Our regular run-down of as many of the Bloodstock bands as we can get to talk to us! Akkadian (a recent Headline Act on these very pages) play the New Blood stage on the Sunday…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We live and are based in Central Cambridge, but our hometowns differ. Harry (guitar) and I (Danny, vocals) grew up in a small town on the east coast of England called Lowestoft, but by 2019 we were both living in Cambridge.
Max (guitar) was born and raised in Marseille, , then moved to Cambridge in 2020.
Chris (bass) was born and raised in Greece, then moved to Cambridge in 2017.
And Aaron (drummer) has lived in Cambridge his whole life.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
We were fully formed at the end of 2018 and have been playing live since early 2019.
Where does the name of the band come from?
Have you ever seen The Scorpion King with Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson? Just kidding! The word “Akkadian” is actually the name of the first ancient Mesopotamian empire that existed between 2334 – 2154 B.C.
Years ago I (Danny) was just reading up on a bunch ancient civilisation and events, when I stumbled across the name “Akkadian” and thought – “That would be a kick arse name for a Metal band” – We did have a bunch of names to choose from, but we liked the fact that it was a one word name and that is started with an “A”. Meaning it would appear at the top of the “Artist List” in people’s music libraries.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We have a wide range of influences. Including Gojira, Lamb of God, Opeth, Avenged Sevenfold, Deftones, Tool, Periphery, Pink Floyd, The Doors and Loathe to name a few. So we naturally blend all of these together to create our own hard hitting, yet groovy and psychedelic songs. We like to keep our songs dynamic and individual. So if you catch us performing, you should hopefully understand our vibe.
What’s your live show like?
High energy, dynamic and hypnotic. For fans of Gojira, Lamb of God, Deftones and Loathe.
If you like what we do, consider ing us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
We believe we’re just different to most. Blending 60’s/70’s influences in with Death Metal, Prog, Hard Rock, Shoegaze and Psychedelia. We’ve found a balance that works for our ears and soul. So our end goal is to create a new culture within metal, where others hear it and want to our community.
So come on down on Sunday to watch us play the New Blood Stage!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
A couple of us have been before, but not the whole band. So we’re really excited to be there for the full weekend all together! It’s an awesome experience full of laughter, love, ion, comion and excitement.
Which M2tM region did you win, or did you come through other channels?
We applied through the general submissions, without competing in M2TM. We feel extremely honoured to have been given an opportunity through this avenue. We’ve been working hard throughout the years, so it’s awesome to see it has not gone unnoticed!
Can you put into 10 words or fewer how it felt when you realised you were heading to Bloodstock?
So fucking happy!
What sort of setlist can we expect?
We see live performances as a chance to set out a journey for the audience. We’ll start straight out of the gate hard and fast. We’ll continue to keep up that energy while taking you on a dynamic, psychedelic journey through to the end.
Stage times haven’t been announced yet, so which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Hopefully not Raised By Owls. They’re class and look like a lot of fun!
We are playing with them in our hometown of Cambridge in October. So we will definitely see them perform then if not. But we would still love to see them perform Main Stage Bloodstock!!
What are you working on at the moment?
We’ll continue to write and release music, tour, make friends, build connections and expand our community, all while working on a debut album in the background.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
We were playing once before and there was a couple laying on the floor in the middle of the mosh pit doing unspeakable things to each other. The music must be doing something right…
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
For me (Danny) it’s beers. But if I really need a kick, I’ll shot a Fireball.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
Akkadian: official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | bandcamp | youtube
