Testimony (Neal Morse album)

Testimony
Studio album by
Neal Morse
Released22 September 2003
RecordedThe Morse House, Nashville 2003
GenreProgressive rock
Length123:43
137:22 (for the Ltd. Edition)
LabelMetal Blade
Radiant Records
ProducerRich Mouser
Neal Morse chronology
The Transatlantic Demos
(2003) 		Testimony
(2003) 		Testimony Live
(2004)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
DPRP(?)[2]
Tollbooth(positive)[3]

Testimony is the third studio album, and the first concept album, by Neal Morse. Released in 2003, this double record is in five sections detailing the composer's life and conversion to Christianity.[4] The album features performances from Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and Kerry Livgren of Kansas,[5] although the majority of instruments are played by Morse himself.

Footage from the writing and recording sessions for this album was released as a two-hour-long DVD titled Making of Testimony: Rough Edit in September 2007.

The story was also expanded upon and released in book form in 2011 titled, Testimony.[6]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Neal Morse.

Disc One

Part 1
No.TitleLength
1."The Land of Beginning Again"3:10
2."Overture No. 1"5:58
3."California Nights"5:46
4."Colder in the Sun"6:20
5."Sleeping Jesus"5:32
6."Interlude"1:56
7."The Prince of the Power of the Air"2:43
8."The Promise"2:52
9."Wasted Life"6:50
Total length:41:08
Part 2
No.TitleLength
1."Overture No. 2"2:31
2."Break of Day"6:55
3."Power in the Air"5:03
4."Somber Days"5:06
5."Long Story"5:35
6."It's All I Can Do"6:25
Total length:31:38

Disc Two

Part 3
No.TitleLength
1."Transformation"3:00
2."Ready to Try"4:17
3."Sing it High"4:48
Total length:12:06
Part 4
No.TitleLength
1."Moving in My Heart"3:06
2."I Am Willing"6:28
3."In the Middle"2:27
4."The Storm Before the Calm"7:31
5."Oh, to Feel Him"6:17
6."God's Theme"2:31
Total length:28:19
Part 5
No.TitleLength
1."Overture No. 3"1:05
2."Rejoice"2:28
3."Oh Lord My God"3:54
4."God's Theme 2"2:10
5."The Land of Beginning Again"0:54
Total length:10:33

Disc Three (Limited Edition)

No.TitleLength
1."The fang... sings!"0:18
2."Tuesday Afternoon/Find My Way Back Home""13:21
Total length:13:39

Personnel

  • Neal Morse - producer, composer, guitars, bass guitar, synth, piano, organ, vocals
  • Mike Portnoy - drums
  • Kerry Livgren - guitar solo on "Long Story"
  • Eric Brenton - violin, flute
  • Chris Carmichael - violin, cello, strings
  • David Henry - Cello
  • Jim Hoke - Sax
  • Neil Rosengarden - Trumpet
  • Katie Hagen - French horn
  • Mark Leniger - Saxophone, Soloist
  • Byron House - string bass
  • Glenn Caruba - percussion
  • Johnny Cox - Pedal steel guitar
  • Jerry Guidroz - Engineer, Handclapping, Sampling
  • Pamela Ward, Aaron Marshall, Rick Altizer, Terry White, Gene Miller - backing vocals
  • Rich Mouser - Mixing

Release details

  • 2003, UK, Inside Out Music/Spv 6-93723-60412-1, Release Date 22 September 2003, CD
  • 2003, UK, Inside Out Music/Spv 6-93723-00502-7, Release Date 29 September 2003, CD (Special Edition 3-CD set)
  • 2003, USA, Radiant Records I491302, Release Date 22 September 2003, CD

References

  1. ^ Allmusic review
  2. ^ DPRP review
  3. ^ Tollbooth review
  4. ^ "Allmusic: Testimony review". Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  5. ^ "Neal Morse official website: Testimony". Retrieved 1 July 2009.
  6. ^ "Testimony book". Retrieved 11 April 2022.