Acid Bath Albums (2)
'Paegan Terrorism Tactics'
Release Date 1/1/1996
Tracks 12
Label Rotten
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
cid Bath's second album further establishes the band's unique Southern punk/sludge/goth metal hybrid, only with warmer, fuller production and a more melodic songwriting approach than on their debut. The songs here are stylistically all over the map, but bound together in part by frontman Dax Riggs' powerful singing and dark lyrics (filled with references to death, graveyards, and bone dust.) The opener, "Paegan Love Song," is an instantly catchy shout-along anthem that combines '70s blues-rock elements with more modern metal drumming, while "Venus Blue is a straightforward slow rock song with a sad, soaring, guitar-heavy chorus that might have almost been radio ready if not for the graphic lyrics. "Diab Soule" is more in line with their debut, shifting between raging metal sections, melancholy melodic crooning and a heavy Southern/groove rock breakdown. The closer, "Dead Girl," is an all-acoustic ballad that brings to mind Alice in Chains, but again, thanks to the lyrics, it is more disturbing and sinister than any of that band's work. A couple of the songs go on a bit longer than they need to, but on the whole, this album is still filled with strong vocal melodies, memorable riffs, and well structured songs. While their debut also had plenty of standout tracks, Paegan Terrorism Tactics gets the edge over that CD due to its better production, more consistent songwriting, and generally more confident, mature tone. ~ William York, All Music Guide
'When the Kite String Pops'
Release Date 8/9/1994
Tracks 14
Label Rotten
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Acid Bath's debut is a malicious and sometimes downright disturbing album that defies easy categorization. They stitch together elements of death metal, '70s hard rock, thrashing hardcore punk and Black Sabbath-esque sludge into multi-sectioned songs that are both intricate and often surprisingly melodic. The production, especially the compressed drums and often-processed vocals, adds an industrial feel that increases the album's menacing vibe. "The Blue" kicks things off with a bluesy swamp metal riff before smoothly winding its way through a maze of tempo and riff change-ups, while the closer, "Cassie Eats Cockroaches," weaves spoken word samples and screaming vocals in and out of complex, Southern-flavored death metal riffing and precision double-bass drumming. Elsewhere, the songs range from full-on assaults ("Cheap Vodka" and "Toubabo Koomi") to creepy ballads, namely the goth-tinged "Scream of the Butterfly" and the largely acoustic "The Bones of Baby Dolls." Vocalist Dax Riggs handles this diverse material well, switching between distorted screams and a melodic croon reminiscent of Jim Morrison or Glen Danzig. His not-for-the-squeamish lyrics address such topics as drug abuse, rape, abortion, death, and self-loathing, but for the most part do so in an artful, vividly poetic manner. While it would have been stronger if a few of the weaker songs had been left off, When the Kite String Pops is still an excellent, diverse metal album that remains unlike much else, even years after it release. ~ William York, All Music Guide
