Ahkmed

Ahkmed
Ahkmed
	;
Background information
Origin	Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Genres	Stoner Rock, Space Rock, Post-Rock
Years active	1998 - 2016?
Labels	Elektrohasch Schallplatten, R.A.I.G.
Associated acts	Witch Master General
Website	Ahkmed Facebook

Ahkmed is a Stoner Rock Band from Melbourne, Victoria (Australia) formed in 1998. Ahkmed plays a heavy type of Post-Stoner Rock with long songs and described themselves as "Thick, swirling, fuzzy space rock travelling to the planets Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, Kyuss and Mogwai have all been to during their most intense acid trips.". Notably they would cite Kyuss, Hawkwind, Black Sabbath, Fu Manchu, Mogwai, The Stooges and The Hellacopters as their main influences.

Through most of the band's early history they self-released EPs initially as a stoner rock band and didn't release a studio album until over a decade after forming in 2009's Distance and just as long to release a follow-up in 2016's The Inland Sea, both of which take a looser, more psychedelic sound. Yet even with their mellow pace and air of mystery the band has sustained a cult following in the stoner rock scene.

History[]

Much of Ahkmed's early history is a mystery though they were started in 1998 initially as a four-piece, all adopting psuedonyms. Eventually some years after forming the band would self-release two EPs, The Wide Wheelin' Feeling in June 2002 and Adventures Involving Nudity in December 2002.^[1] A self-titled EP would come in 2003 as the band began performing more gigs though strictly in Melbourne with locals. One more EP would drop by their own hands in 2005 entitled In Your Neck of The Dying Woods. At this point the band had largely converted to a three-piece, with drummer Caliguiri handling all of the vocals. R.A.I.G. would take attention to the band and release the last two EPs as a compilation entitled Chicxulub in 2007.

By 2008 the trio began working on their debut album, participating in more shows and their first Australian shows outside of Melbourne.^[2] Finally the band would release their debut album Distance via German label Elektrohasch Schallplatten in late 2009. A release party was held at The Cherry Bar in Melbourne on 21 November 2009 with Sons of The Ionian Sea.^[3] The band would embark on a trip to Europe that April in support of the record, in what would be their only known tour. On this tour the band played several shows in Germany, alongside the likes of Jex Thoth, Los Natas, Colour Haze, Fatso Jetson, Brant Bjork, Karma To Burn and Year Long Disaster. Notably the band also played the 2010 edition of Roadburn Festival on this same tour.^[4] However after this tour the band went largely silent.

Six years later Iacovino and Caliguiri would work with engineer/bassist Finn Rockwell on a second Ahkmed album. The Inland Sea saw release in June 2016 via Elektrohasch Schallplatten to positive reviews. However the band's last posts on Facebook would be in 2016, implying they are no longer active.

Discography[]

Studio Albums[]

Distance (2009, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)
The Inland Sea (2016, Elektrohasch Schallplatten)

Other Releases[]

The Wide Wheelin' Feeling (EP) (2002, Self-Released)
Adventures Involving Nudity (EP) (2002, Self-Released)
Ahkmed (EP) (2003, Self-Released)
In Your Neck of The Dying Woods (EP) (2005, Self-Released)
Chicxulub (Compilation (2007, R.A.I.G.)

Members[]

John-Paul Caliguiri aka Skins Barrichello - Drums, Vocals (1998 - 2016)
Carlo Iacovino aka The Burvale Twiddler - Guitar (1998 - 2016)
Dan McNamara aka Mr. Eddy Twang - Bass (1998 - 2010)
Dave Joyce aka The Dirty Snitcher - Guitar, Vocals (1998 - 2005)
Ed - Bass (2003)
Finn Rockwell - Bass (2015 - 2016)

List of Known Tours[]

2010 European Tour (2010)^[5]

External Links[]

References[]

[1] Ahkmed Official via Wayback Machine

[2] Last.fm

[3] Last.fm

[4] Last.fm

[5] Ahkmed Facebook

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