The 7th of Never (Reissue)

Chastain

CHASTAIN is a Power Metal band from Cinncinnati, Ohio that came about back in 1984 […]
By Julius "Dreadheart" Mikkelä
March 9, 2015
Chastain - The 7th of Never (Reissue) album cover

CHASTAIN is a Power Metal band from Cinncinnati, Ohio that came about back in 1984 when the legendary musician/producer Mike Varney (founder and president of Shrapnel Records) decided to put together a band for at the time up 'n' coming guitar wizard David T. Chastain's solo album that ended up taking on a life of its own and turned into a full-sized band.

Similar in style to legendary acts like YNGWIE MALMSTEEN and WARLOCK, the former due to the focus on guitar-theatrics and y the latter due to the similar styles of vocalist Leather Leone to the legendary WARLOCK frontwoman and Metal Queen DORO PESCH, CHASTAIN was both very active and quite successful back in the 80's and very early 90's and has influences many Heavy, Power and even Speed Metal acts over the decades, including Swedish Power Metal revivalists HAMMERFALL who did a really rather excellent cover of CHASTAIN's song "Angel of Mercy" (off CHASTAIN's second album and arguable magnum opus, "Ruler of the Wasteland") on their stellar record "Crimson Thunder".

However CHASTAIN began to lose their prevalence in the 90's, and ended up on a hiatus for many years - only making a quick return in 2004 with "In an Outrage" - before truly returning in force in 2013 with "Surrender to No One". And with their next album expected sometime in 2015, CHASTAIN's decided to put out a few reissues of their old "classic" albums "The 7th of Never" and "The Voice of the Cult" through Divebomb Records. So power up your DeLoreans, because we're going on a journey through time to take a look at these two reissued albums to see what made CHASTAIN an act to be reckoned with to begin with, starting with the earlier or the two, "The 7th of Never"!

Kicking off straight into some fast guitar wizardry, powerful vocal works and catchy choruses on the opening track "We Must Carry On", CHASTAIN introduces itself with a merciless attitude that we today really only find in resurgent Speed and Thrash Metal bands while managing to not sacrifice any melody or song catchiness - modern Power Metal, take notes! The next track "Paradise" follows suit with the same principle, but with a more standard chorus and a heavier as opposed to the previous track's faster focus. So far, so bloody good!

"It's Too Late for Yesterday" starts off indicating that it might be early time for CHASTAIN's mandatory ballad, but Mr. Chastain's guitar disagrees and returns the record back to another strong, fast-paced song featuring more guitar magic and powerful vocal works. And I'm going to take the time now to say, Leather Leone really has (yes, has; she's still as good as she was back in the 80's) a fantastic voice for Heavy Metal music. A lot of the female vocalists that have either fronted or been featured in Heavy Metal bands over the decades have often had a vocal style originally more suited or styled for either Rock, Pop, Opera or a mix of these kinds of music and really rather few have had that voice that reminds you of the female counterpart to Bruce Dickinson of IRON MAIDEN or Eric Adams of MANOWAR, but Leather Leone sure is just that! And I know there are exceptions, like the legendary previously mentioned Doro Pesch and Noora Louhimo of the rapidly the up 'n' coming BATTLE BEAST, but I do feel they represent a minority as opposed to a majority of female Heavy Metal vocalists. Anyway, back to "The 7th of Never"!

And surely this is the time for the mandat-nope, the 4th track "827" is not a ballad; it's an over 3 minute long guitar solo that really made me think of Michael Angelo Batio in its melodic, epic and really song-focused (as opposed to a purposeless guitar frenzy) style. And while "The Wicked Are Restless" starts off as though it might introduce a ballad, and the song is the slowest thus-far, it's not a ballad but rather a slow-and-steady going song that made me think of MERCYFUL FATE's slower songs (instrumental wise; Leather Leone is no KING DIAMOND) with a really memorable chorus.

And then we come to the title track, and this is where CHASTAIN turns up the epic slider. The whole songs feels like a big buildup before a battle, both lyrically and instrumentally, with a focused use of heavy drums and some really great and heavy riffs alongside a great chorus and bridge. The next song "Take Me Back in Time" actually has a little bit of BLACK SABBATH in it with its slower, guitar-lead pace and style - really, Chastain either consciously or unconsciously managed to capture the almighty Tony Iommi's guitar style on this one!

And speaking of guitars, "Feel His Magic" is another great and guitar-focused song that really gave me a WARLOCK feeling to it - especially in the chorus, which could've easily been something from their legendary album "Triumph And Agony" - except for the heightened use of guitar works; the song almost plays like a 5 minute long guitar fest with the occasional chorus thrown in, and it's just great! Well we're at the final track, and thus commeth the ballad... But not entirely! "Forevermore", arguably the best song on the album, is a true Heavy Metal power ballad that demands headbanging and fist-pumping to its powerful and catchy chorus and strong lead riffs, and really closes off the album in a perfect fashion. Or well originally it did, but on this reissue there are two bonus tracks in the form of "It's Too Late For Yesterday" and "The 7th Of Neve as instrumental tracks which are.. actually pretty good, although in the end nothing really noteworthy.

So, how good is - or was - it? It was pretty fucking amazing, and it still is! Instrumentally it's spectacular, as expected from the magic hands of David T. Chastain, and Leather Leone really proves why she's a worthy contester for one of Heavy Metal's all-time best vocalists. Songwriting-wise this is a stellar album with not a single bad or boring song on it. Admittedly there also weren't any "Run To The Hills" or "Breaking The Law" on it, even though "Forevermore" was a applaud-worthy attempt, but really how often do songs of that caliber enter the light of day? Not often, as long as your name is IRON MAIDEN, so unless we hold CHASTAIN's "The 7th of Never" to the surreal standard of our beloved genre's all-time masterpieces, how could I declare it any less than a glorious success that to this day - perhaps especially in this day - and age holds value as a spectacular Power Metal album of the highest caliber!

9 / 10

Almost Perfect

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"The 7th of Never (Reissue)" Track-listing:

1. We Must Carry On
2. Paradise
3. It's Too Late For Yesterday
4. 827
5. The Wicked Are Restless
6. The 7th of Never
7. Take Me Back In Time
8. Feel His Magic
9. Forevermore

BONUS TRACKS
10. It's Too Late For Yesterday (Instrumental)
11. The 7th of Never (Instrumental)

Chastain Lineup:

Stian Kristoffersen - Drums
Mike Skimmerhorn - Bass
David T. Chastain - Guitars
Leather Leone - Vocals

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