Black Fast (band)

Black Fast is an American thrash metal band from St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The band's original members are Aaron Akin on vocals and rhythm guitar, Ryan Thompson on bass, Trevor Johanson on lead guitar, and Ross Burnett on drums.[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. The band has not made any announcements since December 2018.

Black Fast
Black Fast live in 2016.
Background information
OriginSt. Louis, Missouri, United States
Genres
Years active2010–present
LabelseOne Music
Associated actsThe Gorge, Thor Axe
Websitehttp://www.blackfastmusic.com/
MembersAaron Akin
Trevor Johanson
Ryan Thompson
Ross Burnett

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 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. 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 Metal Storm, averaging an 8/10.[10]

Their second full-length album and first studio album Terms of Surrender received positive reviews from Metal Injection[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]

Musical style

The band have been described by music journalists and critics as thrash metal[13][14][15] and blackened thrash metal.[16][17] Key aspects of their sound come from their highly technical and complex song structures[18] and black metal influences.

Discography
  • Black Fast EP (April 2011)
  • Starving Out The Light (August 16, 2013)
  • Terms of Surrender (August 7, 2015)
  • Spectre of Ruin (July 13, 2018)

References
  1. "Black Fast". Facebook.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. "Starving Out the Light, by Black Fast". Blackfast.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  3. "Black Fast - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives". Metal-archives.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  4. "Black Fast Signs With eOne Music, Home of High On Fire, Overkill, Crowbar | Riverfront Times". Web.archive.org. 23 December 2014. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  5. "BLACK FAST Enters The Studio With Producer Erik Rutan; Debut Album Due In Summer 2015". Bravewords.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  6. "Black Fast To Release "Terms Of Surrender" In August". Theprp.com. 26 May 2015.
  7. O'Neil, Colleen. "Shadows Fall with Dead by Wednesday and Others at Fubar in St Louis, MO on 28-Jun-2014." National Rock Review. National Rock Review, 18 July 2014. Web. 19 July 2014.
  8. "Black Fast". Facebook.com.
  9. O'Nei, Colleen (22 December 2014). "Battlecross at Firebird in St. Louis, MO on 30-Nov-2014". Nationalrockreview.coml. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  10. "Black Fast - Starving Out The Light - Rating details - Metal Storm". Metalstorm.net.
  11. "Quick Review: BLACK FAST Terms of Surrender". Metalinjection.net. 7 August 2015.
  12. "Album Review: Black Fast's Terms of Surrender". Metalsucks.net. 6 August 2015.
  13. Hill, Daniel. "Black Fast's Latest, Spectre of Ruin, Is a Terrifyingly Good Slab of Thrash Metal". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  14. "Hear Thrash Upstarts Black Fast Break Out Slide Guitar on New Ripper "Husk"". Revolvermag.com. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  15. September 2018, Dom Lawson03. "New Band Of The Week: Black Fast". Metal Hammer Magazine. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  16. Fixell, Ethan. "THE UNDERGROUND SOUNDS OF AMERICA: BLACK FAST". Kerrang!. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  17. "ALBUM REVIEW: Black Fast - Spectre Of Ruin". Deadpress.com. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  18. Harris, Vincent. "Sound Bites: Ice Pop Fest; Foreigner; and Black Fast". Retrieved 2 August 2018.
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