Dax Riggs : 7 Songs for Spiders

Fifteen years have passed since Dax Riggs‘ last release, 2010’s Say Goodnight to the World. Yet with the focus on the long-awaited return of his former band, Louisiana sludge-metal group Acid Bath, a new solo album wasn’t expected, but perhaps this is what led to getting his pipes warmed up for the reunion. On 7 Songs for Spiders, Riggs is backed by a three-piece band of grooving Cajuns, who slither with a melancholy pulse under his trademark croon, which is in fine form.
Riggs’ latest picks up where his 2007 debut We Sing of Only Blood or Love left off. The opening track, “Deceiver,” finds a dream-laden haze hovering over his soulful speculation. It’s like gospel music for someone whose acid trip has been tempered by opiates. The synths going into “Sunshine Felt the Darkness Smile” create a Beatles-like vibe, while he ponders with his surreal phrasing the duality of Jesus and Lucifer, amid musings of mortality. All the while, its fuzzed-out bass line occupies the space guitars normally fill in rock music, which allows the ambiance to breathe.
There is some ebb and flow to 7 Songs for Spiders, where previous releases felt more somber, this time around one suspects that perhaps a healthy dose of cannabis is helping elevate him from the emotional morass, and he’s more hopeful in his esoteric questioning. “Blues For You Know Who” feels only marginally influenced by the actual blues, though given his cultural background it’s enmeshed in his DNA, no matter where he goes sonically, as he continues to give a more soulful performance than with any of his previous projects. “Ain’t That Darkness” is a wandering jam, which is hard to complain about as it flows like syrup. “Pagan Moon,” however, has the most blues in its DNA. There is a steamy tension that he makes the most of, offering a reminder of how underrated Riggs is as a vocalist—he knows where to put each note and pours the right amount of emotive despondency behind them.
Dark and sullen but with catchy melodies to nod your head to, 7 Songs for Spiders delivers on its decade and a half delay. While his legendary former band may have returned, he sounds more honest in his swampy garage psych-rock than if he were to try to replicate past glories with new musicians. Riggs sounds inspired to sing again, and weaves his magic over these seven songs flawlessly.
Label: Fat Possum
Year: 2025
Similar Albums: