Crowbar - Symmetry In Black

Sludge Metal
eOne Music
2014










1. Walk With Knowledge Wisely
2. Symmetry In White
3. The Taste Of Dying
4. Reflection Of Deceit
5. Ageless Decay
6. Amaranthine
7. The Foreboding
8. Shaman Of Belief
9. Teach The Blind To See
10. A Wealth Of Empathy
11. Symbolic Suicide
12. The Piety Of Self-Loathing

Crowbar are one of those bands that are almost an oddity in my music collection. I don't usually listen to a lot of vocals as harsh as Kirk Windstein's or bands as thick sounding as Crowbar, but there's always been a quality to this band that I've liked. A certain melodic touch that's always been present in Windstein's vocals and songwriting. It's not just harsh for the sake of it and has a great deal of dark atmosphere as well. I also enjoyed the hell out of their last album, Sever The Wicked Hand, so this was one I was looking forward to hearing going in.

When I first started listening to Symmetry In Black I wasn't sure exactly what to make of it. The early tracks on this album are definitely Crowbar in sound with their thick sludgey delivery and growled vocals, but they just lack a certain something to push them to the next level. None of these songs are bad at all, but could be mostly classified as typical without the speed ups or melodic passages to quite make them stick with you. The bulk of the first half of the album just rolls by in a fairly familiar fashion without the little nuances to elevate it to a higher level. There are a few faster moments in Ageless Decay, but that one didn't really grab me as it came off as a bit shouty/hardcore and chaotic. The only song that really breaks the mold in the first half of the album is Amaranthine which is all atmosphere and something like a Crowbar version of the ballad. Not a bad tune, but also extremely sedate. At this point I was more or less ready to write that this was an ok if a but average Crowbar album and a step or two down from the quality of Sever The Wicked Hand.

Thankfully though, that is not the complete story of Symmetry In Black. Following Amaranthine, The Foreboding caught my attention with a bit more melodic sense and things only got better from there with the punch of Shaman Of Disbelief and the nice heavy yet resonant vocals contained within. All of the highlights really come in a torrent as the band seems to wake up on the second half of the album. Teach The Blind To See is also worth noting with it's more energized and groovy leads and A Wealth Of Disbelief leaves an impression with melodic touches in the more drawn out vocals. Really I'd be be remiss not to mention the mix of fast paced brutality and slower moments in Symbolic Suicide as well. The only moment that doesn't really qualify as a highlight in the second half of the album is the instrumental closer The Piety Of Self-Loathing and that one is alright for what it is.

In closing, Symmetry In Black is a worthy album that's definitely worth the ride in the end, but it strikes me as a bit uneven. It sort of balances out, but it feels like the album just takes a long time to really get moving and that is the one mark against it. If everything here was the quality of the second half of the album then it would be looking at a higher rating. This is still well worth listening to for fans of Crowbar and this brand of sludge/southern metal that bands like Crowbar, Down, And Corrosion of Conformity have popularized.

Highlights: Shaman Of Belief, Teach The Blind To See, A Wealth Of Empathy, Symbolic Suicide

Rating - 3.5/5

Crowbar - Sever The Wicked Hand

Sludge Metal
eOne music

2011

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

Crowbar are probably a bit outside the sort of band I normally like, but I do like them none the less. I have to laugh a little bit when I use a subgenre term like sludge metal, as there are just too many of these sub-classifications, but with a band like this the term fits. I've always liked their releases so this is certainly one I was looking forward to hearing.

Sever The Wicked Hand is nothing new for Crowbar and is very much in their patented sound, but I would have expected no more or less. Crowbar are one of those bands with a pretty distinctive sound that can be identified instantly and it's not one they really stray from. This signature sound comes in no small part from Kirk Windstein's vocals. Typically I'm not a big fan of hardcore-ish/gruff vocals like these, but in the instance of Kirk Windstein I love his voice in fact. Despite being harsh he has a sort of odd melody about him. The guy simply has a good sense of it and his voice always brings an extra layer of depth to anything he sings in my opinion. Add that together with the punishingly thick sound of the music and you have a winning combo that's become a good formula for them.

Despite there being no big changes here I find myself no less interested as there is enough variation within their sound to remain fresh. Crowbar tends to have a nice amount of trade off between slower, doomier tunes and more upbeat ass kickers. Sever The Wicked Hand is no exception to that and I never find myself thinking of a track as filler or the same old. With a band like this it comes down to songs and this album has got em. Whether it's at a funeral pace or pit fare this album succeeds with good riffs and strong melodies. I tend to find the more upbeat headbangable fare the most enjoyable in terms of highlights, but the heavy crawl of slower tunes and the trudge of more mid paced ones provides a breath of fresh air in the mix.

