If you’re a music writer, you will totally understand that hearing someone say, “Hey <enter writer’s name here>, would you mind checking out <enter name of band here>? They’re really great and could use some press” will send a freezing shiver up your spine. As a matter of fact, normally, that very phrase will usually send me scrambling to pull up my Google Calendar with hopes that I can find something that I need to be doing that night instead. It’s a totally different story when a good friend asks you to do this for a band that she’s very, very passionate about. How can you say no to that?
When I was asked to cover the St. Louis band, Black Fast, I have to admit that I wasn’t sold. The band’s genre is listed as “no-holds barred metal” according to their Facebook page. Honestly, it didn’t make me roll my eyes so that was a plus but even after a listen to their latest album, Terms of Surrender, I still wasn’t sold. It was also one of those rare occasions where I wasn’t sold but I wasn’t ready to write them off either. Something told me that there was something more to this band but I just wasn’t getting it from the recordings.
I’m one of those old, cranky metalheads. My wife says I’m a totally curmudgeon and a total snob when it comes to music, metal in particular. Here’s the deal. I fucking hate screaming. I don’t like death metal but as I stated in a previous editorial (DEATH METAL CHALLENGE), I have a level of appreciation for it and admiration for the musical ability but again, with Black Fast, there was something to them. They aren’t your average death metal band. Beneath the growling, aggressive, Carcass Heartwork era sounding vocals of Aaron Akin was some of the most classic sounding technical thrash metal in standard tuning. Yes, I said standard tuning. I don’t want to get too far off track but standard tuning is something of a big deal in metal. These days, bands down tune so low that at times it sounds like a rumbling landslide with absolutely no melody whatsoever. When I hear a metal band these days playing in standard tuning, it captures my attention, piques my interest, and makes me want to listen a bit more intently. Where was I? Oh yeah, Black Fast.
[mudslide:picasa,0,thegreatsouthernbrainfart,6258170967669454209,512,center]
Well, when it was announced that Black Fast would be performing here in Atlanta, I had nothing to do and besides, if I didn’t go to this show my friend would never speak to me again and probably blacklist my blog forever so I figured, what the hell. I rolled up to the Masquerade with my partner in crime, photographer Emily Harris, in tow, got our credentials, and made our way into Purgatory. Emily was all abuzz about Black Fast telling me how fucking badass they were and at this point I was starting to feel the buzz. Lead singer/guitarist Aaron had just arrived and was setting up the merch. I introduced myself to him and he was a really cool guy and I got the sense right away that this guy was the business guy. Unpacking the merch, shaking hands, and while members of the other bands floated around the room like social butterflies, there Aaron was with his headphones on running scales on his guitar and warming up at the merch booth. Seeing this made me smile and suddenly my little black, metal heart started to warm up to these Black Fast kids.
When Black Fast took the stage this evening, there really wasn’t a whole lot of people there and the first thing I thought was, “Oh man. What a bunch of kids.” I mean, these dudes look fresh out of the oven young but the minute they kicked into the first song of their 30 minute set, I suddenly felt a smile grow on my face. The second song kicked in and my legs were moving and by the third song, no lie, I was thrashing around against the stage and moshing with their bass player who had literally jumped into the crowd to mosh while playing his bass. These kids were absolute monsters and they were tearing shit up big time. Lead singer/guitarist Aaron has such a commanding presence and when he yelled, “Atlanta, put your fucking hands up like it’s a fucking Judas Priest concert” the audience responded wholeheartedly. By the end of their set, it was very easy to see that Black Fast had won over the room as people were nothing but smiles as they flocked to the merch table.
As an old curmudgeon metalhead, I have to say that I was more than impressed. Black Fast has that charisma, charm, integrity, and fire that I love to see in a band of any age. It is very obvious that Black Fast is out to conquer and if they keep doing things the way they are doing, they will definitely leave their mark on a genre that so desperately needs something refreshing. What I loved the most about Black Fast is that they kind of proved me wrong. Black Fast also reminded me that even in the more extreme genre, a band can still do something that tugs at my heart strings and makes me believer. All in all, Black Fast is a young band that is very quickly picking up momentum, turning heads, and proving themselves as a touring band to be reckoned with.
About The Author
