Chuck Billy , vocalist of Testament , in an interview with The Rockpit , commented on the band's new album, scheduled for release at the end of next year.
According to Billy, the public will be able to hear the first tracks until April or May while they wait for the album.
Billy commented that the next album will be very special. “I think I’m most excited about this one. I’m someone who strongly believes that things happen for a reason.”
The new album, still untitled, will follow the band's studio productions, whose last release was in 2020, titled Titans of Creation .
The legendary vocalist took the opportunity to comment on the interaction between the new drummer, Chris Dovas , and the songwriting process. He also discussed his new relationship with guitarist Eric Peterson . “When I started receiving the songs and riffs, I realized it was something different. Chris is a very fast and aggressive drummer, and I could see that this inspired Eric to be himself.”
Regarding the vocals, Chuck Billy states that he will bring a wide range of tones to the album, from clean vocals to the guttural growls typical of death metal. "I hadn't done much of that on other albums in the past, but I did it on this one."
What to expect from Testament's new album
Regarding the production stage of the new album, Peterson commented that, although about 95% is already finished, some solos and adjustments are still needed before release. According to the guitarist, all the hard work is done and the band can now say they have a record (via Knac.com ).
Without revealing further details about the album, the band members promise that the songs are strong, heavy, and fast. They also include slower songs with classic Testament vibes.
“It sounds modern,” is what Billy replied when asked about the new album (via Jaimunji ).
Featuring Floor Jansen from Nightwish
The vocalist also confirmed that one of the new songs will be a duet featuring Floor Jansen from Nightwish , with whom he has had a friendship for almost 10 years after a Christmas performance they did together in Europe, alongside Joey Belladonna ( Anthrax ) and Udo Dirkschneider ( Accept ).
Floor's participation added depth to the song, as a string section and acoustic guitars were incorporated. Regarding the duet, Billy commented: “It’s like she and I are singing the lyrics to each other, the meaning of the song and what we’re saying, like I’m singing my part and she’s responding. It’s going to be really powerful, really cool.”
Regarding the themes addressed in the new songs, Chuck Billy commented in an interview with The Bone Radio that the focus will not be on supernatural themes, as was done previously.
The aim of the new album is to describe reality, what is happening to the environment, and even the impacts of artificial intelligence on humanity, ensuring that each song has its own identity.
Chuck also revealed the names of some of the tracks: “Havana Syndrome”, “Infanticide AI” and “Meant To Be”.
The songwriting process for the new album features the participation of Del James , the legendary writer and composer who worked on the smash hit “November Rain” by Guns N' Roses . Del James and the band Testament have been collaborating for over 20 years (via Blabbermouth ).
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