Thrash-metal vets Testament will hit the road this spring to support "The Formation of Damnation," their first new studio album in nine years. The set, due April 29, also marks the first time in more than a decade that the original lineup--vocalist Chuck Billy, guitarists Alex Skolnick and Eric Peterson, and bassist Greg Christian--is together, along with recently recruited drummer Paul Bostaph.

"The Formation of Damnation," produced by Andy Sneap (Megadeth, Chimaira), is Testament's debut on Nuclear Blast Records. With a new label and the original lineup back together, the band is undergoing a kind of rebirth, according to Skolnick.

"I think we're sounding better than we ever have," the guitarist said in a statement. "People that see the shows are quickly realizing this isn't a nostalgia act, and that this group holds its own with anyone out there."

At the same time, the band is revisiting some of its past offerings, having reissued 1997's "Demonic" and 1999's "The Gathering" through Prosthetic Records. The label also plans to reissue 2001's "First Strike Still Deadly" in March with new art, according to a press release.

Testament was one of the original thrash-metal acts to emerge from the Bay Area scene in the 1980s. While the group seemed to be on the verge of challenging metal front-runners like Metallica, it was hampered by a rotating lineup, bad business decisions and the genre's dwindling appeal, according to All Music Guide. Then in 2001, Billy was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

Despite the setbacks, Testament has remained active and popular in the metal underground. Billy has recovered from his illness and the band has been touring since late 2002, according to its bio. In the last year alone, the rockers have toured the US, Europe, Asia, Mexico, South America and Australia.