After a hiatus spanning over two decades following the tragic death of bassist Audie Pitre in January 1997, Acid Bath, the revered sludge and doom metal band, has surprised the music world by returning to live performances. Their two seminal studio albums, When the Kite String Pops and Paegan Te**orism Tactics, cemented their cult status during their long absence, and their return has been met with fervent enthusiasm from the underground metal community.
The long-awaited reunion commenced on April 25, 2025, in their hometown of New Orleans, following an unexpected cancellation of their planned initial appearance at the Sick New World Festival in Las Vegas earlier that month. The current lineup features original vocalist Dax Riggs and guitarists Sammy Duet and Mike Sanchez, augmented by drummer Zack Simmons (Goatwhore) and bassist Shane Wesley (Crowbar).
In a recent interview with Blabbermouth, Dax Riggs shed light on the origins of the reunion, explaining it grew organically from casual jam sessions between himself and Mike Sanchez.
“I guess Mike and I got back together a little bit before, just to start the process,” Riggs recounted. “We had another friend, as well as a couple of friends, sit in with us to help us play the songs at first. At first, it was a complete, ‘Wow, that sounded like the song!’ When Sammy came in and the other players came in, it came together. It seemed pretty cool…there was no weirdness. We were all trying to do it and trying to remember, at least for me, I think them as well, because it is different for everybody involved, so it was kind of natural.”
This rekindling of Acid Bath‘s musical flame wasn’t solely driven by a desire to play the songs again; it was deeply rooted in the enduring bond between the original members. Despite years spent pursuing divergent musical paths, the camaraderie between Riggs, Duet, and Sanchez remained intact. “Totally. I mean, they are some of my oldest friends that I still keep in touch with. You know how life goes — they are like your ‘ancient friends’ who knew you when you were a baby. They are like my brothers,” Riggs affirmed, emphasizing the profound personal connection that underpinned their decision to reunite.
The reformed Acid Bath took the stage for their first official performance in nearly three decades in New Orleans, a moment of immense anticipation for dedicated fans. Riggs admitted to the weight of the occasion. “It felt really good, but there was a lot of weight on it, like I wanted to make sure that I got it as correct as I could,” he confessed. “I guess there was a lot of weight to it. It felt like I had a job to do, and that was my main intention, but I was certainly nervous that first time. Probably for the soundcheck, I was even more nervous. I was probably shaking during soundcheck. By the time we did the show, I kind of zen’d out to the whole thing.”
When asked how he is dealing with all the buzz and excitement about Acid Bath reunition, he said: “It’s taken my head off. It was lurking there in the dark. It was always there; there were always people interested, but I really had no idea of the monster it was until it came out of the dark. Then, all the people were looking at us. Then we realized something had happened over time; the shows are very intense and involve a lot of singing along. It feels very joyous, on a psychic level, as if there’s a release. As you would expect, it’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”
Upcoming Acid Bath Tour Dates (2025-2026):
July 2025
- 11: Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount (w/ Eyehategod & Wailin Storms)
- 18–20: Mansfield, OH – Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival
- 25: Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount (w/ Pentagram)
August 2025
- 09: Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore (w/ Windhand & Primitive Man)
- 16: Baltimore, MD – Power Plant Live (w/ High On Fire, Windhand, Heavy Temple & Sonja)
- 22: Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium (w/ High On Fire & Windhand)
- 28: Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium (w/ Pig Destroyer & The Obsessed)
September 2025
- 09: Austin, TX – Levitation
- 18–21: Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
October 2025
- 02: Sacramento, CA – Discovery Park (Aftershock Festival)
- 11: Toronto, ON – Rebel (w/ Voivod)
December 2025
- 05–06: Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium (Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest: Denver)
- 12: Chicago, IL – Salt Shed (w/ High On Fire & Weedeater)
March 2026
- 21: Grundy County, TN – The Caverns (w/ Obituary, Herakleion & Saint Avangeline)
