Black Fast (band)

Black Fast is an independent technical thrash metal band from St. Louis, Missouri. The band's original members are Aaron Akin as the lead vocalist and guitarist, Ryan Thompson as the bassist, Trevor Johanson as the band's second and primary solo guitarist, and Ross Burnett on the drums. Greg Meisenberg replaced Ryan Thompson on tour in 2016. ^[1] They have released one EP, Black Fast EP, and one independently released and produced album, Starving Out The Light. They signed with eOne Music in 2014 and released their second studio album, Terms of Surrender, the following year.

History

Guitarists Aaron Akin and Trevor Johanson first met at a gas station in Edwardsville, Illinois. Shortly after, Akin's friend, Ross Burnett, and Johanson's college classmate, Ryan Thompson, started playing together, and the band was formed in 2010. Both Johanson and Thompson graduated with music degrees in jazz guitar from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.

In April 2011, they released their extended play, Black Fast EP 2011. Two years later, their second release and their first full-length, 7-track album, Starving Out The Light, was independently released to Bandcamp, Google Play, iTunes, Spotify, and Amazon on August 16, 2013. The artwork on the album was done by Coby Ellison. The music was mixed and produced by Justin L. Fisher from SmithLee Productions and was mastered by Rob Schlette.^[2][3]

It was announced in November 2014 that Black Fast had signed with the independent label eOne Music.^[4] Black Fast announced that its first debut studio album with eOne Music produced by Erik Rutan would be released in the summer of 2015.^[5] That album, Terms of Surrender, was released on August 7, 2015.^[6]

Live performances

On June 28, 2014, Black Fast performed with the bands Shadows Fall, Dead by Wednesday, Hallow Point, and Gray's Divide. Their live performance received a positive review from the website National Rock Review.^[7]

Black Fast announced via their Facebook page that they would be performing in the Winter Warriors Tour starting on November 30, 2014, alongside Battlecross, War of Ages, and Wretched.^[8] Their live performance was once again reviewed positively.^[9]

Since 2015, Black Fast has toured with such bands as Rivers of Nihil, Hatchet, Lord Dying, Black Crown Initiate, Havok, Revocation, Goatwhore, Battlecross, Hate Eternal, and Vektor.

Black Fast @ SXSW 2016

In 2016, they toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada having booked seven month-long tours and numerous one and two-nighters in between.

Reception

Their first full-length album, Starving Out The Light, was well received according to the ratings submitted on Metalstorm.net, averaging an 8/10.^[10]

Their second full-length album and first studio album Terms of Surrender received positive reviews from MetalInjection.net.^[11] Chuck Marshall of the National Rock Review also praised the album saying: "The production and playing on Terms of Surrender are outstanding. The mix is balanced and breathes with the music. A key element of each tune is the razor precision playing of Aaron Akin and Trevor Johanson. From feverish rhythm playing in 'The Keep' to the exquisitely twisting runs in “Tongues of Silver,” these guys make it sound easy to create catchy headbanging anthems."

However, MetalSucks gave Terms of Surrender a more lukewarm review, stating: "...but frankly this breakneck locomotion seems to come at a price, with the music coming off slightly sterile and repetitive at times. That’s not to say that there isn’t pure fire for thrash-heads on Terms of Surrender; there most definitely is, and it sounds legit." The review gave the album 3 stars out of 5.^[12]

Discography

Black Fast EP (April 2011)

Starving Out The Light (August 16, 2013)

Terms of Surrender (August 7, 2015)

References

External links

• http://www.blackfastmusic.com/