TESTAMENT's ALEX SKOLNICK Releases Sixth Album From His Jazz-Rock Band ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO, 'Prove You're Not A Robot'
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Brooklyn, New York-based jazz-rock innovators ALEX SKOLNICK TRIO (AST) — led by TESTAMENT guitarist Alex Skolnick — have just released their sixth album, "Prove You're Not A Robot", via Flatiron Recordings.
Blending fearless improvisation, genre-defying arrangements, and the virtuosity of its members, "Prove You're Not A Robot" captures AST at the height of their creative powers. The title reflects both a wry nod to our tech-saturated era and a deeper meditation on humanity, direct interaction, and the irreplaceable spark of live musicianship in an age of artificial intelligence.
Recorded with a range of vintage and custom instruments — from a Roger Sadowsky archtop to a 1935 Gibson L-00 acoustic — the album spans moods from the uplifting "Guiding Ethos" to the mind-bending Chick Corea/Steve Howe mashup "Armando's Mood". Alongside Skolnick's inventive guitar work, bassist Nathan Peck and drummer Matt Zebroski bring rhythmic complexity and emotional depth, with odd-time signatures and genre twists that have become AST hallmarks.
In a new interview with Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz, Skolnick stated about "Prove You're Not A Robot": "We actually finished it last year, 2024. And we did some advance touring for the album. I have such a crazy schedule. I'm on the road a lot with the band I'm most associated with, TESTAMENT, and just got off the road. But also other artists, like Percy Jones of BRAND X and Stuart Hamm. So I have a very full schedule. I usually wait for the TESTAMENT calendar to solidify and then book tour dates around that. And the only time to tour in Europe for the TRIO this year was back in March. And it also worked for all the more jazz-oriented venues that we were playing and for guys in the band. So we did an advance tour. We had the record finished and we had advance copies. But it doesn't officially come out until this month [November]. And then it's gonna be on all the streaming sites. And since then we've released two singles, so as of this month, it'll be officially released."
Since forming in the early 2000s, AST has reimagined the jazz guitar trio, melding influences as far-reaching as Wes Montgomery, BLACK SABBATH, Prince, tango, calypso and Western swing. Known for their adventurous covers of rock and metal classics, they've earned praise from outlets like Billboard, Downbeat, Jazziz, The Village Voice and NPR, and have toured internationally, captivating audiences from Norway's Larvik Guitar Festival to Paris's The Olympia and New York's Radio City Music Hall.
"Prove You're Not A Robot" promises to be a bold addition to the AST legacy — as engaging for jazz aficionados as it is for rock fans curious about Skolnick's inventive, genre-bending journey.
"I feel this album represents my strongest work as a composer," Skolnick said in a statement. "Nathan and Matt really brought their A-game throughout. I think it's safe to say this is the record we're all most proud of."
"Prove You're Not A Robot" track listing:
01. Prove You're Not A Robot
02. Breakdown
03. Infinite Hotel
04. Armando's Mood
05. The Polish Goodbye
06. Asking For A Friend
07. Parallel Universe
08. Guiding Ethos
(Source: www.blabbermouth.net)
