ACID BATH — When The Kite String Pops (review)

ACID BATH — When The Kite String Pops album cover Album · 1994 · Sludge Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
UMUR
"When the Kite String Pops" is the debut full-length studio album by US, Louisiana based metal act Acid Bath. The album was released through Rotten Records in August 1993 and rather controversially features cover artwork painted by Illinois serial killer John Wayne Gacy, while he was in prison waiting to be executed for his crimes. Acid Bath was a relatively shortlived act who was active between 1991 and 1997 and released two studio albums in that time. The band broke up as a consequence of the death of bassist Audie Pitre, who was killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver.

Stylistically the music on "When the Kite String Pops" is really hard to describe in a suiting manner, because you´ll find everything from stoner rock/metal, sludge metal, hard rock, alternative rock/metal, thrash (even a few death) metal leanings, doom metal, punk/hardcore, and other stylistic elements thrown together to form a very original sounding music style. The eclectic songwriting approach is not completely unlike what you´ll hear on a System of a Down album, but that´s how far the comparison goes.

The music is dark, filthy, raw, and at times ultra heavy (check out the sludgy doom metal riffing on "Dr. Seuss Is Dead"), featuring both clean and distorted raw vocals. Dax Riggs is an incredibly skilled vocalist and his sedated "Layne Staley meets Jim Morrison" type clean vocals and aggressive screaming ditto are delivered with fierce passion and conviction. The band are exceptionally well playing, especially considering that "When the Kite String Pops" is a debut album, and they really manage to make the listener feel their anger, frustration and sadness through their playing and through the adventurous songwriting.

Another asset on "When the Kite String Pops" is the well sounding, hard hittin´ and raw sound production, which brings out the right dark and powerful emotions in the music. The album is 69:10 minutes long and features 14 tracks, and while such a long playing time isn´t always a success, this is one of the exceptions to that rule, as it´s an entertaining and ever changing album throughout the playing time. Overall it´s just a really intriguing and unique sounding release and it´s nearly a mandatory listen for the open minded metal listener. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
siLLy puPPy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
It never ends, Vim. Never :o
Vim Fuego wrote:
more than 2 years ago
Another on the long, long list of albums I want to hear but haven't gotten around to yet...
siLLy puPPy wrote:
more than 2 years ago
The two Acid Bath albums have been on my review pile for a while. Love both of them. Super strong sludery in action! Great review :)

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Metal Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

MMA TOP 5 Metal ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
METALLICA
Buy this album from our partners
Paranoid Heavy Metal
BLACK SABBATH
Buy this album from our partners
Moving Pictures Hard Rock
RUSH
Buy this album from our partners
Powerslave NWoBHM
IRON MAIDEN
Buy this album from our partners
Rising Heavy Metal
RAINBOW
Buy this album from our partners

New Metal Artists

New Metal Releases

Rot Stink Rip Death Metal
TOMBSTONER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Human Rosin Melodic Metalcore
HATE BREEDER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Through The Hell Hardcore Punk
ENEMY 906
Buy this album from MMA partners
Lightmatter: Rebirth Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
Eye Of Horus (Lightmatter EP Pt. 2) Deathcore
EARTHGAZER
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Metal Online Videos

Agremorta - Adrocitas (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Ploratus Umbra (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
Agremorta - Vertex Membrana (Official Lyric Video)
AGREMORTA
Bosh66· 5 days ago
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR - The Temple Of Curved Space (Official Track Stream)
HAIL SPIRIT NOIR
adg211288· 5 days ago
In Sulfur - The Gate (OFFICIAL VIDEO) 2022
IN SULFUR
Bosh66· 6 days ago
More videos

New MMA Metal Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Metal News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed