Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops review
| Band: | Acid Bath |
| Album: | When The Kite String Pops |
| Style: | Doom metal, Sludge metal |
| Release date: | August 08, 1994 |
| A review by: | Lucas |
01. The Blue
02. Tranquilized
03. Cheap Vodka
04. Finger Paintings Of The Insane
05. Jezebel
06. Scream Of The Butterfly
07. Dr. Seuss Is Dead
08. Dope Fiend
09. Toubabo Koomi
10. God Machine
11. The Mortician's Flame
12. What Color Is Death?
13. The Bones Of Baby Dolls
14. Cassie Eats Cockroaches
"She smiles like a child with flowers in her hair. With blood on her hands, into the sun she stares. She feels it die, I heard her cry."
Welcome in the world of Acid Bath. A sick and violent world, where serial killers roam the streets and drugs are an absolute necessity to escape the vile state of mind so often called "reality". This five-headed monster is violent, depressed, pissed-off, drunk, on acid, raging, insane, dead and rotting, and all at the same time. "When The Kite String Pops" is their message to the world.
"I have fallen deep in love with the sky. Fragments of a sunbeam glaring on a kitchen knife."
Combining themes such as death, drugs, doom and humor with the thoughts of a serial-killer/pedophile/suicidal maniac, their lyrics turned out twisted, dark but also with a surprising touch to them. Sometimes they are even funny, in an absurd sense. Soon after listen to this album a few times you'll find yourself singing "we smoke the bones of baby dolls" over and over again.
"She screams bloody murder as they chop off her fingers...
So this is how it feels to die."
Such lyrics demand equally vile music. And damn, they have done it like none other. Their Sabbath worship is soaked in Southern Rock and perversion, becoming one of the first so-called "Sludge Metal" bands: ultra-heavy doom with a lot of groove and extreme vocals. Where Eyehategod were a lot more extreme, Acid Bath made up for this with pure catchiness and groove. Once you are used to the sound, you will want to hear it over and over again.
"Hearts will stop and brain cells pop.
Apocalyptic high."
Dax Riggs is one hell of a vocalist, and absolutely perfect for this band and genre. His screeches are penetrating, while his clean vocals are sad yet twisted. Together with the stomping riffs and distortion he can be straight-out brutal. Who does not love the first massive punch in the gut from "The Blue": "Across your face!"? On the two (sort of) ballads"Scream Of The Butterfly" and "The Bones Of Baby Dolls" he really shines, with his beautiful, emotive wails. Singing his morbid stories about murder and suicide, he evokes a special sort of dark ecstacy, a dangerous form of energy in which the subject first reaches a deep low, before rising up with a fucked up, "fuck the world we're going to take drugs and get drunk and whoever is dead last is a pussy!"-attitude. Everybody that is familiar with the stomping, repetitive violence of an inescapable depression feels exactly like that every once in a while, and this album is a perfect way to give that a jumpstart.
"We're all gonna die tomorrow.
The freaks are screaming burn it down.
She can't feel the weather.
I can't touch the ground."
A bit of criticism is also in its place. For one, the album is pretty long and in my opinion they should have left two or three tracks out. That being said, there are no real fillers on "When The Kite String Pops". Some songs are obviously better than others, but every song has its own replay value. I really would not be the one who has to decide which songs to remove, anyway. Acid Bath sucks you into their filthy little world and does not let go. Give it a few tries and you will find it is as addictive as heroin, as maddening as a bad drop of acid, and cool as fuck!
"The kite string pops..."
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 10 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 10 |
| Production: | 9 |
 | Written on 06.07.2008 by If you're interested in extreme, often emotional and underground music, check out my reviews. I retired from reviewing, but I really used to be into that stuff. |
Comments
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Comments: 37
Visited by: 275 users
| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Nice review, couldn't agree more. And now I want a review for Acid Bath - Paegan Terrorist Attack. Btw what I love about When The Kite String Pops is that the cover artwork was doen by one of our favourite serial killers John Wayne Gacy.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.07.2008 at 23:43 Yeah I could have mentioned so much more, about the cover art, but I was also thinking about a reference to Bukowski (writer). I was a little limited by the wordcount, but then again, humongous reviews are usually annoying. And that review of PTA is probbaly coming up, as I intend on buying it soon.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what?  "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| jupitreas hi-fi / lo-life Staff Posts: 6660  |
I find that PTA is a far better album. Production of this album is also quite lacklustre.
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| Dangerboner Lactation Cnslt Posts: 7262  |
I can't decide if I like this one or Paegan Terrorism Tactics better, but it doesn't really matter because both of them are completely savage.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458  |
Oooooo!!! You don't have any idea of how much I wanted this review!!!  And it feels very good that you put a great job [I know that there's a LOT to tell about the album and the band... but the review is still well done  ]And about the album. I think it changed me in a way... I didn't stop listening to it after the very first time that was like many months ago. The lyrics are teryfic yet beautiful [the best being "Scream of the Butterfly" IMO] And about the vocals... couldn't get any better. Both brutal and "sweet" The clean ones really impressed me... So sad and crazy. If I didn't know any english I would think that "Scream..." was some kind of love-song but the lyrics were so twisted that I just felt in love with them. I think I almost cried with the two ballads from this album... The music is really heavy and disturbing... specially Jezebel and Dr. Seuss [Just hear the fucking chorus of this song... such a crazy one!] There isn't any kind of filler on this cd IMO... Damm... I said a lot. But I couldn't resist... I'm such a fanboy of this band and I really want the two cds but I'm out of money right now. And it's difficult for me to buy from the internet since I don't have a bank account. But I will get those cds.. no matter what. One more time... awesome review and I'm waiting the next one PS: And about wich album is better... Both are awesome, but I feel more touched by this one, so I think this one is better... My rating is 9,8 [I would give it a 10, but I don't believe in perfection by any means...]
