd, Testament singer Chuck Billy disparaged the band’s former drummer Dave Lombardo.
Billy mentioned Lombardo’s name as he introduced new drummer Chris Dovas at the Teatro Royal Center in Bogotá.
As the band were about to launch into the song “D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)”, Chuck presented Testament’s new drummer to the audience, saying: “Stand up and take a bow. Give it up for Mr. Chris Dovas. Lombardo who? Yeah. That’s Chris Dovas right there. Don’t forget it.”
In a recent interview with Blabbermouth.net, the former Slayer drummer revealed that he’d be sitting out the remainder of Testament’’s 2023 shows. Shortly after the interview was published, guitarist Eric Peterson commented that Dovas’s addition to Testament was “a blessing in disguise” after Lombardo’s “short-lived return.”
Although he didn’t formally join Testament last year, Lombardo served as guest drummer on their 1999 album “The Gathering.” He currently plays in the Misfits, Mr. Bungle, Empire State Bastard, and Satanic Planet. The drummer also played with Suicidal Tendencies from 2016 until 2020. Due to scheduling conflicts with the Misfits, Donvas previously filled in for Lombardo during Testament’s summer/fall 2022 leg of “The Bay Strikes Back Tour.”
Peterson shared a video of Donvas performing with Testament on April 17th and wrote in an accompanying statement: “What can I say? Things sometimes just happen for a reason, I mean just when everything seems to go ok BAM! Nope! but then something opens up… @chrisdovas happened.
“Chris replaced Dave on our last North American run cause of over booked scheduled from Dave, but it was a blessing in disguise. Chris has turned out to be totally unbelievably amazing and a very kind and awesome brilliant drummer.”
He continued: “We are more than thrilled for our fans to experience his more than meets the eye capabilities with our South American and European tours coming up, also in this last minute situation we’ve connected on a killer spree, working on new ideas this last week has become more than promising, I am stoked to say it’s gonna be KILLER peeps!
“Anyway rest assure Chris will push the envelope so to speak and make TESTAMENT heavier and more precise than before! More to come!!!!! W00t!
“I have to add it was a pleasure and a great time to have Dave back in his short lived return again”.
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