A Very Special Bonus Episode: The Chuck Billy (Testament) Interview!

A Very Special Bonus Episode: The Chuck Billy (Testament) Interview!

Author: Eric Schwartz March 2, 2026 Duration: 28:58

Wherein Eric briefly introduces the listener to the storied career of Bay Area thrash legends Testament before sitting down to chat with Testament frontman Chuck Billy about their fantastic 2025 album, Para Bellum, and their 2026 US tour, Thrash of the Titans, with Overkill and Destruction.


For more information about Testament visit:

⁠https://www.testamentlegions.com/site/


Suggested Testament songs:

"Over the Wall" from The Legacy (1987) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZkYB81FeDc

"The Ballad" from Practice What You Preach (1989)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ9-xPIuGs0

"Down for Life" from The Gathering (1999)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIu4yr5mYMc

"More Than Meets the Eye" from The Foundation of Damnation (2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09rHDabBQfA

"Brotherhood of the Snake" from Brotherhood of the Snake (2016) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeIgFsU0x4I

"Night of the Witch" from Titans of Creation (2020)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF2hIrXq2ss


Para Bellum is available either via digital:

https://testament.bandcamp.com/album/para-bellum

or physical media:

https://shop.nuclearblast.com/products/testament-para-bellum?srsltid=AfmBOopKN2P0S13Romq-IpQwncDIXZeWkawfzllbOlHLD-jn-zUbpRwQ


Please do consider joining Heavy Metal 101 at our Patreon page for just $3/month! Not only will you gain access to exclusive content, but you'll also get that sense of pure joy that can only come from supporting the world's wackiest, most insightful heavy metal podcast. Link below:

http://patreon.com/HeavyMetal101


⁠⁠⁠Visit us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/heavymetal101podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠(you can leave us a voicemail if you're so inclined!)


Contact us at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠heavymetal101podcast@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


Social media: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/HeavyMetal101Podcast⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/heavy_101⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@heavymetal101podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/heavymetal101podcast/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠


New episodes of Heavy Metal 101 are regularly released monthly on the 3rd Monday of each month. Thanks for listening!


Underscore credits:


Electric Crown 8-bit, trooper888888888888


1924 version: Al Jolson - California, Here I Come (Isham Jones Orch.)


Testament - Over The Wall (8 Bit) pandoozles


Testament - The Ballad (8-bit) slantyrock


Death/Thrash Metal Riffs - Fight Like Hell // Royalty Free No Copyright MusicWhite Bat Audio


"More Than Meets The Eye" - Testament (8-Bit) Manny Jimenez


"Para Bellum" (excerpt) from Para Bellum (2025)

Testament (used with permission courtesy of Testament/Nuclear Blast)


"Meant to Be" (excerpt) from Para Bellum (2025)

Testament (used with permission courtesy of Testament/Nuclear Blast)




Dive into the thunderous world of Heavy Metal 101, a monthly podcast hosted by Eric Schwartz. Each episode is a journey through the loud, complex, and often misunderstood history of heavy metal music. Eric, armed with deep expertise, is joined by his friend John, who brings a fresh, curious perspective as a relative newcomer to the genre. Together, they don't just recount facts; they explore the cultural shifts, argue about iconic bands and subgenres, and discuss the very essence of what makes metal resonate so powerfully. Their dynamic-one an expert, the other a novice-creates a uniquely engaging conversation that is as educational as it is entertaining. Whether you're a lifelong headbanger or someone who just wonders what all the noise is about, you'll find a place here. You'll hear breakdowns of seminal albums, explorations of metal's roots in blues and classical music, and lively debates about everything from New Wave of British Heavy Metal to death metal's technical evolution. This isn't a dry lecture; it's a passionate, sometimes heated, dialogue between friends. New installments of the podcast arrive on the third Monday of every month, offering a regular dose of riff-laden history and analysis. Tune in to Heavy Metal 101 for a crash course in power chords, mythology, and musical rebellion, all delivered with a genuine love for the subject. It's a deep dive into the stories behind the sound, making the vast landscape of heavy metal accessible and thrilling for anyone who listens.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Heavy Metal 101
Podcast Episodes
The Roots of Heavy Metal #2: The Blues [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:18
Wherein Eric and John excavate the most significant of heavy metal's musical roots, the blues, exploring the origins and histories of the genre as well as its more direct connections to the history of heavy metal.Through…
When Metal Ruled the World: MTV and the First Pop Metal Explosion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:58
Wherein Eric and John reflect upon the ascendency of heavy metal as an increasingly significant force in popular culture by looking at four massive albums released in 1983 and 1984, Def Leppard's Pyromania, Quiet Riot's…
Subgenres Arise!: The NWOBHM in 1981 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:14
Wherein Eric and John take a look at some of the earliest evidence of the genre fragmentation that would eventually define metal in the later 1980s and beyond via the NWOBHM of 1981, discussing the roots of pop metal, tr…
That NWOBHM Episode... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:41
Wherein Eric and John explore the foundational moments of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in 1980, featuring early works by Saxon, Def Leppard, Diamond Head, and Angel Witch. Assigned Listening #1: Saxon- "To Hell an…