Acid Bath

When the Kite Strings Pop (Rotten)
by Joe Hacking

The artwork of mass murderer John Wayne Gacy graces the cover of Acid Bath‘s When the Kit String Pops (Rotten Records), giving some idea of where these Louisiana metalheads are coming from. From the first notes of “The Blue,” you think you’re in for another standard death metal thrashathon with gargling demon vocals grating your nerves. But unlike other bands in this genre, their singer, Dax Riggs, can sing well, going from eerie quaver to low, guttural groan. While the rest of the band – drummer Jimmy Kyle, guitarists Mike Sanchez and Sammy Duet, and bassist Audie Petrie – can hang with Entombed and Carcass, Acid Bath can pull off more than standard death metal.

These guys aren’t in a big hurry. “Finger Paintings of the Insane” trudges along, building a nasty groove upon which Riggs croons like the Vampire Lestat. “Dr. Seuss is Dead” is a cruel drone of a song, replete with evil growls and sludgy guitars. With “Jezebel,” the band intentionally fucks with the tempo of the song, creating a choppy, uneven feel which matches the disturbing lyrical content.

If vivid, deeply disturbing lyrical content is your trip, Acid Bath is your band. While there’s some poetry going on at points, most of their stuff would make J. W. Gacy himself hurl (if he were alive). Beyond the sensationalistic verbal vomit, Acid Bath’s got something different and interesting going on here.