When the Kite String Pops
When the Kite String Pops is the debut album of American heavy metal band Acid Bath. Released on August 8, 1994, it is considered an underground classic, and an early example of sludge metal. The album's artwork is a self-portrait made by notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy while in prison awaiting execution.
| When the Kite String Pops | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 8, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | Side One, Metairie, Louisiana | |||
| Genre | Sludge metal | |||
| Length | 69:02 | |||
| Producer | Spike Cassidy Greg Troyner Acid Bath | |||
| Acid Bath chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| Sputnikmusic |  [2] |
Cover art
The album's cover art is a painting by John Wayne Gacy named "Skull Clown"[3] in which he depicts himself as his clown alter-ego, "Pogo the Clown". The balloons on the lower part contain both his nickname and his real name, J. W. Gacy.[4]
The use of artwork by a convicted serial killer caused controversy, with Rotten Records president Ron Peterson defending the decision by saying "It's America—you should be able to do what you want". Acid Bath's follow-up album, Paegan Terrorism Tactics continued the provocative streak by using artwork created by euthanasia proponent Jack Kevorkian.[5]
Themes
On the Double Live Bootleg! DVD (2002), vocalist Dax Riggs introduced the song "Tranquilized" by saying, "This song is about getting high any way you do it, and kicking the earth from beneath you" and "Cheap Vodka" by saying, "This song is about getting wasted and killing things, blood, sex, and blasphemy." "Toubabo Koomi" is Swahili for "land of the white cannibals." It was the only Acid Bath song that was made into a music video. According to guitarist Sammy Duet, the alligator which appeared in the video ended up biting someone's face.[6] The song "God Machine" begins with a spoken word introduction by Riggs.
Reception
In 1999, sales of the album were just over 37,000 copies in the US, which is higher than average for a band with no publicity and released exclusively on an independent label.[7]
Track listing
All songs written and composed by Acid Bath.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Blue" | 6:13 |
| 2. | "Tranquilized" | 4:14 |
| 3. | "Cheap Vodka" | 2:14 |
| 4. | "Finger Paintings of the Insane" | 6:04 |
| 5. | "Jezebel" | 4:53 |
| 6. | "Scream of the Butterfly" | 6:14 |
| 7. | "Dr. Seuss Is Dead" | 6:04 |
| 8. | "Dope Fiend" | 5:19 |
| 9. | "Toubabo Koomi" | 5:01 |
| 10. | "God Machine" | 5:00 |
| 11. | "The Morticians Flame" | 4:05 |
| 12. | "What Color Is Death?" | 3:19 |
| 13. | "The Bones of Baby Dolls" | 6:00 |
| 14. | "Cassie Eats Cockroaches" | 4:22 |
| Total length: | 69:02 | |
Track 14 contains samples from the 1971 Stanley Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange, as well as the 1986 David Lynch film Blue Velvet.
Music videos
- "Toubabo Koomi"
Personnel
Acid Bath
- Dax Riggs – lead vocals
- Mike Sanchez – guitar
- Sammy "Pierre" Duet – backing vocals, guitar
- Audie Pitre – backing vocals, bass
- Jimmy Kyle – drums, percussion
Production
- Acid Bath – production
- Spike Cassidy – production, engineer, mixer, mastering
- Greg Troyner – production, engineer, mixer
- Eddie Schreyer – mastering
- Mike Wasco - photography[8]
References
- AllMusic review
- Mancusio, Jack. "When The Kite String Pops Review". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2017-05-31.
- Sharpe-Young, Garry (2005). New Wave of American Heavy Metal. New Plymouth, New Zealand: Zonda Books Limited. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-9582684-0-0.
- Glenn, Jenni (February 1997). "Riffs". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 42. p. 45. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- Morris, Chris (9 November 1996). "Album Artwork Hits New Low on Rotten Records". Billboard. p. 57. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
- Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Sammy tells story of the Acid Bath - Toubabo Koomi Alligator biting someones face. YouTube.
- Metal Sludge - Sludge Scan For November 1999 - The Power & Glory since 1998
- When the Kite String Pops - Acid Bath | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 19 December 2020