We’ve heard many new and returning voices for What If…?, the Marvel Cinematic Universe anthology animated series, but one particular highlight is Chuck Billy, singer of thrash metal band Testament. He provided some monstrous sound effects, and enjoyed doing it.
“The producer was actually a Testament fan, and he actually seeked [sic] me out. And it was so great and made it so easy. I’d never done that for a movie and action part,” Billy explains, on an episode of The Jasta Show. “I was doing a lot of flying and yelling and fighting and shit like that. The producer was, like, ‘All right, so on this part, do the Demonic voice.’ And I’m, like, ‘Oh, OK.’ So I’d do that. ‘OK, on this one, do the Practice What You Preach voice.’ It was so cool that he could give me direction like that. It was the easiest thing. And I had a blast. And it was right the middle of Covid-19.”
Billy says there was “total protocol” on recording with Disney in Los Angeles, and that he’ll be brought back for another season when What If…? returns. “That’s something I’m looking forward to,” he says. “It was badass.”
The growls and devilish cries of the metal vocalist are used in ‘What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead Of His Hands?’, for all the monsters evil Doctor Strange summons. In between tours with Testament over the last 15 years or so, Billy has been dipping his toes into voiceover work, which says pays “real well”.
What If…? has just ended its nine-episode first season, with an Infinity Stone-powered Ultron. Another season is on the way, with the broad expectation of 2022 for a release date.
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