In a new conversation with Metal Express Radio’s Bryce Van Patten, Chuck Billy eased fans’ worries about Testament’s new sound.
“To me, the new songs sound current, they sound fresh,” the singer said about the new Testament music style. “They’re touching what a lot of new upcoming bands are making good names for themselves are doing. So, again, it’s raising the bar one more time.”
Billy continued, “And I think when fans hear this record, especially new, younger fans are gonna go, ‘Whoa. That’s Testament. I know the Testament I know from 30-something years ago and grew up with, but what is this?'”
“I’m excited for that because I wanna hear what people think. I’d love to see the expression of them hearing it for the first time,” he explained. “That would be great, because it does sound new and modern and fresh, even though we’re still being challenged.”
Billy chatted with the Metal Voice about the new Testament record in June. “The drums are finished and half the vocals are done and most of the guitars,” the vocalist noted. “No leads or bass yet.”
He added, “Steve’s [DiGiorgio, bass] out on tour with Death To All, and Alex [Skolnick, guitar] usually waits till Eric’s [Peterson, drums] done with all rhythms. But we’re trying to get it accomplished — we leave [for tour] July 10th, so we’re trying to get it all recorded before then.”
“The process has started. It actually started last year,” Alex Skolnick also shared in July. “Eric Peterson and I — he’s the band’s founder and the other guitarist — we started exchanging ideas and working on music last year.”
“And then normally, he and I will get together. He’ll work with the drummer. We have this new drummer, Chris Dovas, who’s in his mid-20s and just sounds amazing. He’s the right age — the age you should be to play drums in this type of music. And it’s a lot of fun working with him,” the guitarist said.
Testament’s new album will be a follow-up to 2020’s ‘Titans of Creation.’ The band is currently on their Klash of the Titans North American tour. Their next show is on September 12 in Reno, Nevada.
