David T. Chastain

David T. Chastain - Countdown To Infinity - 2007 - Leviathan

David T. Chastain (born in Atlanta, Georgia on 31 August 1963) is an American guitarist and owner of Leviathan Records and Diginet Music. Chastain is a metal guitarist who emerged in the mid-'80s along with a wave of other neo-classical guitarists. He has released about 50 recordings under multiple names, including David T. Chastain, CJSS, Georgia Blues Dawgs, The Cincinnati Improvisational Group, SPIKE, Zanister, Ruud Cooty and Southern Gentlemen (blues-rock) as well as a number of heavy metal releases under the band name Chastain, accompanied by female vocalist Leather Leone. In more recent years, David has worked as a record producer at his own company, Leviathan Records. His label specializes in discovering and promoting new talents, specializing in guitarists and bands. He also runs Diginet Music, a company specializing in rare, unreleased or out-of-print music. - Wiki

Although guitarists such as Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, and Yngwie Malmsteen received the lion's share of publicity and commercial success during the heyday of "guitar shredders" back in the '80s, David T. Chastain has been slugging it out for just as long, yet never achieved the same level of recognition as the aforementioned instrumentalists. With his mastery of the six-string and talent for effortlessly reeling off lightning-fast neo-classical licks, Chastain has been releasing albums since the mid-'80s, either as a solo artist or as part of the bands Chastain and CJSS. David Chastain was one of the first artists signed to Mike Varney's Shrapnel label (which specialized in technically accomplished rock guitarists), resulting in such shredder classics as Mystery of Illusion and Ruler of the Wasteland. Countdown to Infinity was released on Leviathan in 2007. © Greg Prato © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/david-t-chastain-mn0000224951/biography

You always knows what lies in store for you with each new release by David T. Chastain, and his 2007 solo effort, Countdown to Infinity is the perfect example -- guitar pyrotechnics from beginning to end. As a veteran shredder, Chastain's instrumental prowess has certainly wowed many a fellow metal guitarist over the years (specifically, those who favor precision over feel). And with Countdown to Infinity, Chastain turns back the clocks with an unmistakably ‘80s-sounding slice of instrumental metal (à la such guitarists as Tony MacAlpine's and Greg Howe's shred-heavy releases for Shrapnel Records). While Chastain lets his fingers fly "("Attack of the Mechonrites,"" "Demonic Harmonic Justice Lullaby," etc.), he also focuses on creating metallic grooves as well ("Hands of Time," "Victim of the System," etc.). If you're looking for vintage-sounding shred metal, Countdown to Infinity will not disappoint. © Greg Prato © 2013 AllMusic, a division of All Media Network, LLC. | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/album/countdown-to-infinity-mw0000478123

Countdown to Infinity is David T. Chastain's first multi-tracked all instrumental Cd since 1994s Next Planet Please. This sophisticated recording encompasses influences from what David describes as his 3 eras. He states, "Some of these tracks sound like they could have been on my late 80s neoclassical shred based Cds such as Instrumental Variations. Then other tracks have a more fusion feel of Next Planet Please. Then lastly, they all seem to have a touch of my more recent improv based instrumental releases such as Rock Solid Guitar. Not that I was trying to please anyone or everyone, but it is just the way things turned out. I guess you could call it a contemporary retrospect. However I have to say the Cd flows quite well from my subjective perspective." Mike Haid played drums on this new release and David states, "Mike really outdid himself on this one. I kept telling him to go overboard and he fulfilled those directives splendidly. He ignites the tracks! His performance should appeal to fans of intense drumming." The Cd was mixed and mastered by noted metal engineer Christian Schmid at the Music Factory in Germany. His contributions made this Cd a more "metal" sounding Cd than most instrumentals releases. David elaborates as to why this Cd now, "I had quite a backlog of instrumental material I was looking to record when I had a break from my bands Chastain and Southern Gentlemen. I could have easily released one Cd for each style within but I always felt, as you can tell from my career, variation is the spice of my musical life." While it is hard to pick a standout track, David gives a short take on one of his personal favorites, "Attack of the Mechonrites has what I like in my instrumentals. It starts off with a dramatic intro, followed by a nice melodic section, then kicks into a more improvised section with just guitar, bass and drums. Then the final section is a slower and heavier section with a more emotional based solo. Plus the title sounds like an episode of Star Trek!" In regards to the title of the Cd Countdown to Infinity, David states, "Well ... I have reached a point in my career where there are no boundaries for me commercially. So it is really a countdown to no limitation or external determination in what I want to do musically. Just plug in and play and let the chips fall where they may!" © http://www.leviathanrecords.com/dtccti.htm

Guitar World says that, "As a player, Chastain ranks with Steve Morse, Eric Johnson, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai." David was one of the first artists signed to Mike Varney's Shrapnel label (which specialized in technically accomplished rock, metal, and fusion guitarists), and released Chastain shredder classics like ”Mystery of Illusion” and “Ruler of the Wasteland”. David should be better known as a guitar virtuoso, but he is just one of many great musicians who never get the recognition they deserve. Whether you like hard rock, fusion, metal, or just fantastic guitar playing, you may enjoy this album which is HR by A.O.O.F.C [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 105 Mb]

TRACKS

1 Rambunctious Delicacy 4:58
2 Attack of the Mechonrites 4:06
3 Demonic Harmonic Justice Lullaby 5:34
4 Countdown to Infinity 3:51
5 Hands of Time 5:38
6 Victim of the System 4:21
7 The Sky Is Melting 4:19
8 Lucre Viand 4:40
9 Movegroovestew 4:33
10 Temptress of Illusions 4:24

All tracks composed by David T. Chastain

MUSICIANS

David T. Chastain - Guitar, Bass
Mike Haid - Drums