# TESTAMENT’s CHUCK BILLY On His 1997 SEPULTURA Audition: ‘I Turned In My Demo Too Late’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/testaments-chuck-billy-on-his-1997-sepultura-audition-i-turned-in-my-demo-too-late/
- Published: 2026-11-03T21:22:14+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T00:56:02+00:00
- Original publisher: Blabbermouth
- Original article: https://blabbermouth.net/news/testaments-chuck-billy-on-his-1997-sepultura-audition-i-turned-in-my-demo-too-late
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Chuck Billy’s Sepultura audition arrived after the band had chosen Derrick Green.
- He was seeking stability amid changes in Testament and the music scene.
- Billy says missing out helped make Testament’s later music and reunion possible.

## Summary

Testament frontman Chuck Billy says he missed out on becoming Sepultura’s singer in 1997 because he sent his audition demo too late. The band had already chosen Derrick Green, and Billy now sees the missed opportunity as a turning point that allowed Testament to continue making music together.

At the time, Testament was in upheaval: its Atlantic Records deal had ended, the group was losing original members and the music scene was changing. Billy was seeking greater stability, but later said he was glad he stayed with Testament, citing albums such as *The Gathering* and the reunion of the original line-up. He also reflected that his later cancer diagnosis in 2001 might have made life in Sepultura very different.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.