Testament frontman Chuck Billy publishes his memoir, Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy, today, November 10, 2026, through Permuted Press. Co-written with Dave Erickson, the book tells the story of the Bay Area thrash pioneer’s life in metal and his fight against cancer, in his own words for the first time.
Order Holding My Breath here.
The book features a foreword by Rob Halford of Judas Priest and an afterword by Randy Blythe of Lamb of God, two voices who know a thing or two about longevity in heavy music.
Two Testaments, One Story
As the title suggests, the memoir is split into two interlocking parts. The Old Testament covers the birth of Bay Area thrash, the formation of Testament, the rivalries, the brotherhood and the chaos of becoming one of the genre’s most powerful voices. The New Testament deals with the moment everything changed: a cancer diagnosis at 38, and the fight that followed, drawing on his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers and the support of the metal community.
A central part of that story is the Thrash of the Titans benefit concert in 2001, which brought old rivals together in his support and helped spark a thrash revival. Billy explains:
“This book is about two versions of me that are really just one story. The guy who thought he was invincible, and the guy who learned how fragile life really is.”
Chuck Billy
Release Week Appearances
Chuck is celebrating the release with two events in California this week. Tonight, November 10, he appears at the Affliction HQ store in Seal Beach from 7 to 9 PM for a book release party hosted by SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin, with a Q&A presented by comedian and metal fan Brian Posehn. On Saturday, November 14, he signs books at The Back Lounge in Dublin, California, from 2 to 6 PM, with hosts Phil and Marta Demmel and Brian Posehn. He also kicked off release week with a livestream on TalkShopLive.
Context
Billy has fronted Testament since the 1980s, and the band has released fourteen studio albums. He beat cancer in 2001 and has woven his Pomo heritage into his life and lyrics ever since. He has been recognized by the California State Assembly for his positive influence on Native communities, was part of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian exhibition “Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture,” and won Best Music Video at the American Indian Film Festival for “Native Blood.” We recently covered his Testament bandmate’s work in our story on the Alex Skolnick Trio live recording.
Our Take
Thrash memoirs are not rare anymore, but few frontmen have a story with this much at stake. The Thrash of the Titans show is one of metal’s great moments of solidarity, and hearing the full account from the man it was organized for should be worth the price alone. With Halford and Blythe bookending the text, Holding My Breath looks like essential reading for Testament fans and for anyone interested in how the Bay Area scene really worked.
