Chuck Billy Has Spoken to Hardcore Icon About Solo Album Collab

Despite the fact that Testomony simply launched remastered variations in their first two albums and are operating on a brand new document, singer Chuck Billy has reiterated his want to do a solo album sooner or later, and he is in truth spoken to a hardcore icon about the opportunity of participating or generating.

Billy informed Complete Steel Jackie right through her weekend radio display that he not too long ago reached out to Hatebreed’s Jamey Jasta on the Milwaukee Steel Fest, discussing the theory of Jasta both generating or participating on songs.

“I wish to do one thing extra truly easy, old-fashioned sounding just like the previous data we used to hear within the ’70s and ’80s,” mentioned Billy. “Simply blank and uncooked rock and roll, perhaps a bit of bluesy. Simply one thing the place I wouldn’t have to truly push the voice. Simply one thing that is actual relaxed and herbal.”

In different places inside the chat, Billy mentioned what the band used to be maximum searching for in remastering The New Order and The Legacy, and the way each reissues will play into their traveling. The singer additionally spoke at the have an effect on new drummer Chris Dovas has had on their upcoming album. And Billy additionally displays at the Testomony album that used to be maximum rewarding to him.

Take a look at extra of the chat under.

It is Complete Steel Jackie and we’ve got thrash royalty in the home this night. Welcome again to the display, Mr. Chuck Billy of Testomony. Satisfied to have you ever again at the display. Chuck, Testomony have not too long ago remastered The New Order and The Legacy, the band’s earliest works from the overdue ’80s. What do you take into account about that point with the band? And why used to be now the very best time to revisit that tune and provides it the trendy replace they deserve?

Neatly, once we did the ones, it used to be so early in our occupation. We did not know the way to make data. We have been simply satisfied to have a document deal and put a document in our arms. Years later, it used to be completely glaring to me that the data sound like new data, like freshman data, however now once we pay attention them again through the years, as I heard them at the radio, I simply felt like, “Guy, they are so compressed. They want to breathe. They want to have extra backside finish and simply be extra fashionable sounding.”

So after 35 years, we retained the rights again to these data. And at that time, we began to take a look at to seek out the grasp recordings so we will be able to remix them. They are nowhere to be discovered. Atlantic did not have them. Johnny Z did not have them. The studio did not have them. So I had regarded thru some stuff Johnny had despatched me and I had discovered part inch unmastered mixes. So I used to be like, ok, no less than we get to head in there and remaster them and expectantly breathe new lifestyles and simply make a larger sound. And that is the reason what took place.

We in truth went out, me and Eric [Peterson], to Nashville, sat within the room, and after we put them up subsequent to what they initially have been, they have been like night time and day. Me and Eric simply regarded and smiled, like, all proper, in the end they get the danger to respire and sound larger. You understand, they hit you tougher.

We are lovely pumped up. We took the ones data to Nuclear Blast and all of the Atlantic data, the six data we did, we get them annually. Like, we’re going to get to Follow What We Pontificate in August this 12 months, and we’re going to get Souls of Black subsequent August subsequent 12 months, and all six will finally end up at Nuclear Blast.

Testomony, “Trial Via Fireplace” (2024 Remaster)

Having spent a while that specialize in the remastering of The New Order and The Legacy, is that this inspiring another facet of Testomony? Clearly, you might be operating on new tune, and we’ve got a significant excursion that would doubtlessly see some illustration from the ones albums.

Since we are selling those two data, in truth our set for the following 3 excursions Goes to be a collection mixed of The Legacy and New Order songs. So we are unquestionably going to be revisiting the ones songs and the ones attitudes and the ones emotions for the following six months after we get at the street right here.

We’re within the studio now. We are completing up earlier than we depart for Europe. So drums are completed, guitars virtually completed, vocals virtually completed. Simply have some bass and a few leads. So the place our purpose is to get the document recorded earlier than we depart after which simply between excursions, perhaps repair a couple of issues or experiment with a couple of issues, as a result of Andy Sneap, who truly in most cases mixes our document, he isn’t going to be to be had this 12 months. So we are roughly like, all proper, we are not truly hurry at the moment. Nuclear Blast is not respiring down our backs and we want a document. In order that’s the beauty of it, we are going to, first time, take our time are living with the songs and the recordings and simply attempt to lead them to higher earlier than we cross to the combo.

Let’s speak about this wonderful excursion pairing. “The Conflict of the Titans” trek unites you with Kreator and Possessed, two bands with nice histories as smartly. How delighted as a tune fan are you with is pairing? And what do you maximum recognize concerning the bands you might be traveling with in this run?

We are very excited. It began once we went out remaining 12 months. We did a excursion with Kreator thru South The united states, and we truly had a good time. And if you end up in South The united states, you spend numerous time in combination, touring in combination, flying in combination. So we simply mentioned, “You understand what? It is unhappy that that is gonna finish. We will have to put one thing in combination. We will have to do extra.” And in order that’s roughly what the plan, the way it began.

Then we roughly put the American excursion with Kreator, and clearly we needed a powerful opener and I am all the time a Bay Space consultant and wish to fortify the Bay Space, so I assumed Possessed can be a perfect selection. They do not excursion so much. They have not saturated the marketplace, and they are a perfect band.

