Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand

It was starting to look pretty grim for Crowbar fans.  Between Down becoming a full-time touring entity and the hardcore/sludge hybrid Kingdom of Sorrow, it appeared that Kirk Windstein wasn’t going to have enough time to unload another salvo of swampy, soul crushing riffs.  Fortunately, Windstein did indeed find time and Sever the Wicked Hand will separate your skull from your cervical spine.

Back to a four-piece, drummer Tommy Buckley (Soilent Green), bassist Patrick Bruders (ex-Goatwhore) and guitarist Matthew Brunson (Kingdom of Sorrow) back up the magnitude of Windstein’s trademark riffs and hoarse howl. “Isolation (Desolation)” starts off the disc in the usual fashion with waves of walloping riffage.  The song crawls along but the crushing force of the grooves proves only one thing; Crowbar is back.  The title track is split between a wicked mid-paced grinder and a crawling chunk where Windstein effortlessly displays his monster riff prowess. 

“Liquid Sky and Cold Black Earth” slows down to crushing, melancholic crawl.  While Crowbar has gotten this deep in the sludge before, the use of subtle melody pushes the band towards pure Doom territory in between a few bludgeoning breakdowns. “Let Me Mourn” keeps up the snail’s pace, but now finds Windstein actually singing some portions of the lyrics and Buckley’s occasional tom fills add a tribal feel to the oppressive riffing. “The Cemetery Angels” picks things back up again and returns the band to a groovier feel.  Windstein roars, the riffs rage and the tail end of the song is obviously been inspired by Windstein’s hardcore associations as the band does a grand job making the heaviest sludge/hardcore breakdown ever laid out.  “As I Become One” shows some Down influence whereas the instrumental “A Farewell to Misery” shows the band once again creating a haunting atmosphere.

“Protectors of the Shrine” leaps right back into a full-on riff assault.  The heaviest track on the disc, the song is unrelenting in its continued grind. “I Only Deal in Truth” keeps up the same intensity as the previous track but is more complex, even going as far as to belt out brief Iron Maiden-ism among the chaotic closing chords. “Echo an Eternity” returns Crowbar back to the melancholic atmosphere with another slow, churning piece.  Again, hints of melodies augment the moodier riffs and add a great deal of depth. “Cleanse Me, Heal Me” tears open with chugging riffs and pounding rhythms while the writhing and raging riffs of “Symbiosis” bring Sever the Wicked Hand to a tremendous close.

Easily better than Lifesblood for the Downtrodden, Sever the Wicked Hand competes with Odd Fellows Rest and Sonic Excess in its Purest Form for Crowbar’s finest hour.  The melodic moments add a more flavor to the tried and true Doomcore and even the few hardcore moments also spice up the mix.  While way too heavy for most Down fans, Sever the Wicked Hand will undoubtedly please the band’s base and still prove Windstein is still one of the harshest riff-masters in the genre. If you’ve never heard Crowbar before, Sever the Wicked Hand is a great place to start.  It doesn’t get more beautifully oppressive than this.  Highly Recommended.

Release Date: February 8, 2011
Label: E1 Music

TRACK LISTING

1.  Isolation (Desperation)
2.  Sever the Wicked Hand
3.  Liquid Sky and Cold Black Earth
4.  Let Me Mourn
5.  The Cemetery Angels
6.  As I Become One
7.  A Farewell to Misery
8.  Protectors of the Shrine
9.  I Only Deal in Truth
10.  Echo an Eternity
11.  Cleanse Me, Heal Me
12.  Symbiosis

Total playing time:  52:07

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Reviewer: Rottenbucher

February 9, 2011