Zanister - Fear No Man (2001)

Symphonica Millenia didn't exactly re-invent the wheel, but there can be no argument that the lineup of Zanister might have represented a bold new hope in US traditional metal. Well executed compositions, almost unparalleled ability in the two guitarists, an excellent rhythm section to back them up, and a promising new singer. It wasn't perfect, it might not have even been great, but there wasn't anything negative to be said for the Ohio based project. Fear No Man attempts to follow this up, and while it largely sticks to the same formula, and in some cases amps up to a more lethal dose of aggression, it's ultimately just not the measure of the debut, and a few pretty dumb songs really throw off the rest.

The fact that the lineup remained the same between the two albums speaks to me that this Zanister was meant to be a pretty serious band, and not a revolving door of guest musicians from the Leviathan Records family, and the first song here, "The Shades They Color Thee", picks up where the debut left off, with a slightly more modernized, angry tone to it, Brian Sarvela's voice almost picking up to a Hetfield level of angst, and "Generation Breakdown" is quite good. "The Fallen" opens with a groovy, almost Zeppelin-like rhythmic pattern which seems at first flightier, but then the bridge is a little more straight forward. "Got to LIVE MY Life" is another tune almost worthy of the debut, and the bass driven title track is very Chastain, you can almost picture Leather Leone singing it on Voice of the Cult or some other, sadly obscured album. Unfortunately, there are also some semi cheesy, simpler heavy rock tracks like "Hell On Earth" and "You Live for Greed" that are just not worth the time, and "Grip of the Groove" is downright laughable as it attempts to pummel you with seductive rock rhythms.

All in all, there are very few moments in which the potential brilliance of the debut, or the classic feel of David Chastain's playing really shine through, like the mixed quality "Egyptian Nights" which seems like something that could have been on his instrumental Within the Heat, with vocals added in. The Zanister lyrics were not exactly a strong point before, but here they feel even more 'meh', though not without some meaning behind them. Even the cover image lacks some of the inspiration of its predecessor, and in the end, Fear No Man is just another of those cases in which you wish you could reach back through history, salvage half the material and dispose of the rest. Supposedly, this was not to be the end of the project, but it's been nearly a decade so the hope of hearing more material has dulled. The mix here is as tight as the debut, and not every moment is wasted, but this is not something I'd recommend giving a chance unless you're a total die hard for Chastain and Harris' finer days, which very rarely turn up.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

Zanister - Symphonica Millenia (1999)

I have no idea what a 'Zanister' is, but I suppose like a 'Kenziner' or 'Metallica' it just sounds fit for a metal band's name, and without a doubt, this is pure US speed/power/heavy metal which culls its sound directly from the other projects of its seasoned membership. This is a collaboration of two guitar greats, David T. Chastain and Michael Harris, who have worked together numerous times and through Chastain's Leviathan Records imprint, which of course is also the home to Zanister. They are joined by Michael's brother Brian Harris on drums, James Martin on bass (he's performed in several other projects with Michael Harris, and the sole rookie on this album, Brian Sarvela, handles the vocals.

If you've heard Chastain, Surgeon, Spike or other bands that involved some of the lineup in the past, and appreciated them, then you're more than prepared for what Symphonica Millenia brings to the table, and you'll probably derive some entertainment out of this. There are at least 4-5 killer songs on the album, with the remainder passable, but what's most important is that it represents Chastain's return to the more traditional metal he once created through his self title band through many great albums in the 80s. It's not exactly a duplicate, especially when you've experienced the interchange between both David and Michael Harris' dual shredding abilities. Certainly, Brian Sarvela is no Leather Leone, but his voice has a good range and a cutting tone that well suits the melodic furor of the material here.

"Fighters in the Sky" is essentially Chastain upgraded to a more modern power metal feel, and it does much to heighten the excitement for the album, with solid, busy riffing and well written leads, but it's followed by some of the less interesting tracks on the album, with the exception of the "Save Me Now" bridge with a nice fusion of the rhythms and leads. Once you get to the meat of the album, basically the center of the track list, you're treated to some of the more memorable pieces. "The Edge of Sanity" mixes stout, dark Chastain grooves with great, frivolous riffing that recalls a mix of Liege Lord and Helstar, while "Let Them Live" picks your brain with some solid power riffing, and "Children of the Gods" and the glorious "Evil Will Survive" almost grant you your money's worth. There are a few I didn't care for all that much, including "Born in Cold Blood" and "Feed the Fire", but this is at least better than any of the 90s Chastain works (beyond For Those Who Dare, of course, which is superb).

The production here is good and even, without sounding too polished or overproduced, and I'll give the two guitar virtuosos credit that they manage to impress with their skills sans the slogging wank-fest they'd be capable of releasing if they so chose. If you're a fan of either man's instrumental works, there is just enough consideration for your tastes, but the banks of solos are held to their proper position amidst the verse/chorus sections and it's all quite professional. I do wish a little more effort had been placed in the vocal lines, especially the chorus sequences, because while Sarvela is more than capable of delivering, his note patterns are rarely all that memorable. Still, if you're dying to hear some US power/speed metal that you've been missing, and you've already exhausted your supply of Chastain's Leather Leone-fronted works, then I'd recommend this of the two Zanister albums, because there are some decent tunes that might take you by surprise.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10] (anger the angels, humor the devils)