So we put that in combination, and all of it labored out. Everyone’s schedules labored out the place it made sense. After which we are additionally going to be going again to Europe on the finish of the 12 months, November, with Kreator and Anthrax. So it will proceed this 12 months with Kreator.

Testomony, “Saturn Coming Down”

Chuck, Testomony were operating on new tune this 12 months. Are you able to speak about what the addition of Chris Dovas has delivered to the lineup as the gang paintings on their new album?

Chris has been truly a breath of clean air. When Gene [Hoglan] left the band, we have been searching for a drummer earlier than [Dave] Lombardo joined on with us. Chris got here out to fill in for Dave for every week of displays, and when he confirmed up, he knew extra songs than the remainder of us did. He had all of the repertoire down. When he confirmed up, we learned, wow, he is very younger. He used to be 24 years previous, however he is an previous soul. He graduated from the Berkeley Faculty of Track, so him and Alex [Skolnick] jived smartly, talked tune, and at the excursion, he used to be only a excitement to excursion with.

So once we went into the writing procedure, we introduced him to California, to Eric [Peterson]’s area, and he spent numerous time operating with Eric. And being a graduate, he truly knew the technical a part of placing the songs in combination, operating with Professional Gear. He is been a large assist within the studio, and it truly impressed Eric as a result of Chris, he is so younger that he is truly impressed by means of the era after us of recent steel stuff. So he is bringing that. He is truly speedy, truly proficient, and he is truly put a fireplace beneath Eric. So this document has truly taken a step, I’d say, to make Testomony other. However I truly suppose this document has some actual aggression and effort in it that Chris has truly delivered to the desk.

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Chuck, you might have been thru so much with Testomony through the years, seeing some highs and lows. Do you’ve got an album cycle or duration within the band you felt used to be essentially the most ingenious and in my view rewarding for the entirety that used to be happening for your lifestyles at the moment? And what album used to be really a different time for you in Testomony? And are you able to speak about why it resonates with you such a lot?

Neatly, I truly have to mention it is most likely The Accumulating as a result of as soon as the band break up up and when Alex left, I do know the local weather of tune had modified, radio had modified. A new era of tune got here in, and that document, we had a while to paintings on it.

I consider that point, there used to be such a lot of nice new bands popping out that we have been impressed once more. And I assumed Eric introduced some black steel parts into it with the drumming and the blast beats and stuff like that. And vocally, I expanded and used a bit of extra aggression and extra of my demise brutal voice on it.

And numerous lovers have been truly captured that and truly loved it. Andy Sneap truly did a perfect activity on that document. I do know that we felt that “Guy, I do not know if we will be able to truly seize anything else once more like that.” And it used to be all the time the document that we had our benchmark to mention, “Ok, that is the only we were given at most sensible.”

I feel, fortuitously for us in Testomony, now we have been in a position to do this, make data after that, that also sounded fashionable, nonetheless had a development for Testomony. And I feel that truly used to be the basis for the brand new Testomony used to be from The Accumulating transferring ahead.

Testomony, “Down for Lifestyles”

Chuck, you might have trustworthy your musical lifestyles to Testomony, however are there belongings you’d love to do musically out of doors of the band? Would we see a solo album, or would you be enthusiastic about placing in combination a gaggle to discover one thing other sounding than what you do in Testomony?

I do not know about placing a gaggle in combination, however I do wish to do a solo document. I in truth, on the Milwaukee Steel Fest spoke with Jamey Jasta. I have sang on Jamey’s solo data and did some stuff with him, and it used to be some truly just right stuff. So I spoke to him about most likely him generating a document for me and dealing on some songs.

We spoke in a while on the subject of, “Howdy, let’s get some guys in combination, we’re going to put some tune in combination, after which we’re going to do one thing.” However I wish to do one thing that’s not Testomony, evidently.

I have completed sufficient data and stuff. I wish to do one thing extra truly easy, old-fashioned sounding just like the previous data we used to hear within the ’70s and ’80s. Simply blank and uncooked rock and roll, perhaps a bit of bluesy. Simply one thing the place I wouldn’t have to truly push the voice. Simply one thing that is actual relaxed and herbal. I feel there is a other facet of me that I do not push into Testomony as a result of I do not wish to exchange it. However as a solo document, I feel I will be able to have that chance to do this.

And what is lately on Chuck Billy’s to do checklist?

Neatly, at the moment, We are interested by simply getting this recording completed. Everyone’s doing up to we will be able to, so we are spending numerous time doing that at the moment. After which simply getting again at the street. I feel Eric has been very impressed and excited to have Chris writing and dealing with him that even if we end writing and recording and combining this document, they’ll proceed to get along with the method and simply stay making tune.

In order that’s roughly thrilling that we are not going to attend 3 or 4 years to place out any other document. Optimistically we simply stay making tune and stay making data and simply stay doing it.

Because of Testomony’s Chuck Billy for the interview. The New Order and The Legacy reissues are to be had now and Testomony are lately traveling in Europe. Keep up to the moment with the band thru their website online, Fb, X, Instagram and Spotify accounts. In finding out the place you’ll pay attention Complete Steel Jackie’s weekend radio display right here.