Testament guitarist Eric Peterson has confirmed that a previously discussed collaboration with Nightwish vocalist Floor Jansen will not be moving forward. He revealed details about the situation in an interview with Scars and Guitars Podcast.
Peterson addressed the status of the potential collaboration and explained why the project fell through.
“No, that’s not gonna happen,” Peterson said. “It was something that was being discussed, and I think it got out there before it was agreeable.”
The guitarist elaborated on Jansen’s reaction to the public discussion of the collaboration.
“And I think she (Floor Jansen) got a little upset — from what I was told,” he continued. “I don’t know. This is all hearsay for me. But I think it was too much. And she’s, like, ‘I didn’t even… I mean, I was talking about [doing it], yeah, but I don’t…'”
Peterson expressed his admiration for what the collaboration could have been. He also confirmed the band’s decision to move forward without a guest vocalist.
“She would’ve been great on this song, by the way,” he said. “This song would’ve been perfect for her. And then we were, like, ‘Let’s find someone else.’ And I’m, like, ‘If anybody’s gonna do it, it’s gonna be her. And if not…’ Chuck sounds great on his own on it. It’s a ballad. It’s really good. It doesn’t really need another singer, but it could have been cool with Floor.”
The failed collaboration comes as Testament continues work on their upcoming album. This represents another chapter in the band’s ongoing creative process.
Metal Injection reported that Testament has enlisted Swedish producer Jens Bogren to mix their new record. This marks a significant change from their usual collaboration with producer Andy Sneap. Sneap is currently unavailable due to his touring commitments with Judas Priest.
The potential partnership between Billy and Jansen had deeper roots than initially apparent. Blabbermouth noted that Billy previously mentioned how he became friends with Jansen during a Christmas performance tour across Europe. The tour also featured Joey Belladonna and Udo Dirkschneider. This friendship was a key factor in considering Jansen for the duet.
The collaboration discussion gained public attention before both parties had reached a final agreement. This ultimately contributed to its cancellation. Metal Injection confirmed that the premature disclosure of the potential collaboration created complications that led to Jansen’s withdrawal from the project.
Testament continues moving forward with their new material despite the setback with the Jansen collaboration. The song in question will now feature Testament vocalist Chuck Billy performing solo. This maintains the band’s creative momentum as they prepare their upcoming release.
