Review: Dax Riggs ‘7 Songs For Spiders’

Now, here is a record I can honestly say I was beginning to think I might never see released. Dax Riggs, the otherworldly vocalist of legendary, genre-bending, sludge and death metal heathens Acid Bath (who have announced their return after almost three decades!) is a mysterious musical alchemist. Hailing from the Louisiana swamps, his voice is from another plane of existence and is solely responsible for some of the most amazing, southern gothic, garage-punk, melancholic, folk rock and roll ever laid to wax here on planet Earth.

Riggs, easily one of the greatest, yet completely underrated vocalists of his generation, with a voice so unique and diverse, he can easily be mentioned in the same breath with legends like Chris Cornell. Responsible for at minimum two of my favorite albums of the last thirty years, he was an active musician, touring and recording with regularity, until he dropped off the face of the earth around 2011, and borrowing from the title of his second solo full-length, he literally said Goodnight To The World.

There were periodic rumors of his whereabouts. He was allegedly working on new material. Some said he had settled down, started a family and was working a regular job. Perhaps he was trapped in a containment circle, a victim of one of the many demons he routinely conjures up in his songs. In this world of 24/7 social media and mind-melting insanity, the fact that Riggs disappeared from the public eye only added to the mysterious nature of this very singular musician. Then, after a decade and a half, out of nowhere, he not only announced his new record, 7 Songs For Spiders but announced he’d be re-joining Sammy Duet (Goathwhore) in a full-blown Acid Bath reunion.

To say I was excited about 7 Songs For Spiders would be an understatement, yet I avoided listening to the pre-release singles as I wanted to absorb this record as a singular piece of music. One thing about Riggs’ music, whether it was his first post-Acid Bath band, Agents Of Oblivion, who proffered a southern, mystical rock vibe, or the swamp-punk folk-blues he’s done in some form with both Deadboy And The Elephantmen, as well as his two solo albums, he’s never made the same record twice.

Of course, there are similarities within his musical and lyrical wheelhouse, but where would he take his music after all this time? What would his voice sound like? Fortunately, all my questions were answered within the first few seconds as after a fuzzy, rumbling distorted bassline introduces opener Deceiver, and Riggs’ voice seeps into the mix, a smile goes across my face and suddenly all is right in the world.

Like speaking to an old friend, his unparalleled voice washes over the listener, accompanied by a distorted, psychedelic, fuzzed-out rumble courtesy of Lucas Broussard (guitar/synth), Kane Cormier (bass) and Scott Domingue (percussion) who join him on a sonic journey through the dark portals of Riggs’ imagination

It is here, right off the bat, where it’s instantly apparent he is summoning a different rock and roll alchemy as this is the heaviest his music has been with Broussard’s guitar tone sounding like a fuzz-drenched, proto-metal doom machine being transported to earth from another planet. Lyrically, Riggs is right where he’s comfortable, pining on a female demon whom he can’t see, who may or may not be the bride of Jesus, while he lays in the coffin and closes the lid.

an amazing sonic journey through the dark corners of Riggs’ psyche…

Musically, the following track, Sunshine Felt The Darkness Smile, features the same super fuzzy, heavy guitar, with plenty of synth flourishes, as Riggs really shows why he’s one of the best and most unique rock singers and lyricists on earth as his cosmic, dark thoughts are delivered with an emotion and passion that only he seems capable of summoning with that otherworldly voice of his. Even The Stars Fall is a rumbling rocker featuring plenty of dynamism in the vocal delivery and cadence, hitting all sorts of notes, which in turn produce differing emotions throughout on just this track alone, to say nothing of the album as a whole.

Blues For You Know Who is a melancholy and frankly sad track, made all the more so with that voice and delivery. Listening to this track, especially with headphones on, it’s not difficult to imagine Riggs standing at the infamous southern crossroads and coming to terms with what he’s just created after making a pact with the man downstairs.

My two favorite tracks on the album found themselves on the back end. Starting with the despondent, slow-build and creepy-crawl of Ain’t That Darkness, wherein any concern about the status of the man’s voice after a decade and a half are, if they weren’t already, quickly put to rest as Riggs lets it all hang out, showing his full range and emotional heft throughout his delivery, hitting his epic high notes and heart-wrenching lows during its killer build-up and breakdown.

Pagan Moon boasts the heaviest and most addicting riff on the record as Broussard adds all sorts of wicked, swirling synth and effects to compliment his spacey, doomy riff giving the track a very ethereal, cosmic, yet weighted energy. And then there’s Riggs himself, who sounds incredible across the four-minute runtime, with his delivery really emphasizing the storytelling. Closer, Graveyard Soul is another fuzzed-up, proto-metal, garage rock stomper that brings 7 Songs For Spiders to a fun and emphatic finish.

Even with the fifteen years between releases, I would say it was well worth the wait. It’s as good as anything Riggs has been involved with and the sonic evolution towards a fuzzy, cosmic, spaced-out, proto-metal attack was super cool and interesting to absorb, especially coupled with that voice, which, it must be emphasized, sounds absolutely fantastic throughout as the hiatus has done nothing to diminish the power, range and emotion of his pipes.

7 Songs For Spiders is an amazing sonic journey through the dark corners of Riggs’ psyche, one that I would recommend digesting with headphones on as each new listen rewards with different sounds and different layers to a one-of-a-kind voice. My only complaint is that it’s a fairly short album, but whatever, I’m just glad it’s here. I’m obviously a fan, and even though the year is only just starting, it would be shocking if this album doesn’t find itself at the very top of my year end list. Welcome back Dax. Enthusiastically recommended.

Label: Fat Possum Records
Band Links: Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram

Scribed by: Martin Williams