Akimbo emerged from Seattle as a hardcore outfit near the close of the 1990s. The unit logged countless miles on the road across subsequent years, carving a wake of wreckage behind each run of shows. Jared Burke Eglington handled guitar, Jon Weisnewski covered bass and vocals, and Nat Damm sat behind the drums; the trio traced the crushing force and sonic blast of their music to the classic-rock heft of Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin as well as the confrontational stance of Black Flag and the Melvins. Over roughly five years and several labels, the band delivered four releases: the 7" Army of Evil Robots Programmed for Human Destruction, followed by Harshing Your Mellow, City of the Stars, and Elephantine. Early 2006 brought their fifth full-length, Forging Steel and Laying Stone, on Alternative Tentacles, with second guitarist Patrick Cunningham now aboard. Extensive touring ensued, including support dates for Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower. Out of print since its 2001 debut, Harshing Your Mellow returned in February 2007; now trimmed to a trio with Aaron Walters on guitar, the band backed the reissue with further live appearances. That September, Alternative Tentacles issued Navigating the Bronze, the group’s heaviest statement to date.
