Acid Bath

This is the short-lived NOLA doom/sludge band's first album, from 1994. While the chugging Southern rock riffs melting into psychedelic comedowns are a big draw, singer Daxx Riggs ends up the indisputable star of the show. A range unheard of in New Orleans metal at the time encompasses Goth, hardcore punk and even folk; Riggs offers listeners defined melodies to grab onto while guitarist Mike Sanchez is manhandling them. "Tranquilized" and "The Blue" are among Acid Bath's very best songs, but it's the folk metal epic "Scream of the Butterfly" that points to the missed potential here.