music
April 15, 2026
Shrooms, alligators and the swamp: how the ‘satanic e-girls of TikTok’ revived psychedelic sludge metallers Acid Bath
The Louisiana band came to a tragically early end in the 90s, but after going viral they’ll soon play stadiums with System of a Down. They look back on the claggy riffs and circle pits
TL;DR
- Acid Bath, known for their oppressive, swampy sound and themes of drugs, death, and decay, formed in Louisiana in 1991.
- A TikTok-driven revival has introduced the band to a new, younger audience, leading to millions of streams on platforms like Spotify.
- The band, which disbanded after bassist Audie Pitre's death in 1997, reunited in 2025 and is set to play their first UK gigs in 2024, including stadium shows.
- Their original run in the 90s was marked by mayhem, drug use, and chaotic live shows, including an incident witnessed by an A&R executive.
- The reunion is partly motivated by the death of keyboardist Tomas Viator in 2024, with the band agreeing not to record new music out of respect to deceased members.
- Despite never breaking through nationally in their original run, Acid Bath sold tens of thousands of records and built a following with their unique style.