Coffin Joe ..Shadow of a Down...

Crowbar released their debut album (which was produced by Phil Anselmo) in 1991. Coming out of the New Orleans metal-scene, the band is known for a slow, dark & groove-metal style. They haven't have the same commercial success as fellow New Orleans band Down (Crowbar frontman Kirk Windstein plays in Down), nevertheless Crowbar have had a huge influence on the trademark New Orleans sludge-metal sound. Sever the Wicked Hand is Crowbars first album after a six year hiatus, and it sees the band back in peak condition.

The album kicks off with "Isolation (desperation)", which is a really dirty, heavy and groovy track. It serves the album well as an opener, and it's hard not to bang your head!

The second track Server The wicked Hand continuous the heavy groove from the opener. Opening up with a thrashy intro that leads back into the awesome trademark groove that is Crowbar.

Liquid Sky & Cold Black Earth is a slow & dark doom-metal track, and it sounds like something out of the Paradise Lost songbook. It's so heavy, that it feels like, the whole weight of the world is placed upon you. I kept seeing pictures of a long and grinding battle between two foes, who just wouldn't surrender and kept pounding and pounding in a never ending battle.

Fourth track "Let Me Mourn" gets back in the groove (pun intended). With an almost Alice in Chains vocal-harmony, it's a haunting and beautiful song.

After the first four tracks, I had to stop, and go back and listen to them again - That's how great I think they are! I'm not going to cover rest of the album track by track. Instead I'm just going to advice you to get this! Crowbar brings such heavy sludge-doom to the table, it it hard not to bow down in admiration. The music is tight, goddamn heavy and technical! If you ever doubted wether Crowbar could make their ninth record a good one, I have to say, this can stand up against the best of sludge-albums!