Dax Riggs – 7 Songs For Spiders

by Mark 'Yeti' Richard · February 10, 2025

Dax Riggs became known with his incredible vocal dynamics in Acid Bath, one of the most decorated and amazing heavy sludge rock/ metal bands ever. They released two albums, 1994’s When The Kite String Pops and 1996’s Paegan Terrorism Tactics. After Acid Bath, he was in a heavy rock band Agents Of Oblivion and recorded one album, their Self Titled in 2000. He then formed Deadboy & The Elephantmen and released 2002’s If This Is Hell Then I’m Lucky (later re-released under his own name) and 2006’s We Are Night Sky. Then he reemerged under his own Dax Riggs name and released 2007’s We Only Sing Of Blood Or Love and 2010’s Say Goodnight To The World. It has been fifteen years since Dax Riggs released an album and finally on January 24th 2025, his latest creation has materialized. 7 Songs For Spiders is the latest composition of songs that the artist has written and released. The lineup consists of Dax Riggs on vocals, guitar, and synth, Lucas Broussard on guitar and synth, Kane Cormier on bass, and Scott Domingue on drums. Jerry Businelli and Jason Harrington also appear as special guests on a few songs. The album was released on Fat Possum Records and contains seven tracks in about twenty eight minutes.

Dax Riggs’ music is unique and hard to fully describe. It definitely has components of roots rock, gothic, blues, gospel, folk, garage, doom, and proto-metal. His mesmerizing voice is what really drives these songs with passion and an awe inspiring sound like no other. I have to be in the right frame of mind to handle this music because of the emotion, feeling, and soul that he brings, when he’s singing these songs. He is a true artist in his vocal approach and his ability to conjure pain and suffering into beauty and grace is unmatched. He is also a lyrical architect with his blackened concepts of life, mortality, and introspection. His creative strength emerges in his capacity to paint crystal clear images through words and the coloring of foul thoughts.

The album begins with “deceiver”, an orchestrated dirge, starting with bass and heavy synth. The drums reserve a laid back beat throughout the song as the guitars flourish along appropriately. Dax’s strong and emotive vocals are the driving factor in this song and the other six tracks on the album. His powerful voice is truly a force of its own. “Sunshine Felt The Darkness Smile” has a melancholy feel with its slow crawling tone. Dax does what he does best and delivers a beautiful and dark performance of vocal brilliance. The music has a psychedelic aura with the layers of synth that embraces the rhythm section. The song is another expression of gloomy musical desolation in the most captivating way.

The third track “Even The Stars Fall” has a dark garage rock essence in its structure. The sound is married with a spacy and an airy blanket of subtle doom. It has vibes of pensiveness and contemplation in the lyrical expression and the music itself. The song is more upbeat in rhythm with a brooding overdrive. “Blues For You Know Who” dials the sound way down in a simple and slow manner. The softer musical approach is fitting for the sonic doldrums that this song encapsulates. The prominent organ and clean guitar sounds emerge while Dax Riggs sings a gloomy yet rhapsodic tune of despondent expression. “Ain’t That Darkness” is another unhurried and sedated song of mournful elegance. Dax’s voice flows in perfect unison with the synth sounds and strumming guitars. The bass guitar has a a cool groove going on too which adds a nice depth to the song.

“Pagan Moon” starts out slowly and prospers as the drums enter the mix. The music is not fancy or showy at all on 7 Songs For Spiders, nor does it need to be. The band deliberately restrains their performance into a stripped down and simple cascade of self controlled movements. The sum of each instrument is a grandiose structure of sound that permeates each song with just the right amount of frequency. This allows the larger than life voice of Dax Riggs to command and articulate the songs with the upmost passion and integrity. His voice is a magnificent and powerful instrument that can enhance any song. By the band holding back and allowing this to happen, it illuminates the songs effectively.

The final track on the album is called “Graveyard Soul”. It’s definitely the most upbeat and heavy track on the album. The guitars have a nice warm distorted tone to them and the drums are punchy and rhythmic. Dax continues to do what he does best and deliver an astonishing and astounding performance of vocal genius. It’s so nice to hear new music from Dax Riggs because it has been way too long. 7 Songs For Spiders is a great comeback album and elicits all of what we have come to expect from this exceptional vocalist. The songs are very moving and morose at times. He is a formidable artist and exceptional vocalist and dark poet. His voice is enchanting and hypnotizing and 7 Songs For Spiders is another landmark album in his solo career. Nobody has a voice so transfixing and compelling as Dax Riggs. He is truly a one of one in the underground rock universe.