Ahab - Live Prey (2020)

Almost 14 years have passed since Ahab coined the genre tag “Nautik Funeral Doom” to describe their balance of oceanic murk and melancholy. Considering the band is named after Moby Dick‘s iconic Captain, it’s not a surprise they conjured a concept album based on the Herman Melville classic. The magic that emerged from the depths of their musicianship landed that concept album (The Call of the Wretched Sea) in Decibel‘s list of the top 100 Doom Metal records of all-time. As dB‘s Matt Solis wrote in that special issue, “the entire album sounds like you’re bring dragged to the bottom of the ocean by a gargantuan monster from beyond the stars.” From the sorrow-soaked lead guitars of “Below the Sun” to the agile crunch of “Old Thunder,” it’s an album that travails funeral doom’s familiar territory and uncovers brutal new hunting waters. The album’s gentlest waves shroud the danger lurking beneath the surface. Now Ahab are releasing Live Prey, a live performance of their debut courtesy of Napalm Records on June 26th.

Recorded without the band’s knowledge while performing at Jena’s Death Row Fest 2017 in Germany, the performances unveil the songs in their final evolved form. Each song eclipses ten minutes as time surrenders to the band’s patient grooves and forlorn melodies. Live Prey elevates the impact of each song with ominous atmosphere. The shimmering intro of “Ahab’s Oath” drowns in a maelstrom of distortion. Now repurposed as the album’s finale, “The Hunt” begins with a chilling monologue from John Huston’s Moby Dick adaptation before lulling the listener into a hypnotic state. When the song eventually erupts it’s like a hole smashed through a ship’s hull. The album carries the weight of a thousand sea burials, and rewards die-hards and newcomers alike.