Acid Bath

Cult of Sorrow – Invocation of the Lucifer Review

Cult of Sorrow – Invocation of the Lucifer Review

“After almost six years of reviewing here, I’ve noticed American bands latching on to certain trends. Just a decade ago, everyone and their cousin was aping the Gothenburg sound, mixing it with d-beats and hardcore (and some whiny) vocals, and calling it a day. Nowadays, doom is the nectar du jour, and many a band is gulping it. Here in America, you have two prevalent strains: the airy, dreamy, almost progressive take that bands like YOB, Khemmis, and especially Pallbearer have crafted, and then there’s the so-70s-your-sideburns-are-showing Blue Oyster Cult Scoobie-Doobie-Doom “Occult” doom that’s been sweeping the nation. So which side does Invocation of the Lucifer, the second album by Cincinnati upstarts Cult of Sorrow, land?” Culting the herd.

Woorms – Slake Review

Woorms – Slake Review

“I normally don’t take the whole “new year, new me” maxim seriously at all. I mean sure, improvements are a good thing, right? But an entire overhaul of oneself is completely unnecessary. That said, my first review of the year isn’t a one-person black metal project. How novel! In fact, said review involves the words “sludge” and “Louisiana,” two words that’ll make me shove other writers here aside like Patsy Stone gunning for her favorite bottle of vodka. Yep, Slake, the debut album from Louisiana power trio Woorms, broke my combo of icy-cold bedroom blackness once and for all, and you would think that I would be a happy camper here.” From black to blues.

Mule Skinner – Airstrike Review

Mule Skinner – Airstrike Review

“Through my obsession with Acid Bath, I developed a taste for other trailblazing NOLA bands, from Soilent Green, Eyehategod, Down and Crowbar, to lesser known acts, like underrated grind maestros Flesh Parade and Mule Skinner. The latter act released a gem of a lone LP in 1996 called Abuse that I snagged a CD copy of many moons ago.” Skin to win.

Goatwhore – Vengeful Ascension Review

Goatwhore – Vengeful Ascension Review

“Some 20 years ago, several prominent NOLA scene members activated Goatwhore and a new beast and underground supergroup was born, most notably featuring Acid Bath/Crowbar axeslinger Sammy Duet and Soilent Green frontman Ben Falgoust. It took a while before Goatwhore perfected their blasphemous style of sludgy, death-infused black metal, striking pay-dirt with the back-to-back punch of 2006’s A Haunting Curse and 2009’s Carving Out the Eyes of God. Since then they’ve been treading water with a couple of solid but less engaging albums, lacking the staying power of their best work.” Goats are excellent swimmers.

Yer Metal is Olde: Acid Bath – Paegan Terrorism Tactics

Yer Metal is Olde: Acid Bath – Paegan Terrorism Tactics

“Full admission: this is easily one of the toughest Yer Metal is Olde! pieces I have written so far. It’s not so much the flood of memories that comes with the recollection of a particular album’s impact on myself, let alone other music fans. But rather, unlike most inductees, there is a major “What if?” scenario that plays in my head whenever I spin Paegan Terrorism Tactics, the second (and final) album by Louisiana’s bipolar sludge/doom gods Acid Bath.” Olde, and still tragic.

Bedowyn – Blood of the Fall Review

Bedowyn – Blood of the Fall Review

“For better and worse, sludge metal has branched out considerably beyond the abrasive and uncompromising early years of the genre, defined by the likes of The Melvins, Eyehategod, Grief, the underappreciated Iron Monkey and boundary busting legends Acid Bath,. Increased diversity and scene saturation has polluted the genre pool, leading to interesting yet inconsistent results and mixed feelings from yours truly.” Sludge is as sludge does.

Yer (Not Quite) Metal is Olde: Agents of Oblivion – Agents of Oblivion

Yer (Not Quite) Metal is Olde: Agents of Oblivion – Agents of Oblivion

“Drunk drivers fucking suck. On January 23, 1997, Acid Bath bassist Audie Pitre and his parents were killed by one who blew through a stop sign, ending one of the most creative sludge bands in the history of metal music, let alone in the New Orleans, Louisiana music scene. On a more personal note, it also ending one of my all-time favorite bands.” But at least there was a small silver lining.