Dax Riggs - 7 Songs for Spiders

Angry Metal Guy 80

It’s a weird fact of life to experience this, but ask anyone with creative tendencies, whether dabbling or full-on submersion, what their biggest fear is, and many (if not all) will tell you that hating the very thing that gives you life and joy will be at the top. Burnout murders the love one has for everything they enjoy making,¹ and sometimes the elixir one needs is time and distance away. That time and distance could be days, or it could stretch to months or years. Dax Riggs, the influential voice of his eponymous band as well as the frontman for the recently-reactivated legendary Louisiana sludge beast Acid Bath, took 15 years away from the music world shortly after the release of 2010’s Say Goodnight to the World, and seemingly lived up to that album’s title by disappearing off the face of the world. His recent resurfacing to announce the resurrection of Acid Bath and the release of 7 Songs for Spiders was a massive surprise to everyone that absolutely nobody predicted in late 2024.

That surprise is welcome, however, as 7SfS not only acts as a familiar, cozy blanket of bluesy folk-rock goodness but is a tremendous welcome back from one of Louisiana’s most talented voices. Within seconds of “Deceiver” and its fuzzed-out opening riff, Riggs and company teleport your happy ass back to the swamps of their neighborhood, sounding simultaneously familiar and fresh. While Riggs remains comfortable in his lyrical wheelhouse, combining stream-of-consciousness wordplay with storytelling that’s both autobiographical and metaphorical, his voice has shown a greater warmth (if that was possible) from his previous albums, howling “Ain’t no great deceiver/Ain’t no bride of Jesus either” with infectious intent.

7 Songs For Spiders by Dax Riggs

It doesn’t hurt that he’s got an incredible backing band. The way Scott Domingue lays down a hypnotic trance-like percussive groove on closer “Graveyard Soul” should be studied in a master class for building up tension and heft. Kane Cormier’s bass, while not flashy, does a tremendous job of keeping to pockets of groove, poking his head out every now and then to elevate moments of songs like towards the ending of “Blues for You Know Who”. Guitarist Lucas Broussard’s melodies and synth work complement Riggs’ voice and riffs, not being too flashy or subdued, but rather playing up to the strength and aura of the song. But once again, Riggs’ smokey, warm howl leads the fray, singing tales of the dead, the mysteries of the night, and the darker side of life in a captivating and enthralling way from beginning to end.

What hurts the aforementioned aura a bit, though, is the production. While the warmth is present, the mix feels a little bit squashed, especially in some of Domingue’s drums and Cormier’s basslines. The only other beef I have with 7SfS lies in its length. I will be the first (and loudest) to complain when an album needs some serious trimming. In this case, at a scant, brisk 28 minutes, it flies right by. Granted, that’s not so much a bad thing, but when an artist is away for 15 years, that brevity will leave the listener wanting more, especially when the music being offered is this good.

And I don’t know if “good” is a strong enough descriptor of what’s on offer on 7 Songs for Spiders. To quote a popular modern saying in regards to the music of Dax Riggs, if you know, you know. This is a tremendous welcome back from one of the most unsung modern voices of rock and metal, and you would do yourself a disservice if you pass this one by. Crank this for your jumping spider, tarantula, cat, dog, parakeet, neighbor, roommate, friends, family, and yourself. Y’all deserve a nice, happy treat every now and then.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: v1 mp3
Label: Fat Possum Records
Websites: daxriggs.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/@officialdaxriggs
Releases Worldwide: January 24th, 2025

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