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Acid Bath - When The Kite String Pops



8.6 | 280 votes |
Release date: 8 August 1994
Style: Doom metal, Sludge metal

Owners:

240 have it
32 want it


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

Top 20 albums of 1994: 13

Additional info
Label: Rotten Records

Produced by Spike Cassidy.
Co-produced by Greg Troyner and Acid Bath.
Digitally recorded and mixed at Side One, Metairie,
LA by Spike Cassidy and Greg Troyner.
Digitaly mastered at Future Disc by Eddie Shyer and Spike Cassidy.
All music and lyrics by Acid Bath/Subversive Noise [BMI].

The cover art ("Pogo the Clown #15" / "Skull Clown #171") was painted by infamous serial killer-cannibal-pedophile-necrophile John Wayne Gacy while he was in prison.

Remastered in 2004 by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering, then re-released as CD and double coloured LP (red & blue).

A video was made for "Toubabo Koomi".

Staff review by
Lucas
Rating:
9.3
"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.

Read more ››
published 06.07.2008 | Comments (37)

Acid Bath’s explosive debut album, When The Kite String Pops, celebrates its’ 30th anniversary today. So I’m currently reminiscing on how this album hit me back when I was a teenager and where it currently stands.

And I gotta tell you, my friends, this album continues to have a permanent imprint on my life. The adrenaline rush from those stomping, morbid riffs. The careless attitude of those catchy southern rock leads. The unparalleled range of Dax Riggs’ vocals, who delivers some of the most twisted yet oddly beautiful lyrics I’ve ever read. This is not only my favorite sludge metal album. It is my favorite music album from the 90’s, period.
Play it wicked loud!

The kite string pops
I’m swallowed whole by the sky


X-Ray Rod's picks | More picks ››
Thumbs up: nikarg, RaduP, ScreamingSteelUS

Found in 34 lists
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Comments page 2 / 3

Comments: 65   Visited by: 693 users
01.08.2014 - 09:10
Rating: 10
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Morocco girl IN A DAY has changed her rating from 6 to 7. Douche.

Well, as aformentioned you really need to work on how to give rating. Don't keep swinging.
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27.09.2014 - 20:25
bleak
Account deleted
Time keeps passing by and this album still sounds fucken awesome!
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11.06.2015 - 11:12
Timmeh
Dudeman
The strength of the rhythm component in this album is so undeniable that after reading objections as to the quality of the album I feel compelled to reply some sort of incredible statement like "you can't yet appreciate the guitar riff". I can only think the same thing when people hate on Metallica's classic albums.
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20.09.2016 - 11:12
Rating: 9
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=142921] on 01.08.2014 at 09:59

Written by Cynic Metalhead on 01.08.2014 at 09:10

Morocco girl IN A DAY has changed her rating from 6 to 7. Douche.

Well, as aformentioned you really need to work on how to give rating. Don't keep swinging.

There's nothing wrong with swinging o.o

As I commented years ago..."It's easy to be different but it's hard to be good".
Illham always like to be "different" so as to get more attention on MS
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20.09.2016 - 12:38
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Dr. Strawberry on 20.09.2016 at 11:12

As I commented years ago..."It's easy to be different but it's hard to be good".
Illham always like to be "different" so as to get more attention on MS

Says the biggest contrarian the site has ever seen *yawn*
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20.09.2016 - 13:05
Paz
777
Elite
Why did he change his nickname again
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20.09.2016 - 14:17
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
Written by Paz on 20.09.2016 at 13:05

Why did he change his nickname again

Probably because he thinks that we might think it's not GodMoron.
----
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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20.09.2016 - 14:21
Mikolaj
Account deleted
His real name is strawberry. Clearly a guy who can be taken seriously.
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20.09.2016 - 14:31
Paz
777
Elite
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 20.09.2016 at 14:17

Probably because he thinks that we might think it's not GodMoron.

Good point.
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20.09.2016 - 14:39
Paz
777
Elite
Written by [user id=160508] on 20.09.2016 at 14:21

His real name is strawberry. Clearly a guy who can be taken seriously.

