In an Outrage

It is amazing that after 26 years or so of listening to this thing called Metal, you still discover the odd veteran that you’ve never actually heard. Sure, The name David T. Chastain is extremely familiar to me. The man is a guitar god. Thing is, I was never into Guitar hero albums back in the day (or now for that matter) and except for a few Marty Friedman and James Murphy solo albums, I don’t own much else. If you’re going to count Malmsteen and Gary Moore in the mix, then well yeah, I’ve got all their early stuff. But hell, stuff like Greg Howe, Jason Becker, Joe Satriani and any other late 80’s fret shredder just didn’t click with me.

I actually did a bit of a double take at the Chastain name that adorned this new album, as other than running his Leviathan Records label, I was almost certain that D.T had run his creative metal race. The new disc puts an end to SEVEN years of Chastain silence and is the long term follow up to 1997’s ‘In Dementia’. David T. Chastain is probably someone I should have taken more time to explore, because unlike the aforementioned shredders, his work (for the most part) was more about writing songs in a collaborative band effort. After 20 years in the game, Chastain has continued with this very approach on his eight full length entitled ‘In an Outrage’.

The best thing about ‘In an Outrage’ is its old school trad metal appeal. Chastain is a metal veteran and his heart lies in that classic heavy metal sound, galloping riffs, searing leads and that all encompassing melodic presence that gives his music power and vitality. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that this is some sort of old school re-hash – Chastain has been very careful not to fall into that trap. Whilst this has that classic metal vibe, the production and more importantly, the heavy vocal/guitar mix allows a more modern touch to seep its way throughout the album.

In an Outrage is a hard as nails metal album - In that melodic mid-tempo heavy riff kind of sense. For all of its updated production and sound, it is the veteran metal fans that love their riffs hard and cutting, their lead solos wild and shredding that will flock to this disc. Enlisting a tremendous backing band that includes 2/5th’s of the classic Vicious Rumors line up (even more enticement for the old school fan) – Larry Howe (Drr) and Dave Starr, (Brr) plus female vocalist Kate French (who’s screeching style might be a little trying for some), D.T has put together a very entertaining and musically dramatic metal album. Certainly it is an album that I didn’t quite expect to enjoy so much.

That enjoyment is the result of not only a set of genuinely good songs, but because of D.T Chastain’s ear for a good riff and melodic refrain. You can clearly here the genius of Chastain on this album – yet (and this is a great thing) he never once feels the need to turn this album into a guitar hero exercise. If anything, his playing is quite restrained and understated in this sense. Essentially D.T’s playing always remains within the context of the song. And the solos! Oh boy, D.T’s melodic lead work is simply superb.

Kate French probably deserves more than the one line acknowledgment I afforded to her above, and rightly so. I’m not sure if Kate was around on the previous disc, however I do know that she replaced previous vocalist Leather Leone. French looks and sounds like a rather scary woman - a total metal chick indeed. Her voice is perhaps an acquired taste for some, but for me, her rough, raw throaty delivery suits perfectly. French has the ability to deliver both anger and rage while also backing off more some eastern inspired moments as well as moments of cool low-slung seduction.

Chastain has delivered a most surprising metal album. It is not an innovative metal album by any means – the chops, the riffs and leads are all built on a long-standing template. Yet, for me, it is the quality of the compositions and D.T’s musicianship that has me coming back to this album for repeated listening. Highly recommended for fans of killer melodic old school metal with no bullshit. In an Outrage smokes.

Krozza: written for www.pyromusic.net and www.wallsoffire.de (english)