Review: Crowbar – Sever the Wicked Hand
Crowbar – Sever the Wicked Hand (2011) [Century Media] // Grade: A
Chances are, if you were listening to metal in the early 90′s, you’ll know who Crowbar is. But for those who weren’t, I’ll add a little introduction to this New Orleans-based metal band. Their first release, Obedience Thru Suffering hit the shelves in 1991 and since then, the band’s been cultivating a mix of doom and heavy metal. This gritty sound is very pronounced in the Southern United States, with acts like Kylesa, Baroness, Black Tusk and Weedeater giving it more modern exposure. Many albums later and Crowbar releases one of their best albums yet, Sever the Wicked Hand.
12 tracks and 50 minutes isn’t a bad way to come back after six years. One thing that Sever the Wicked Hand has that their last release, Lifesblood For the Downtrodden lacks, is a consistent and concise sound and approach. The album listens very smoothly with each strike of the drum nailing perfection. Kirk Windstein’s vocals sound better than ever and Tommy Buckley’s drums are dead-on precise. This is an album that doesn’t rely on production, it’s merely a component.
Some of the tracks that stick out from the rest are “Liquid Sky And Cold Black Earth”. This is what Crowbar embodies. Slow and heavy riffs and drums colliding for over 6 minutes. Windstein’s echoing bellows add to the instruments, rather than take away from them. The following track, “Let Me Mourn” sounds like something out of the latest Shrinebuilder album. More pain and anguish echoed through this engagement through vocals and percussions.
Sever the Wicked Hand requires little critique. It’s a perfect continuation of Crowbar’s long history of making solid, Southern doom metal. The band’s performance is on point and precise. While the album is clearly doom metal with its slow tempos and heavy, colliding percussions, there is a healthy mix of just plain old Southern rock mixed in. If you’re worried about a lack of metal, seek out “Cleanse Me, Heal Me”, the second to last track. Here’s where Crowbar does their version of Metallica-esque thrash. I wouldn’t miss this album, especially if you grew up jamming out to these guys.
January 31st, 2011 at 12:27 pm
Crowbar has never been good. Whoever jocks this album only reads brooklynvegan and suffers hype so hard they’re damn near made of internet. Acid Bath, check, Soilent Green, feelin’ it if I’m frisky, even Down is tolerable compared to this mess. Crowbar stinks, even if their talent pool is a Nola goldmine. Anyone who was “listening to metal in the 90′s”, would know better. Get off it.
February 6th, 2011 at 5:33 am
Clearly Crowbar is a great band… On of the absolute best. The problem I have with “Sever” is the drums. There’s something off, and it really hurts the album. Kirk’s riffs are as killer as ever, but the drumming quite frankly sucks on this album. It pains me to say this, but it ruins things for me. He just needs to find a groove and stick to it. It seems like he’s trying too hard to focus on accents and nuance.. It just doesn’t work. This album is good, but could be GREAT with better drumming.