Feel sorry if you haven't interacted with him
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21.09.2016 - 00:26
Rating: 6
Karlabos
What are you guys saying? God Bus huhh... Mr Strawberry is one of the wisest and most tolerant MS users, especially when it comes to genre discussion.
----
"Aah! The cat turned into a cat!"
- Reimu Hakurei
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21.09.2016 - 00:40
Paz
777
Elite
He is also the greatest philanderer here
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21.09.2016 - 06:36
Rating: 9
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=4365] on 20.09.2016 at 12:38

Written by Dr. Strawberry on 20.09.2016 at 11:12

As I commented years ago..."It's easy to be different but it's hard to be good".
Illham always like to be "different" so as to get more attention on MS

Says the biggest contrarian the site has ever seen *yawn*

You deserve a strawberry !
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21.09.2016 - 06:40
Rating: 9
Dr. Strawberry
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 20.09.2016 at 14:17

Written by Paz on 20.09.2016 at 13:05

Why did he change his nickname again

Probably because he thinks that we might think it's not GodMoron.

Please respect my name.

Don't feed the trolls (Marcel+Paz)
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21.09.2016 - 06:47
Rating: 9
Dr. Strawberry
Written by [user id=160508] on 20.09.2016 at 14:21

His real name is strawberry. Clearly a guy who can be taken seriously.

Thanks.
I was originally named Cabbage but my mum thought Strawberry sounds more serious and smart, so I got my name changed later.
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21.09.2016 - 09:44
3rdWorld
China was a neat
Quite heavy off-topic derailing going on over here.
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19.08.2017 - 04:45
RikkiTikiTavi
The greatest Sludge album.
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24.05.2018 - 02:11
Rating: 9
DeathMetal
Holy moly this is a great album.
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26.01.2022 - 06:34
Cthulu
Only songs I didn't care for are Cheap Vodka and Cassie East Cockroaches. Everything else is good. Bones of Baby Dolls is my personal favorite.
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17.06.2022 - 04:09
Rating: 10
sempiternus
Still the best sludge metal album of all time, this should be on the top 200 list.
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09.07.2022 - 17:01
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
Contributor
This album is brilliant in small doses. Yep, some quality sludge, but listening to the whole thing in one go does become a chore for me.

"The Bones Of Baby Dolls" and "Scream Of The Butterfly" are the standout tracks for me.
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05.12.2022 - 15:52
Rating: 9
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Awesome dirty, addictive sludge!

It feels like a guilty pleasure jamming to this album with its sick, twisted, yet poetically articulated lyrics. This definitely seems like a concept album centered around the terrible and insane musings and actions of a serial killer like John Wayne Gacy (with, clearly, the fitting cover art). It's all so vile yet captivating (I feel reminded of my recent watch of American Psycho).

My favorite songs are in the first half of the album (tracks 1 to 7), especially the eerie "Finger Paintings Of The Insane", the crushing "Jezebel", the melancholic "Scream Of The Butterfly", and the ultra-heavy, demented "Dr Seuss Is Dead"!

On the second half, the standout tracks for me are the sombre "Bones Of Baby Dolls", the groovy "Morticians Flame", and "What Color Is Death", which borders on death metal.

I find all songs are really great, except for "Toubabo Koomi" and "Cassie Eats Cockroaches", which lacked any catchy element for me, sadly.

In conclusion, a really fantastic album that so uniquely mixes fun, demented, wild, and depressively beautiful elements with catchy riffs and a vocalist with an unparalleled range! Thank you, Rod, for this recommendation!
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05.12.2022 - 17:42
Rating: 10
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Written by F3ynman on 05.12.2022 at 15:52
In conclusion, a really fantastic album that so uniquely mixes fun, demented, wild, and depressively beautiful elements with catchy riffs and a vocalist with an unparalleled range! Thank you, Rod, for this recommendation!

