Testament Frontman Chuck Billy Unleashes His Memoir

Holding My Breath: Chuck Billy’s Testament to Metal, Mortality, and Survival

When Chuck Billy first roared into the Bay Area thrash scene, his voice was a weapon—feral, commanding, unforgettable. As the frontman of Testament, he carved his place in metal history with sheer force of will. But when cancer struck at 38, even the loudest scream seemed fragile. Now, in his unflinching memoir Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy (Permuted Press, November 10, 2026), Billy tells the story of both battles: the rise of thrash and the fight for his life.

Structured as two interlocking “testaments,” the book is as much about riffs and rivalries as it is about resilience. The Old Testament chronicles the chaos and camaraderie of Bay Area thrash—Testament’s formation, the brotherhood, and the reckless glory of a genre exploding into existence. The New Testament shifts to something deeper: a man blindsided by cancer, drawing strength from his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers, visions, and the unwavering love of the metal community.

Co-written with Dave Erickson, the memoir is both insider history and human confession. With a foreword by Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and an afterword by Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe, Holding My Breath is a gift to fans and a testament to survival itself. It’s not just about thrash—it’s about refusing to let go when life turns up the volume.

Pre-orders for signed copies are now live at chuckbillybook.com. For fans of Testament, thrash metal, or stories of resilience, this is one book you won’t want to miss.