The bottom line here is this is just a strong album for people who like their metal as a thick wall of sound. Crowbar fans should find plenty to like here and I think this is their strongest album in some time... not that any of em aren't good.

Highlights: The Cemetary Angels, Sever The Wicked Hand, As I Become One, Let Me Mourn

Rating - 4.0/5

Warrel Dane - Praises To The War Machine

Gothic/Groove Metal
Century Media

2008

1. When We Pray
2. Messenger
3. Obey
4. Lucretia My Reflection (Sisters Of Mercy cover)
5. Let You Down
6. August
7. Your Chosen Misery
8. The Day The Rats Went to War
9. Brother
10. Patterns (Paul Simon cover)
11. This Old Man
12. Equilibrium

It's no secret that Nevermore is my favorite band and I am in love with the originality of their sound so it should be no surprise I was anticipating the release of this one. Warrel Dane seems to be one of those love or hate voices, but you can chalk me up in the love column so anything with his voice laid to it has my immediate attention. The question of course laid in what sort of sound this would be and if Peter Wichers could supply some good music for Warrel.

The answer I'm afraid is that the music is pretty lackluster, but really... most should've seen this one coming. Did any Nevermore fan really think Peter Wichers could match the talent of a writer and player like Jeff Loomis? What we have here is mostly very simply chug chug guitar in a vaguely familiar energized goth rock mode with some slightly modern touches. I could sum up this album easily by simply saying Wichers is a mediocre writer supplying mediocre music and the only real highlights come from Warrel himself or songs that Wichers didn't write. Honestly, my favorite song on this album is a COVER (Lucretia My Reflection).

Now let me say that this is not a Bad album in that some of the songs work alright, but after hearing dark atmospheres and emotion done far better in Nevermore with technical guitar to keep one headbanging... I can't get that excited here. The end result is a bit of a tide over until I get something better from Nevermore and the album leaves me wondering why Warrel chose to partner with Wichers.

Highlights: Lucretia My Reflection, August

Rating - 3.0/5

Benedictum - Seasons Of Tragedy

Heavy/Groove Metal
Locomotive

2008

1. Dawn of Seasons (Intro)
2. Shell Shock
3. Burn it Out
4. Bare Bones
5. Within the Solace
6. Beast in the Field
7. Legacy
8. Nobodies Victim
9. Balls to the Wall
10. Steel Rain
11. Seasons of Tragedy

Benedictum were a pleasant surprise out of nowhere back in '06 when I reviewed their debut and now I'm pleased to have gotten a hold of their sophomore release Seasons Of Tragedy. New blood in the metal scene is always exciting... leaving one wondering who will be the next band to climb to recognition in the metal scene.

Seasons Of Tragedy sounds a little more polished to me than the last, but basically follows the same trend of a mix of up tempo and groove stuff with shouted, forceful female vocals that give the band a nice vibe of heaviness and attitude. One thing Benedictum has is nice heavy and not cliched or over the top sound that could potentially be more appealing than happy power metal or hail satan black mail to the average music listener. This sort of energized heavy rock sound has a sort of universal appeal if anyone ever decides to give them a chance in a more commercial market. Unlikely, but ya never know.

I do have a couple nitpicks about this album that I've gotta get out there on the negative side. One would be that some tracks just seem to miss and/or drag on well past their stay. An example of both would be Bare Bones with it's notably 'bare bones' riffs which chug their way along to boredom while the vocals make me wish I never hear the words bare bones ever again they're repeated so many times. That song overstays it's welcome big time and speaking of that I just have to mention the other length nitpick which is the title track. Not a bad song in and of itself for the first half or so, it just starts to drag and there is absolutely no reason it had to take up over 11 minutes. Benedictum are not the sort of band I picture as needing long, epic tracks. This is not fantasy power metal folks.

On the plus side is the sheer rip your head off, pounding heaviness of Beast In The Field which is a massive sounding headbanger. If anyone is reading... more of this please. The band seems to be at their best when they don't get bogged down in groove and instead rip ahead all cylinders firing and this and Shell Shock are fine examples which mark the highlights.

In conclusion, Seasons Of Tragedy is a pretty decent follow up with a couple spots of boredom that drag down the end result a bit. I'd still say this is worth a listen, if slightly down in overall quality from the debut. The highlights of the album kinda balance that out and once again the cover done here, Balls To The Wall, would make the original band proud... much like they did before with Black Sabbath.

