Testament vocalist Chuck Billy has made a video message outlining changes to how the band will interact with fans on their upcoming The Bay Strikes Back Tour 2021 alongside Exodus and Death Angel.

The alterations arrive after Billy was among the first heavy metal musicians to test positive for COVID-19 in March 2020, soon followed by others on the trio of acts' European leg of The Bay Strikes Back. That same month, concerts across the globe came to a standstill.

Watch the video down toward the bottom of this post.

In his Aug. 4 message, Billy recalls how "all three bands were sick with COVID" last year. So when they embark across the U.S. this fall, he says, "we've gotta kinda approach things a little different."

"We do wanna offer a meet-and-greet with our fans," Billy continues. But instead, Testament will "offer a soundcheck, so we actually don't really have to touch each other and be that close to each other to spread the virus if someone does carry it in."

That's because, he adds, if "one person gets sick on this tour, the tour's over. So we're trying to do everything we can to keep the fans safe, to keep the bands safe, to keep us working, so the tour doesn't end."

The singer was apologetic, he says, because he "like[s] to come out after the show and hang out with some fans, sign things, talk to everybody." It will be "maybe until next summer" before he does again.

It's been around 18 months since the novel coronavirus first sparked a worldwide pandemic. Vaccination efforts in the U.S. continue, but about half of the country's total population remains unvaccinated as more easily transmissible variants of COVID-19 have emerged.

"We're all gonna have to do this together, do our part," Billy says. "Either be vaccinated [or] — and if you're not vaccinated and you wanna come to see the show, do everybody else a favor — wear a mask. That's your choice. We're just trying to do everything we can to keep this tour going, keep fans entertained, and most of all, keep us and the crew working. I would hate to get out there and start a tour and then, in the middle of it, somebody gets sick and the whole tour's done."

See Testament dates below and get tickets here.

Testament, Exodus + Death Angel Fall 2021 U.S. Tour Dates

Testament, Exodus, Death Angel 2021 Tour
Nuclear Blast
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Sept. 9 – Danville, Va. @ Blue Ridge Rock Festival *
Oct. 6 – San Luis Obispo, Calif. @ Fremont Theater
Oct. 7 – Sacramento, Calif. @ Aftershock Festival
Oct. 8 – San Diego, Calif. @ House of Blues
Oct. 10 – Anaheim, Calif. @ House of Blues
Oct. 11 – Tucson, Ariz. @ Rialto Theatre
Oct. 12 – Albuquerque, N.M. @ Sunshine Theater
Oct. 14 – Oklahoma City, Okla. @ Diamond Ballroom
Oct. 15 – Dallas, Texas @ Gas Monkey Bar & Grill
Oct. 16 – Austin, Texas @ Emo's
Oct. 17 – Houston, Texas @ White Oak Music Hall
Oct. 18 – New Orleans, La. @ House of Blues
Oct. 20 – Atlanta, Ga. @ Masquerade
Oct. 21 – Raleigh, N.C. @ The Ritz
Oct. 22 – Philadelphia, Pa. @ TLA
Oct. 23 – Sayreville, N.J. @ Starland Ballroom
Oct. 24 – Baltimore, Md. @ Baltimore Soundstage
Oct. 26 – Huntington, N.Y. @ The Paramount
Oct. 27 – Boston, Mass. @ House of Blues
Oct. 28 – Buffalo, N.Y. @ Town Ballroom
Oct. 29 – Cincinnati, Ohio @ Madison Theater
Oct. 30 – Cleveland, Ohio @ The Agora
Nov. 1 – Pittsburgh, Pa. @ Stage AE
Nov. 2 – Columbus, Ohio @ Newport Music Hall
Nov. 4 – Detroit, Mich. @ The Majestic
Nov. 5 – Joliet, Ill. @ The Forge
Nov. 7 – Minneapolis, Minn. @ Skyway Theatre
Nov. 9 – Denver, Colo. @ Summit Music Hall
Nov. 10 – Salt Lake City, Utah @ The Depot
Nov. 11 – Las Vegas, Nev. @ House of Blues **
Nov. 27 – Oakland, Calif. @ The Fox

* Without Exodus + Death Angel
** No Exodus

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