The rise of grunge within the early ’90s marked a seismic shift within the music business. Whereas the Seattle sound captured mainstream consideration and reshaped popular culture, its ascent disrupted the momentum of different genres, particularly metallic. Testomony frontman Chuck Billy lately mirrored on this turbulent period, providing a candid perspective on how grunge affected his band and metallic as an entire.
In an interview with Full Metallic Jackie (by way of Loudwire), Billy addressed the frequent perception that grunge “killed” metallic, providing a extra nuanced take: “There’s those that say it killed metallic. I do not know if it killed metallic. I simply suppose some bands, and I can solely converse for us, but it surely killed our momentum.”
For Testomony, the timing was notably irritating. The band had begun to get pleasure from vital radio publicity, breaking via the late-night school radio area of interest that usually confined metallic.
“Throughout that point, we had been getting publicity on radio, truly having metallic performed throughout drive time visitors, which was superior to us for each Follow and Souls of Black in that period,” Billy defined. “There was, God, it needed to be a pair hundred stations throughout the nation that had been enjoying metallic throughout drive time visitors. You simply did not have the midnight present on school radio. So metallic was getting an opportunity. It was getting publicity for just a little bit, much more excessive model metallic.”
Nevertheless, as grunge grew right into a cultural juggernaut, metallic’s second within the solar light. The shift pressured Testomony to reevaluate their method to music and profession: “It did not kill us, but it surely modified our perspective seeing what was taking place to the opposite bands. The momentum slowed down, and we needed to shift gears to type of return to our roots,” Billy recalled.
As an alternative of chasing mainstream developments or trying to emulate probably the most established grunge bands, Testomony selected a special path. For Testomony, this meant embracing their unique sound—heavier, extra aggressive, and uncompromising. This back-to-basics method finally solidified their identification and received the loyalty of followers.
 “It wasn’t about writing a tune that is going to get publicity on the radio anymore as a result of it was type of altering. And naturally, we weren’t going to attempt to be Soundgarden or Pearl Jam. So we shifted again to the place we began.”
“Let’s return and write heavier songs and extra aggressive songs. Get again to what we all know, what we love, and simply keep on with that,” Billy stated. “I feel it was the best alternative as a result of we do speak to followers at this time who reward us and say thanks a lot for sticking round and being Testomony. And that is an enormous praise.”
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