To begin, I recently started working with a different site (Sonicbids.com) that helps promotion of bands via EPKs (Electronic Press Kits).  This will be the first in a long series of reviews of bands that are also working with site to help bring you, the listener, better music.  Chase Carter's EPK really caught my ear after the first few I had to turn down, since they weren't even able to be reviewed!  Seriously though, Chris' playing is solid and he definitely deserves a shot in a bigger band than just solo.
Chase Carter grew up in Illinois all of his life essentially and was in a band, ZENOLITH for a short period and they even released an album independently.  Chase then decided that he needed to go back to school, but that didn't mean that he stopped playing music. After is his first solo record and we can expect more from him soon.
Fatherless has very nice touch to it.  It has a very melodic feel to it and I think it has some hints of DREAM THEATER here and there.  When I say DREAM THEATER hints though I don't mean "noodling I am referring to the more straight forward songs or perhaps a RUSH kind of sound.  I have to say that Chase's voice also reminds me greatly of James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER), but perhaps a octave lower.
The second track in the EPK is Egg Shells which is much more Prog Rock rather than Prog Metal like the first track.  Unlike the first track where I hear lots of DT and RUSH on this track I hear more RUSH, but with like a slight touch of VANDEN PLAS, though that is mostly in the chorus.  I found this to be very weird since not many of the songs I have listened to sound even close to a VANDEN PLAS song since they are so unique.  While Chase does kind of wear his influences on his sleeve that doesn't mean by any means that it is bad music or even generic.  During this track there is huge part of it that is instrumental and he never lost my attention for even a second.
Eternal, the final track on the EPK is a more rock oriented than either of the songs that I listened to; I would say that this would be his radio track if he was to get radio play.  Now because it is a radio song doesn't mean it sounds like NICKELBACK or anything like that, which is funny since he lists them as one of his influences yet sounds nothing like them.  The song just has a much Rock feel than the other main guitar riffs on the album.
To conclude, Chris I think has a very promising future in the world of Prog Metal or Prog Rock.  Since he does have a full time job it might be more feasible to see him on more those multiple guest artists in the studio only thing.  I would like to hear D.C. Cooper sing over some of Chris' compositions.  I would recommend this to anyone that is slightly more melodic Prog Metal or slightly heavy Prog Rock.