When the Kite String Pops in Bloomington, MN

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
riffing and precision double-bass drumming. Elsewhere, the songs range from full-on assaults (
"Cheap Vodka"
"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