Testament vocalist Chuck Billy will release his powerful new memoir Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy on 10 November 2026 via Permuted Press. The book offers an unfiltered look at Billy’s life in Heavy Metal, from the rise of Bay Area Thrash to his personal battle with cancer.
Structured as two interwoven narratives, the memoir explores both his career-defining moments with Testament and his fight for survival, drawing on his cultural heritage and the support of the Metal community.
The New Testament draws on the experiences of a frontman who, at 38, was blindsided by a devastating cancer diagnosis, drawing on his Native American and Mexican-American heritage, spiritual healers, visions, and the fierce love of a Metal community.
At the centre of that community was the legendary Thrash Of The Titans benefit concert, one of the most galvanising moments in Heavy Metal history, where old rivals became brothers and helped ignite a genre revival while keeping Chuck Billy in the fight.
“This book is about two versions of me that are really just one story,” says Billy. “The guy who thought he was invincible, and the guy who learned how fragile life really is.”
Featuring a foreword by Rob Halford and an afterword by Randy Blythe, the book captures the spirit, resilience and legacy of one of thrash Metal’s most iconic voices.
The release promises to be essential reading for fans of Heavy music and beyond. Holding My Breath: The Two Testaments of Chuck Billy is out on 10 November 2026 via Permuted Press. For pre-orders, visit chuckbillybook.com.
