Chuck Billy
Chuck Billy
Genres: thrash metal, heavy metal, black metal, metal, death metal
Tim Ripper Owens
About Chuck Billy
Charles Billy (born June 23, 1962) is an American singer who is best known as the lead vocalist for thrash metal band Testament. Chuck Billy is an american singer, most known for being the lead vocalist of the thrash metal band Testament since 1986. Billy has remained constant as the vocalist alongside guitarist Eric Peterson who also was an all time permanent member. However, his vocal style has changed over the years from a clear thrash style to a death grunt. Since the Low album, he has mixed both styles and sometimes performs both on the same song. Chuck has also appeared on the solo projects of James Murphy, playing on both albums as a guest musician. He also has sung lead vocals for Exodus at at least one concert recently (October 28, 2004 at the Warfield Theater in San Francisco, opening for Megadeth). In 2006 Chuck Billy Did vocals on the Sadus «Crazy» and, along with several other musicians from other bands, did a cover of Iron Maiden’s «Fear of the Dark» for their Numbers from the Beast tribute album. Chuck Billy has also hooked up with musicians such as Steve Souza, Greg Bustamante, Steve Robello, Andy Billy, Dan Cunningham & Willy Lange to form the band Dublin Death Patrol. In 2001, Chuck Billy was diagnosed with germ cell seminoma; a rare kind of cancer in his case because it is usually in the testicular region of a man’s body, but he has it in the chest region near his heart. However, following chemotherapy, he has since been given a clean bill of health and continued his work with Testament. In August 2001, friends organized the Thrash of the Titans benefit concert, held to raise money for Chuck’s medical expenses. Chuck Billy is of the Pomo Native Americans, an indigenous people of Northern California. He is proud of his American Indian heritage, sometimes giving a shoutout to his «Indian brothers and sisters» in the audience. The song «Trail of Tears» is a tribute to his heritage, as is «Allegiance». His younger brother Eddie, was the original bassist for Vio-Lence. He also sang on a Tribute Version of Metallica’s «Seek and Destroy», alongside guitarist Jake E. Lee, drummer Aynsley Dunbar, and Bassist Jimmy Bain. Prior to Legacy and Testament, Billy was the vocalist for a local metal band called Guilt which also featured future Hericane Alice and Medicine Wheel guitarist Danny Gill. No records by the band exist but they recorded one demo in 1984 and contributed the song "Down to the City" to the U.S. Metal Vol. IV compilation on Shrapnel Records. He also played in high school bands. Around 1996, Billy auditioned for lead vocals with Sepultura as the replacement for Max Cavalera, but lost that position to Derrick Green. In 2008, Billy did the vocals for Silent Night on the album of Christmas carols We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year with the likes of Scott Ian, Jon Donais, Chris Wyse and John Tempesta. In 2009, Billy appeared on the song "Live My Dream" from the band Susperia's album, Attitude. For the live presentation of the album Ziltoid the Omniscient by Devin Townsend, he provided the voice of the Planet Smasher on the track of the same name. This happened at Tuska Open Air Metal Festival 2010 in Helsinki. In 2014, Billy provided guest vocals on the song "Trend Killer" on Swedish melodeath band The Haunted's album Exit Wounds. In 2014, Billy appeared on fellow thrash metal band Exodus’s Blood In, Blood Out and provided guest vocals on the track "BTK." He had previously filled in Zetro on vocals for Exodus' performance on October 28, 2004, at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, where the band opened for Megadeth. In 2015, Billy appeared on Metal Allegiance's self-titled album and provided featured vocals on the track "Can't Kill the Devil." Billy and Jake Oni contributed vocals to the song "The Never" from Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton's debut solo album Anesthetic, released in March 2019. In 2019, Billy appeared as the singer on the song, "Waiting to Die" from the album Imperium by the band Walls of Blood. In 2019, Billy appeared as a featured artist on the Killswitch Engage song "The Crownless King" from their album Atonement. In 2020, Billy appeared on the Lamb of God song "Routes" from their self-titled album. In 2021, Billy provided additional voices for the Disney+ television series "What If...?", part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe In 2022, Billy appeared on the Matt Heafy song "Behold Our Power". In 2022, Billy appeared on deathcore band Shadow of Intent's new album Elegy
Taken from Last.fm
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