DAVID T. CHASTAIN interview by Giuseppe Cassatella of Metal Hammer Magazine

1. Welcome on Metal Hammer Italy, David! Pure Steel Records just re-released your band's third opus 'The 7th Of Never'. How do you feel after this jump in your past?
David T. Chastain: It is interesting and good to know that fans, both old and new, want to hear our music from such a long time ago. When we recorded those albums we never dreamed people would still be interested in those albums after such a long time. It is quite a good feeling.

2. 'The 7th Of Never 30 Years Heavy' will be released on vinyl, what you think about the return of this kind of format?
David T. Chastain: I think fans really love Vinyl. More so for having the "big" artwork, credits and extras. Some people prefer the sound of vinyl.

3. Which was the Chastain's original goal when you founded the band in the 1984?
David T. Chastain: Really just to get one album out. That was really the initial goal. Once we got a record out we wanted to get it to as many people as possible. And of course we then wanted to record another album, then another. It is quite addictive once you get "hooked" on the whole process. I always had lots of material so it was easy for us to record a new album a year.

4. What's about your inspirations in 1984 and your now days ones?
David T. Chastain: I really have never had a "favorite" band per se. Of course I loved all of the old bands such as Sabbath, Dio, Maiden, Priest, Scorpions, Ozzy, etc... However I wanted a little more progressive approach. I also liked fusion music during those times so I wanted a little bit more complicated environment at times in our songs. Plus having Leather's unique vocals helped Chastain immediately have our own "Chastain sound" that wasn't really like any other band.

5. How did change your approach to the music in these years?
David T. Chastain: Of course back in those days you recorded albums much differently than we do today. For instance I have recorded numerous albums with our drummer Stian Kristoffersen and I have never met him in person. Everything is recorded and passed around the world and it ends up back with me to mix and master. In the old days the band met up in a studio for a couple of weeks and we recorded together.

6. Do you consider your self one the godfathers of the US metal?
David T. Chastain: There were other metal bands before us. However there are very few still going strong from that era. Most have fallen beside the wayside.

7. What's about your next album?
David T. Chastain: I designated 2018 as the year of reissues and the release of stuff that has been in the archives. For instance we recently released another Chastain Harris album I found by accident. This week we are releasing 2 CJSS demo albums that have quite a few songs that the fans have never heard. Later in the year we are releasing a demo album that Mark Shelton of Manilla Road and I recorded back in the late 80s that has been hiding in the closet. That one is quite special. While the "recording quality" on these demo albums is not pristine there is definitely some very good music going on.

8. Do you think that this back jump could to influence your new music?
David T. Chastain: Not saying it is necessarily good or bad but I don't think there is a huge different between our first album in 85 and our last one "We Bleed Metal." Only the Chastain album of 1995 "Sick Society" does Chastain sound like a different band. I think the way I write metal and the way Leather sings our music will always have that "Chastain sound."

9. Pure Steel Records announced other Chastain's re-release could you can reveal something?
David T. Chastain: Yes they are also reissuing the 1988 CHASTAIN "The Voice of the Cult" on vinyl in September I believe.

10. That's all, thank you!
David T. Chastain: My Pleasure! For further info you can always check out www.leviathanrecords.com

















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