Glad you loved the album. After more than 15 years I still love it so much. To me this album is perfect as I can pinpoint at least one moment from each track that makes me lose my shit. If I had to pick 2 tracks that weren't as good it could be "Dope Fiend" and "What Color Is Death".

"Dope Fiend" takes a little too long to properly get me going which is particularly difficult after the intensity of "Dr. Seuss Is Dead". It seems a bit like more ordinary stoner to me at first. But the second half gets me good. The faster mid section has intereting drum patterns***. And when Dax keeps screaming "Yeah motherfucker I'M HIGH... And I'm thankful just to be alive." it's just *chef's kiss*

"What Color Is Death" doesn't click with me too much because it has a bit of a nu metal sound that, while great, feels a bit off when compared to the rest of the album. The lyrics do not grab me as much a the other tracks either. This is for the first minute though. Then it gains a heavier, more extreme conclusion. There are some truly vicious high-pitched scream from guitarrist Sammy on this track.

I can undertand what you say about "Toubabo Koomi". I personally like this song a lot but it took me a while to to get into it unlike the first half of the album that was instant classic material. This song more or less feels like a longer version of "Cheap Vodka" as it also kicks off in a very aggressive, near punk-like, manner but then it closes in a very moody way and that ending is really cool to me. Also, damn the way he ends the fast section with "I'm gonna push my love... through your skull!!!". It's also notable for being their only official video.

"Cassie Eats Cockroaches" for me is a great ending. I love the samples from Clockwork Orange and Blue Velvet. Second only to "Jezebel" I think "Cassie Eats Cockroaches" has the most intense drumming in the entire album. The second half of the song has breakdowns deathcore bands wish they could come up with. The love lyrics on this one are also among the most disturbing in the album.

When The Kite String Pops has excellent replay value. After so many years I still feel like I re-discover new things. Like a riff or drum pattern that passed me by at first gets more interesting or a vocal line more hard-hitting.

*** = The intricate drumming is something that is easy to miss in this album, especially after the first listenings where it's eay to get sucked into the riffs and vocal delivery alone.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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12.12.2022 - 21:12
Rating: 10
X-Ray Rod
Skandino
Staff
Before it gets taken down by the greedy fuckers from Rotten Records! ENJOY!

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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29
Like you could kiss my ass

Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
Rod, let me love you.

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12.12.2022 - 21:22
Rating: 9
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Written by X-Ray Rod on 12.12.2022 at 21:12

Dr Seuss Is Dead!

By far my favorite song by Acid Bath!
That super heavy riffing ("We await liiiiife!" ) and the catchy, creepy, headbang-inducing chorus ("We are the dead next doooor!!" ) make an unbeatable combo for me!

The ironic thing is, the song can't possibly be "turned up too loud!"
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12.12.2022 - 23:11
A Real Mönkey
This album does a better job of getting into the mind of serial killers than most documentaries do.
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Need a break from headbanging? Restore your street cred by visiting my hip-hop list!

Tha Swagnum Opus: A Selection Of Hip-Hop For The Curious Metalhead
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21.01.2023 - 04:00
Rating: 9
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Jezebel is the best song on this album. So brutal with lyrics inside the serial killer mind. The whole album is so good, but inconsistent. Some songs drag a little bit, but when played as a whole it’s a totally unique album that’s never really been matched.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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20.08.2023 - 00:09
Rating: 8
Jack_Torrance
Magnificent record. The genres blend into each other so effortlessly.
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23.04.2024 - 21:06
Rating: 9
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Bump again for this great album. Came on in my Spotify rotation today and it's sooooooo killer.

Dope Fiend is 100% influenced by Eyehategod.
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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08.08.2024 - 12:30
Rating: 9
F3ynman
Nocturnal Bro
Contributor
Written by X-Ray Rod on 12.12.2022 at 21:12

*attention grab*

Nice choice of staff pick! A timeless work, even after 30 years. Thanks for introducing me to this album of insanity and odd beauty! As I can't thumb up staff picks, here's my alternative:
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