Bay Area Thrash scene veterans TESTAMENT, are visiting Greece this summer as part of the Release Athens Festival for one more dynamic performance, which will confirm that they are one of those bands that have not been touched by time and that within four decades of their existence have left a great legacy influencing the metal scene.
On this occasion, we had the opportunity to speak with the group's leader and singer Chuck Billy in a full interview that you can read below and prepare properly for what awaits us on the evening of July 28th in Athens.
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RockOverdose: So Chuck, welcome to Rock Overdose Greece. How are you?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): I’m doing well, how are you?
ZP: I’m feeling well, too. So, first of all we would like to know how you perceive “Titans of Creation” as an album and what extra did it offer to your discography?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT):“Titans of Creation” is already three years old now, going four years coming up this year. I think like any Testament record, they are all different. When we start writing music we don’t know the direction until we start writing, so “Titans of Creation”, especially after writing so many records, came out really good, much better than I thought it was going to be. There are some different metal songs in it but I think it still came out pretty good, especially the production part of it.
ZP: Since your return in 2008, we see a steady four-year gap between your albums. Does this happen in order to grow more with the fans, or touring obligations push them back?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well back then it was because I had an illness with cancer, so we didn’t have a record from 2000 to 2008, but we had the reunion of the band up to that point, so that was the first record where we started working on as a band again, the original guys.
RockOverdose: We are very happy to see you healthy again and that’s the most important thing. We were all very scared when we heard about your condition.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Yeah, it was a big shock, but you know, you get your head down, you fight it and luckily I came out on the other side.
RockOverdose: That’s a really motivating thing to say. So, regarding your next album; is it confirmed to be released in 2024?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): We’re trying our best, we’re working hard on it right now, we don’t when the songs are going to be complete and ready to go into the studio to be recorded yet, but our goal is to have it at 2024 but we’ll see.
RockOverdose: Of course, we know that you don’t release bad albums. Any hint on the direction of this album?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): It’s all a mystery until we start hearing it. I do know that the music is going to be heavier and faster in this record than the last one. Now we have a new drummer, Chris Dovas, that’s been working with Eric, and this a young guy that’s inspired by the newer generations’ thrash bands. He’s pushing Eric and the writing is fast, which is good, so I think the direction is more thrashy this time.
RockOverdose: We’re really looking forward to it. So, you have a new drummer, who has Greek roots.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Yeah, he is Greek. He just had a big Greek wedding, he got married a few months ago (laughter).
RockOverdose: We know you’re planning to rerelease the first two legendary records with Nuclear Blast, and also play them in special concerts. How do you feel about the records’ aging, which is like a day hasn’t passed since their inception?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well for us those first six records, Atlantic and Warner Bros. own these records. And after 35 years we got to own their rights back again, so now we own the “The Legacy” and “The New Order” in America only. It’s good that we’re going back and revisit them because I don’t think Atlantic has been making CDs of ”The Legacy” or “The New Order” anymore. They weren’t pushing the band, they didn’t help sell any more records. So for us to have them ourselves and give them to Nuclear Blast, and now Nuclear Blast is making CDs and vinyls again. The fans now at least they’re going to be able to buy them. We actually went back into the studio recently and remastered “The Legacy” and “The New Order”, so they have a better sound now than they did 30 years ago. That should be coming out some time in the next couple of months, “The Legacy” and “The New Order” remastered versions.
RockOverdose: That’s really great. Are you going to change the layout of the album a little bit?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): “The Legacy” is different, the artwork is going to be different, “The New Order” is the same but it sounds better, we improved the graphic.
RockOverdose: Those two records are legendary, so it would be great to experience them again with better quality. Testament is a band that seems unaffected by the changes in the music industry through the years. Do you miss the old days when things were purer and more old-school, or were the changes a necessary evil so that everyone could evolve and abide to today’s needs?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Anybody evolves in anything that you do in life; the longer you stay and do something, harder or easier, the better you become at doing it. I like the old-school days a lot; things were simpler, and we were just focused on playing a show and not worrying about the business. Now we kinda have to worry about the business, we’re running the business, so it’s two different things again now. It was nice in the old days when there were no worries, but today there’s so much music, so many bands, so many labels to stay on top of it yourself.
RockOverdose: Let’s come back to your new drummer, Chris Dovas. He’s so young that he could easily be your son. He also has to fill in the shoes of so many legendary drummers like Dave Lombardo, Paul Bostaph, Gene Hoglan. How was he chosen and what does he bring to the band?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well, when Gene decided to leave because of other obligations to his schedule, we had to continue so we decided to get a new full-time drummer who’s going to be ready to play at any time. We had audition tapes and we saw Chris’ audition and Eric really liked his playing. After we saw him, Dave Lombardo calls us and so we were like: “If Dave Lombardo calls us to play again for Testament, we have to let Dave play in Testament, right?”. But when we learned that Dave couldn’t commit to the next tours, we said “Let’s call Chris”. So we called Chris, he was very excited, he came over, we gave him a list of songs to learn, he learned them all and in the first practice he nailed every song, not a single mistake, very tight like we could play in a show. So, he did his homework, studied very hard and he played really well, he came in having his own style and as he’s spending more time with band, his confidence is getting better, he’s playing a lot harder and hitting really hard, adapting very well to the Testament songs. He’s a great talent and, like Alex, he graduated from the Berklee School of Music, so he’s got his degree in music and now he’s learning the basics of how to create a song. He’s very smart so I think that writing-based, he’s helping Eric structure some stuff and it’s very beneficial having him on the new record right now.
