Thomas Erak (2003)

Lead vocalist, guitarist, and keyboardist for the band The Fall of Troy, which formed during their time at Kamiak[13]

What is Thomas Erak (2003) known for?

Thomas Joseph Erak, a gifted musician and songwriter, hails from Mukilteo, Washington. He is perhaps best known as a founding member of the Seattle-based progressive mathcore band, The Fall of Troy, which was formed during his time at Kamiak High School.

Erak's love for music was fostered at a young age, with his father, a touring bass player in the 70s and 80s, being a significant influence. His musical journey began with practicing jazz and funk music pieces from renowned artists like Miles Davis, Ray Charles, and James Brown on the drums. Subsequently, at age 7, Erak picked up the bass and mastered entire songs by ear. By the time he was 12, he had moved on to the guitar, playing songs from bands like Nirvana and Green Day, before exploring more technical music from Sunny Day Real Estate and Deftones.

His high school years at Kamiak were instrumental in shaping his music career. He met fellow band member Andrew Forsman and together with classmates Mike Munro and Tim Ward, formed a band called The 30 Years War. The band later renamed itself as The Fall of Troy post Munro's departure.

The Fall of Troy, formed in 2003, saw its first album release through Lujo Records. The band went on a hiatus in 2010 and reunited in 2013. Their 2016 independent release, "OK", was well-received by both critics and fans. Their most recent works include a series of shows across the United States commemorating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled album.

During The Fall of Troy's hiatus, Erak joined the rock band, Just Like Vinyl. They released two albums, with the second one titled "Black Mass," being one of Erak's personal favorites. Erak also had a stint as the lead guitarist and backup vocalist with the band Chiodos in 2012, contributing to their 2014 album "Devil".

Throughout his career, Erak has demonstrated his prowess not just as a singer and songwriter, but also by playing a range of instruments including vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums, and bass. His contributions to experimental rock, mathcore, mathrock, post-hardcore, and progressive metal genres have left an indelible mark in the music industry.