About
Formed in Cincinnati in 1984, Chastain grew out of guitarist David T. Chastain's work with Shrapnel Records president Mike Varney, who spotted his shred guitar talents and wanted to pair him with a strong vocalist. That vocalist turned out to be Leather Leone, formerly of the San Francisco band Rude Girl, and the chemistry was immediate. Their debut Mystery of Illusion dropped in 1985, kicking off a run of albums that mixed heavy riffing with Leone's powerful voice. Early on, the band pulled together members from across the country, which meant recording together once a year and then scattering back to their separate projects. The lineup shifted plenty over the years. Fred Coury, who later drummed for Cinderella, was part of the original setup. Ken Mary and eventually John Luke Hebert cycled through on drums, while David Harbour stepped in on bass. When Leone departed in the early 1990s, Kate French took over vocals for a stretch that included Sick Society, In Dementia, and In an Outrage, the last of which brought in ex Vicious Rumors members Larry Howe and Dave Starr. Leone rejoined the fold in 2013 alongside Skimmerhorn and drummer Stian Kristoffersen of Pagan's Mind, and that reformed lineup delivered Surrender to No One and We Bleed Metal in 2015. Leone also continues to tour under her own name, keeping classic Chastain material alive on the road.