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 07.07.2008 at 03:52 Thanks. And next time you want a review, just ask. I have but few "official" reviews atm, so I am going through my collection once again for review material. I'll probably do quite a few slduge/doom albums the coming weeks.And thanks again for the kind words.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Herzebeth Posts: 5537  |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 06.07.2008 at 23:43 You have favourite serial killers? in the words of Freud....You're fucking sick man...
----
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Herzebeth on 07.07.2008 at 06:15 Yep, I have a top ten list of favourite serial killers. And still I find it surprising that women flee my house when I show them that list.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071 |
Written by Lucas on 06.07.2008 at 23:48 Why would you do that? I don't see any connections to my man Charles in any of Acid Bath's stuff.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Quote:Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 07.07.2008 at 14:18 Ok, I'm not an expert on literature or anything, but I see some obvious similarities. They describe the same sickening, inescapable cancer of society to me.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Sleep In Sorrow Ghost Of The Sun Posts: 1904  |
Great review for a great album. When the Kite String Pops is something that has remained a long time favorite for me. It's just overwhelming... the heavy and catchy guitarwork, the dark sickening atmosphere, the themes, the lyrics and the vocals. It's just fantastic. As for the literature connection, I'd personally connect the lyrics more with the hallucinatory imagery of Burroughs (with the dark humour, dirty needles and grotesque sex everywhere) than Bukowski.
---- "It's not funny, my ass is on fire..."
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
I shall have to read a book of him then.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| Sleep In Sorrow Ghost Of The Sun Posts: 1904 |
Please do, Naked Lunch is nothing short of awesome. Dark and disturbing. 
---- "It's not funny, my ass is on fire..."
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| Stuart MiseryKing Posts: 413  |
Written by Sleep In Sorrow on 07.07.2008 at 23:11 Junky should really be the first Burroughs book to read...
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 07.07.2008 at 14:17 It's kind of late to ask but still...Could you tell me your top ten? 
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15307  |
Yeah, picked it up today. really good stuffs.
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| WhiskeyBay Posts: 12 |
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by WhiskeyBay on 29.03.2011 at 22:29 Imo those songs would probably be Cheap Vodka, Dope Fiend and What Color is death? But even those songs have really memorable moments! I sicnerely find the tracklist to be perfect. Not a single weak track, some are stronger than others but there's nothing thst can be called filler at all. I am trying to work on a PTT review, but I gotta tell ya that my opinion of that album aren't as high as this one. Standing alone or comparing it to other sludge bands PTT is brilliant, but it falls short against WTKSP. But that's of course my opinion. I just think this album has a more brilliant songwriting and far more extreme atmosphere. Also the production is better on the debut imo, way more abrasive and morbid as it should be  Oh, I can't stress this enough. Acid Bath has the most quotable lyrics ever, they are fantastic. We're meat... and that's it. so let's fuck it, fuck it, FUCK IT.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| WhiskeyBay Posts: 12 |
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by WhiskeyBay on 30.03.2011 at 22:16 Heh, we are pretty close in the song selection I was thinking either dope fiend or toubabo Koomi and decided for the first one. But still those 4 songs are awesome. That's the good thing of the debut, there's no real filler imo... Just... too much of the good stuff
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
This is definitely one of the best albums of the '90s. The vocals, the lyrics, the atmosphere, everything just adds up to a really amazing whole.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Lucas Mr. Noise Elite Posts: 13427 |
Intensely amazing album. Breathtaking.
---- SLUDGE. DOOM. DEATH. Wait, what? "The reason I'm running for president is because I can't be Bruce Springsteen." - Barack Obama
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| WhiskeyBay Posts: 12 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 31.03.2011 at 11:15 I got PTT a few days ago and have been listening to it alot. They focused on a different sort of sound while keeping their style. Venus Blue is really grungy. I really like a lot of the tracks but it really doesnt compare to Kite String.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by WhiskeyBay on 02.04.2011 at 23:47 Yeah of course... Standing on its own PTT is really a great album. Venus Blue is one of my favorite, really catchy song with awesome lyrics but daaaaaang man it's impossible NOT TO compare it to the masterpiece that is WTKSP...
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Ragana Rawrcat Posts: 4919  |
Kinda funny how one can make the music seem catchy just by adding it some cool words. I think it's usually the other way round. This time... well, if I hadn't misheard the lyrics of one of the songs, I'm not sure I would have paid extra attention to this album. It does not appeal to me musically, but I gotta admit - the lyrics are awesome. In fact, they're quite sunny. EDIT: Nope, looks like I'm starting to dig the music as well.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by Ragana on 03.04.2011 at 01:50 Well I wouldn't say that about most of their lyrics but songs like "Tranquilized" or the morbid yet extremely beautiful Scream Of The Butterfly do have a nice vibe in their lyrics. It just adds even more to the special atmosphere from this cd.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Ragana Rawrcat Posts: 4919 |
Oh, I meant it literally - the words 'sun', 'sunshine' and something else about sun appear in every song.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18458 |
Written by Ragana on 03.04.2011 at 02:07 6 our of 14 is not every song . Yeah, I really took the time to check the lyrics of this album just to prove it. I suck I know.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Ragana Rawrcat Posts: 4919 |
Hahaha, we both suck. I already counted in how many songs the word 'sky' appears (seemed a lot too and I'm damn curious just about everything). Turned out they're only 5. And yeah, I realized the album gets less sunny as it goes on (I'm currently listening to it & reading lyrics). Too bad, but I guess I'm fine with blood and 'murder of love' as well.
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| WhiskeyBay Posts: 12 |
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