Chuck Billy announces debut memoir about Testament and personal life

Chuck Billy, the frontman for the thrash metal band Testament, is releasing his debut memoir titled ‘Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy’. Co-written with Dave Erickson and scheduled for release from Permuted Press on November 10, the book is structured into two distinct parts.

The ‘Old Testament’ section chronicles the rise of the Bay Area thrash metal scene and the formation of Testament. The ‘New Testament’ focuses on Billy’s personal life following a cancer diagnosis at age 38, exploring themes of mortality, his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, and his spiritual experiences.

Billy stated that the book aims to provide insight into his identity as an individual beyond his stage persona, moving past the image of an invincible performer to reflect on the fragility of life and the support of the metal community during his illness.