RockOverdose: Last year marked the 40th anniversary since “The Legacy” was formed and the great trip that followed after changing your name. You’ve seen and done too much all these years, have you ever thought that you would come this far and how many of your dreams came true?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well, all our dreams came true, but I didn’t expect it. When I started, I thought maybe twenty years in the business, but I think once you reach a certain point, especially for us where what we do is play music, time just goes by, time just disappears (laughter). It’s like “Wow, what happened to all that time, it’s gone”.
RockOverdose: All these years, you had Eric by your side. We could say that after all this time, you’re practically twins. What is the secret behind your bond, going together for all these decades?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): I think working and writing so much music, I wrote music with many other people, but it never felt the same. I know that working with Eric, we have a special bond when it comes to creating music. Eric is a guy who doesn’t like to mimic or copy any other band. He likes listening to black metal, but he doesn’t try to make Testament a black metal band. It’s nice that he doesn’t try to see what’s trending, he doesn’t listen to who’s hot right now when he’s writing a metal song. He doesn’t do that, so I think this has kept our songwriting sounding like Testament all this time. He doesn’t stray away too far, we always try to expand our music as a band but we never stray away towards what’s current now style-wise.
RockOverdose: So, this year you’re going to play in Greece, for Athens Release Festival. We assure the show’s going to be a blast, so what should the fans expect from Testament here in Greece?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well, we’re not sure yet because we haven’t seen the schedule, but on shows that are not a festival, we’re doing “The Legacy” and “New Order” albums live, all together. So, depending on how much time we will have on the festival, we’ll maybe going to play one of those albums. I don’t know yet, we haven’t really talked about it yet.
RockOverdose: It would be great if you did so. As you said, you don’t know about the time in order to announce it.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Once we start rehearsals and talk about it, we’ll make a decision.
RockOverdose: So how do you see the thrash metal scene as a whole nowadays?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well, I don’t really know if there’s a thrash metal scene anymore. I believe there are more new black metal bands coming nowadays than new thrash metal bands. But I think that the aggression and speed of thrash metal has spawned off to other styles of music. I don’t know if there’s a scene anymore, not like the 80s where we had a scene, I don’t think that will happen anymore.
RockOverdose: So you’re not seeing any bands following your legacy?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): It’s not like the Bay Area scene anymore, that was something special that was created in the 80s and it was new. I don’t know where else in the world there could be another Bay Area scene, every region had its moments; Norway had black metal, Florida had death metal, Bay Area had thrash metal, everybody has its own territory, so I don’t think if there is a certain area in the world right now that is generating something entirely new.
RockOverdose: I see. Now before we end this interview, would you like to send a message to your fans, especially those in Greece?
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): We’re excited to get back in Greece, we don’t get to play there so often, so we look forward to it. It’s going to be great in the summer and hopefully by the end of the year we can make it back there with the “Kreator Anthrax tour”, that’s going to be a great tour if people could have the chance to come and see us, that will be wonderful.
RockOverdose: I believe you know that Greek fans are really crazy. You’ve been around the world, you’ve seen a lot of fans, most of them are very static.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Some people are yeah, but you don’t pay attention to that; you get up there and you do what you do and people can like it or not, it’s their choice. You just keep on what you do.
RockOverdose: But I think you know that people in Greece are far crazier than in other countries. I suppose it happens in other places too, but Greece is definitely one of the best examples of this.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Well I look forward to the festival, I can’t wait to hear the loud, crazy crowd.
RockOverdose: Thank you very much for coming here today. I don’t know if you have any other news to reveal.
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Just that at some point this year we’re going to release “The Legacy & The New Order Remastered”, they sound much better now, and it’s coming out on Nuclear Blast some time maybe March or April. So people can look out for that and that is why we are playing those records live this summer. And about the new album; no titles yet, but it’s going to be faster and heavier, it’s definitely going to be another different Testament record but good, and we’ll see.
RockOverdose: Thank you for your time, it was nice chatting with you. I’ve been listening to Testament since the beginning, and it was great having the chance to talk with you. Take care and we’ll see you again soon!
Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT): Right on! We hope to see you when we come this summer in Greece. Have a good one, see you around!
On behalf of RockOverdose,
Interview: Zisis Petkanas
Questions: Aggelos Katsouras
Transcript: Angelos Chatzigiannis
main photo credits: John Metalman Livanos Photography
RELEASE ATHENS FESTIVAL 28/07/2024
Tickets/Info: https:/
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