Akem Manah (band)

Lore & Background

Akem Manah was formed in 2009 in Seattle, Washington by Dead Nedry and Kyle Simms. The original lineup was Dead Nedry (vocals & guitar), Mike Bonnetti (guitar), Kyle Simms (bass) and Brian Murray (drums). In 2009, the band made their initial demo. Up to January 2010, this group continued to produce music and perform. Kyle Simms left after the rest of the band made the move to Seattle in October 2009 and couldn't continue commuting back and forth. In January 2010, Robert Ingraham was brought in to replace Kyle. They recorded their second demo called 'The Devil'. Mike Bonnetti left the band soon after. In February 2010, the band entered the studio and recorded their first album *The Devil is In All of You*, released on July 9, 2010. In the following months, they released two singles, 'Children Of Evil' and 'Funeralopolis' (a cover of an Electric Wizard song). On March 29, 2011, the band released an EP called *Horror In The Eyes*, featuring songs recorded during the debut album sessions. In July 2011, Nedry stated they were planning to begin work on a new EP in August, but it was pushed back until November due to busy schedules. In December it was stated through the band's Facebook page that they would enter the studio in January to record their second album, *Night Of The Black Moon*. In 2012 the band released the single 'Witches Ride' for free digitally through CD Baby.

Reader's Guide

Akem Manah's significance lies in their persistence as a death-doom act from the Pacific Northwest, with Dead Nedry as the sole constant member through multiple lineup changes. The band's early work, including the debut album The Devil is In All of You and the EP Horror In The Eyes, established their sound. Their third album, Demons Of The Sabbat, was originally planned as an EP but expanded into a full-length release in 2014. The band's legacy is marked by the involvement of session musicians such as former White Zombie drummer Ivan de Prume and former Nile bassist Chris Lollis, as well as guest appearances by Scott Von Heldt and Adam Richardson. Despite the departure of all other founding members by April 2012, Akem Manah continued to release music, demonstrating the central role of Dead Nedry in the project's direction.

Did You Know?

• Akem Manah was formed in Seattle, Washington, but is based in Eugene, Oregon.
• The band's EP Horror In The Eyes included two previously released singles, 'Children Of Evil' and 'Funeralopolis'.
• The song 'Creatures In The Walls' was mis-labeled on the compilation Humid Records: Vol.1 as being by Dead Nedry.

Origins and the First Record

Akem Manah emerged from the Pacific Northwest in 2009, when Dead Nedry and Kyle Simms first joined forces in Seattle, Washington. The initial four-piece configuration paired Nedry's dual role on vocals and guitar with Mike Bonnetti on a second guitar, Simms handling bass, and Brian Murray behind the drums. That original group produced a self-titled demo in 2009 and continued writing and performing through the following months. However, the band's relocation to Seattle in October of that year made Simms's daily commute untenable, prompting his departure. Robert Ingraham stepped in on bass in January 2010, but Bonnetti's exit soon followed, leaving a leaner unit. Despite the churn, the group pressed forward into the studio in February 2010 and captured what would become their debut full-length, The Devil Is in All of You, which reached listeners on July 9, 2010. The album's release marked the band's arrival as a serious death-doom act associated with the Eugene, Oregon scene.

The Erosion of the Lineup

The years between 2011 and 2012 saw Akem Manah's membership steadily dissolve. After the debut album, the band issued two singles, "Children Of Evil" and a cover of Electric Wizard's "Funeralopolis," before packaging tracks from those same recording sessions into the March 2011 EP Horror In The Eyes, which earned favorable critical attention. Plans for a follow-up EP announced in mid-2011 slipped repeatedly due to members' competing obligations, and the project ultimately expanded into a full album, Night of the Black Moon, released in March 2012. Just weeks later, in April 2012, both Brian Murray and Robert Ingraham announced their departures to pursue college and professional careers. The announcement, posted on the band's Facebook page, confirmed what the attrition had been building toward: Dead Nedry was now the sole remaining member, carrying the project forward as a one-man endeavor while seeking outside collaborators to fill the instrumental gaps.

A Catalog Forged in Isolation

Akem Manah's recorded output spans three studio albums, two demos, one EP, and a compilation release, all anchored by Dead Nedry's consistent creative direction. The self-titled 2009 demo and the 2010 follow-up, The Devil, served as early proof of concept before the full-length The Devil Is in All of You arrived later that year. The 2011 EP Horror In The Eyes gathered material from the debut sessions and included the two previously issued singles. Night of the Black Moon followed in 2012, preceded by the free digital single "Witches Ride" and a spot on the Humid Records Vol. 1 compilation. By 2014, the project had yielded its third album, Demons of the Sabbat, which had originally been conceived as an EP in late 2012 before expanding in scope. Singles such as "Reign Of Terror" and compilation appearances on platforms like CD Baby and Amazon kept the band's name circulating in the underground metal community throughout this period.

Borrowed Fire: Session Collaborators

Though Dead Nedry has been Akem Manah's sole permanent member since April 2012, the project has never been truly solo in its sound. The band has drawn on a striking roster of session musicians with deep roots in other well-known metal acts. Ivan de Prume, formerly of White Zombie, has handled drums since 2012, while Chris Lollis, previously known from Nile, has contributed bass on recordings from 2012 onward. Scott Von Heldt, who had played in Brian "Head" Welch's band, provided lead guitar on the 2012 single "Reign Of Terror." Adam Richardson, formerly of Ramesses, added vocals to 2012 sessions, and Jason Thrash filled in on guitar for live performances as early as 2010. These collaborations allowed Nedry to maintain a full-band sonic palette without the logistical burden of a fixed touring lineup, effectively turning Akem Manah into a rotating collective of respected metal veterans orbiting a single creative nucleus.