| Eric Peterson | |
| Birth Name: | Eric Stanley Peterson |
| Birth Date: | 14 May 1964 |
| Origin: | Berkeley, California, U.S. |
| Genre: | Thrash metal, heavy metal, death metal, black metal |
| Occupation: | Musician, songwriter |
| Instrument: | Guitar, vocals |
| Years Active: | 1983–present |
| Current Member Of: | Testament, Dragonlord |
Eric Stanley Peterson (born May 14, 1964) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist of the thrash metal band Testament and the only remaining original member left in the band, which first started in 1983 under the name Legacy. He and lead vocalist Chuck Billy are the only members to appear on all of the band's studio albums.
Peterson also has a side project black metal band called Dragonlord, in which he plays guitar and also sings. In Testament, Peterson was originally a rhythm guitarist while Alex Skolnick handled all lead work. More recently though, Peterson plays leads along with Skolnick.
Peterson has cited Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, Kiss, Judas Priest, Boston, Scorpions, UFO, Montrose, Pat Travers and Mahogany Rush (with Frank Marino) as influences and inspirations to him.[1] When forming the sound of Legacy/Testament, he had been influenced by the band's Bay Area peers Metallica and Exodus, in addition to NWOBHM bands such as Judas Priest, Venom, Saxon and Angel Witch, and European heavy metal bands like Mercyful Fate.
His father was of Swedish descent and his mother was of Mexican descent.
Peterson was married to Kirk Hammett's ex-wife Rebecca, with whom he has one child. They are now divorced.[2]
Peterson's main guitars have been Gibson models for most of his career in Testament, primarily a black Explorer model and a Les Paul. Recently, however, he is endorsing Dean Guitars and has been using his own signature Dean V guitar.