Dax Riggs
7 Songs For Spiders
Bright Shadow [2025]
“Dax Riggs summons the darkness with 7 Songs for Spiders—a hypnotic blend of doom-laced blues and spectral fuzz.”
Album Overview: I always enjoy when artists shed their main project to take their musical stylings in different directions. It happened with Matt Pike (Sleep, High on Fire) when he released Pike vs the Automaton and also with Brent Hinds (Mastodon) with the project West End Motel. Dax Riggs’ claim to fame is the Acid Bath classic When the Kite String Pops and now he releases his third solo album 7 Songs for Spiders. Speaking to Revolver, Riggs “realized that the world was ending,” therefore it was time to write these meditative doom hymns.
Musical Style: 7 Songs for Spiders burns low and slow like a black flame candle. Riggs sings from beyond the void with fuzzy guitars and synths creating a Creole stew of strong 90’s vibes, vintage sludge, blues, and gospel.
Evolution of Sound: Riggs has stated that he’s always had a blasphemous sense of humor. You always get a sense of the blaspheme and shock with lyrics like, “Put your bloody hands on me, and whisper in my ear, burning bodies keep us warm, and have for many years.” Riggs was a teen when Acid Bath’s first album was released. The album reads like Cannibal Corpse lyrics in the margins of school notebooks. Now having played with multiple bands- Deadboy & the Elephantmen, Daisyhead & The Mooncrickets – Dax mellows out on his solo outings with simplicity and slow burn, bayou folk fuzz.
Artists with Similar Fire: Any fans of bands like Kyuss, All. Them Witches, and of course Dax’s earlier band Deadboy & the Elephantmen will find something to like here. The band’s darker tendencies also harken to Chris Cornell, Mark Lanegan or The Mad Season too. In some of the album’s lighter moments I even hear hints of Beck in Riggs’ doom croon.
Pivotal Tracks: The album is short and sweet clocking in at 28 minutes but, I feel like the shorter length adds to its cohesion. The album wastes no time letting you know what it’s all about as the fuzz of “deceiver’ kicks right in. “Even The Stars Fall” use of instrumentation creates a cosmic horror that really makes it a strong standout. “Blues For You Know Who” gives off strong lackadaisical Sea Change vibes that offer a nice break from the darkness.
Lyrical Strength: The album doesn’t mince words as religion is its’ main theme with Jesus and Lucifer being brought up frequently. The album also takes a focus on death, love, and what happens after death.
Final Groove: Seemingly coming out of nowhere Dax Riggs has taken the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025 to “get undead.” Acid Bath has reunited to play shows and 7 Songs for Spiders marks Riggs’ first solo album since 2010’s Say Goodnight to the World. Borrowing from the simplistic blues men of the past, the album’s short, punchy nature makes sure that the album doesn’t overstay its welcome. While the album might feel like it could benefit from a longer run time, I disagree. Especially when “Ain’t That Darkness” takes the hypnotism a little too far for my liking. Small gripes aside, Dax Riggs has given me a reason to pay attention. If a next release pushes some bounds and expands on the song structure then I wouldn’t see why good would change to excellent.
DAX RIGGS LINKS
Instagram | Bandcamp
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