Ahab (band)

Ahab
Ahab at Rockharz Open Air 2018
Ahab at Rockharz Open Air 2018
Background information
OriginGermany
GenresFuneral doom metal, doom metal, progressive metal
Years active2004–present
LabelsNapalm Records
MembersDaniel Droste
Chris R. Hector
Cornelius Althammer
Stephan Wandernoth
Past membersStephan Adolph
Websiteahab-doom.de

Ahab is a German funeral doom metal band founded in 2004 by Midnattsol guitarists Christian Hector and Daniel Droste. The band is named after Captain Ahab, a character in the 1851 novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Along with its name, the band also draws thematic and lyrical inspiration from Moby-Dick; some songs even feature direct quotations from the book.[1]

Near the end of 2004, with one song already written, Christian Hector and Daniel Droste decided to form a band and recorded their first single, The Stream. On 15 April 2005, after several months of rehearsing, the band's first demo, The Oath, was released. The demo was limited to 30 hand-numbered copies and contained the band's first song, "The Stream", as well as two new songs and an outro track. Nearly a year and a half later, The Call of the Wretched Sea, the group's first full-length album was released on Napalm Records with the help of new band member Stephan Adolph and session drummer Cornelius Althammer.

After the release of The Call of the Wretched Sea, the band played some few gigs in Europe. In 2008, shortly after playing at the Summer Breeze Open Air metal festival in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, bassist Stephan Adolph left the band due to "personal differences." He was quickly replaced by Stephan Wandernoth, a member of the band Dead Eyed Sleeper to which the drummer, Cornelius, also belongs.[2]

The band's next album The Divinity of Oceans was released in July 2009.[3]

In April 2012, Ahab announced they would be releasing their third studio album, titled The Giant, later in 2012. The announcement included the artwork and track listing.[4]

Ahab released The Boats of the "Glen Carrig", on 28 August 2015. It is a concept album based on William Hope Hodgson's novel of the same name.

Ahab released their most recent album, The Coral Tombs,[5] on Friday January the 13th 2023 and made the charts in the US,[6] this time taking their fans on a musical journey with Captain Nemo and Professor Aronnax through the depths of the sea and the abysmal nature of mankind.

To date, Ahab has released five studio albums and one live album and has performed across Europe. The band is currently endorsed by several music gear manufactures including Neunaber Audio, LICHTLÆRM Audio and ICE Stix.[7][8] [9]

  1. ^ Interview with Christian R. Hector @ mental-solitude.com[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "AHAB Part Ways With Bassist, Replacement Announced @ bravewords.com". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2008.
  3. ^ Ahab: 'The Divinity of Oceans' Cover Unveiled blabbermouth.net. 26 May 2009. Retrieved on 14 July 2009
  4. ^ "Ahab: 'The Giant' Details". Metal CallOut. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  5. ^ 'The Coral Tombs' by Ahab on Bandcamp Retrieved January 27 2023
  6. ^ Chart entry US ahab-doom.de Retrieved January 27 2023
  7. ^ Artists ICE Stix www.ice-stix.de retrieved January 27 2023
  8. ^ "AHAB". Neunaber Audio. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
  9. ^ Artists LICHTLÆRM Audio lichtlaermaudio.com/ retrieved January 27 2023