Band:	Ahab
Album:	The Call Of The Wretched Sea
Style:	Funeral doom metal
Release date:	2006
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Below The Sun
02. The Pacific
03. Old Thunder
04. Of The Monstrous Pictures Of Whales
05. The Sermon
06. The Hunt
07. Ahab's Oath

I bet many of you know the story of Moby Dick that traumatized Ahab and eversince Ahab swore to lead this whale to its doom for all the suffering it caused him, yet the only doom that was lurking was his own and his men that followed him in this dreadful journey in the shadows of the sea, to finally find themselves in the depths of the ocean, in oblivion. But how would it seem to you if a funeral doom metal band covered musically and lyrically this story? I believe it would seem obscure to most of you, but not until you listen to Ahab's debut album, "The Call Of The Wretched Sea". All the answers lie in there and all the signs lead to only one conclusion, this German trio knows how to create overwhelming funeral doom that will strike you down to the lowest parts of the sea.

Through the whole duration of the album you feel the waves of the raging satin sea striking with no mercy your hopeless body, the essence of the dissonant waters is always present and there's nothing you can do to avoid it, you just float in woe in the most terrifying waters until you finally drown, cause of death: asphyxiation and relentless torment. If you don't believe me all you have to do is listen to "The Call Of The Wretched Sea" and you'll find yourselves how powerful this attempt can be! Melody and terror are present from the first moment of this journey with bitter end until its last. The soul-crushing guitar riffing is always present to evoke an imposing and horrifying atmosphere with its ultra heavy distortion that seems to me at times as if it is slowly rising from the bottom of the darkest ocean, whereas the wailing and distressing guitar melodies (accompanying the riffing and strengthening its cause) or the beautiful acoustic chords (evoking the calmness of the great vast sea) float like wraiths of those perished in the waters. Some oriental melodic solos here and there (like on "Old Thunder") are a definitely good addition which actually shows that funeral doom musicians can be creative and qualified if they want to, don't let the simplicity of the music they tend to present misguide you, and in the end, Ahab is high quality funeral doom.

Some keyboard melodies and FX are distinctive here and there, but they tend to remain in the background somehow, without this being something negative, not at all, especially since they give you the impression as if they were a whale's lament echoing from beyond as the journey of Ahab and his ship martches on until they meet their doom (the threatening keyboard passage after the 7th minute of "The Hunt" is perfect!). The rhythm section is bombastic, quite fast for a funeral doom release, but maybe it's just the fact that the overall album won't rely only on low-tempo compositions and tends to sound quite upbeat at times, escalating the emotional charge of the compositions, flowing along with the ship in the pace of the wind; "The Sermon" for example is quite an upbeat and terrifying funeral doom/death metal composition that rages wild! And last but not least the vocals and the question that follows is simple: "What can i say about them?" Well, i suppose i have to say a few things about them and my opinion is the most positive of all, they are ultra deep grunts, powerful and menacing to the core, at times seeming as if they are coming from the deepest caves of the sea consealing the tranquility of the peaceful seeming waters for danger lies ahead (like on "The Pacific"). Some very few choir oriented vocals here and there are always welcome and they consist of a very interesting addition!

"The Call Of The Wretched Sea" as a title is exactly what the album is all about and in cooperation with the cover of Ahab's debut it prepares the listener of what will follow. The album is almost flawless, but i have to admit that songs like "The Hunt", "Old Thunder", "Below The Sun" and "Ahab's Oath" are just perfect, evoking distress in the devastating atmosphere and the walls of sound this German trio manages to create in such a mesmerising way.

Concluding, just a few words, Ahab managed to release one of the best funeral doom releases of 2006, a release that can easily compete with big names in the scene. All you have to do is go and get it; and one last thing, welcome Ahab, because Germany's not only about Bethlehem and Worship!

Whale Ahead!