Highlights: Beast In The Field, Shellshock

Rating - 3.0/5

The Cursed - Room Full Of Sinners

Groove/Stoner Metal
Screaming Ferret

2007

1. Sweeter
2. Evil, In the Bag
3. Wij Leven als God in Frankrijk
4. Breaking her Down
5. Best of the Worst
6. Native Tongue
7. Serpentine Slither
8. All's Right
9. One Time
10. Queen of the Down
11. Generate her

Anyone who knows me at all know's what a fan of OverKill I am so this album is something I had been waiting for for awhile now. The concept of Blitz doing something different with a side project was an intriguing one and I definitely liked the results when DD Verni came up with The Bronx Casket Co. Originally, I remember hearing of Blitz working with Chris Caffery and had high hopes for the project, but that one died on the vine. When I heard that Blitz was now working with Dan Lorenzo of Hades... I was admittedly less encouraged.

With a bunch of musicians from Non-Fiction/Hades and a band I've never heard of (Murder 1) this doesn't exactly have a lot of respected musician power behind it. Not that nobodies can't be good, but I've heard some of these nobody's try to make music before. I've gotta believe Blitz could've gotten some better talent interested in a project than he assembled for this band. I guess it's the 'fellow NJ thrashers' bit that assembled this lackluster crew.

Basically, the end result of this album sounds like a piss poor version of I Hear Black. It seems fairly obvious to me that Blitz wanted to get back to that Black Sabbath worshiping sound and try it with a band more appropriate than OverKill, but this is nowhere near as interesting. The riffs are flat out boring and could've been recycled from any mediocre stoner rock outfit. If you get an uninventive groove guitarist like Dan Lorenzo that's what you're liable to end up with though. This album just has zero interesting guitar moments, run of the mill songwriting, and plods along with a very basic formula the band never really deviates from.

The bottom line on The Cursed's debut is that it belongs in no other place than the bottom of the stoner rock/poor sabbath worship tedium pile. This style can be done well but the lack of any clear stamp of originality on it is dooming (no pun intended).The only thing that remotely makes this stand out is Blitz' unique voice but the dull music makes for no real energy in the singing. Certainly not his best performance as there's no real unleashing of the pipes and the music creates no energy in the vocal pacing. I really wouldn't recommend this one to anybody and the album has nothing in terms of highlights.

Highlights: None

Rating - 1.5/5

Down - III: Over The Under

Groove/Stoner Metal
ILG/Warner

2007

1. 3 Suns and 1 Star
2. The Path
3. N.O.D.
4. I Scream
5. On March the Saints
6. Never Try
7. Mourn
8. Beneath the Tides
9. His Majesty the Desert
10. Pillamyd
11. In the Thrall of It All
12. Nothing in Return (Walk Away)

After 5 years, Down return once again but this time as something more of the main band for Phil Anselmo. Certainly the guys from Crowbar & COC have other priorities as well, but with the death of Superjoint Ritual, it's been awhile since anyone has heard anything from Anselmo. I have to say I was excited for this one as there is no more Pantera to hope for and I'm certainly not going to be listening to Hell Yeah (or Damageplan for that matter). I've always been a fan of Anselmo's vocals and Pantera as mainstream or whatever people may consider them. Nothing wrong with a little success.

On this album Down sounds pretty much like they always have to me. Anselmo shifts from harsher to moodier vocals and the music follows suit and is driven by thick groove guitar. Pretty much what you might expect of the band and style considering their previous albums and the other bands the members have been involved with really. If you liked the other two albums then I don't see why you wouldn't like this one. I know some people felt the second album didn't live up to the first but I never really got that one personally so I can't say to those people if this is a 'return to form'. To me the form never really changed all that much. I will say this is definitely not just a screamer or heavy sort of album and Phil shows he can still handle a wider range of music than that. Some of the album's best moments come in the form of the slow rolling and moody tracks which sometimes have an almost southern blues feel to them. Phil really drives these along and adds to the mood with some good soulful vocals and the variation makes for a good, complete album experience.

Basically, the verdict is a solid experience for the Down fan and people who enjoy that sort of southern groove sound. It's always good hearing these boys are back together again and with the success of the act in radio & the mainstream concert circuit such as on Ozzfest it's a wonder to me that this band only surfaces every 5 - 7 years for an album. I know the members have other bands, but this band has really grabbed people's attentions over the years... especially for a band that has such long down time to be forgotten.

Highlights: On March The Saints, Nothing In Return, Never Try

Rating - 3.5/5

Squealer AD - Confrontation Street

Post-Thrash/Groove
AFM

2006

1. Black Tongue
2. Infanticide
3. Devils Backbone
4. Kamikaze Nation
5. Punishment Of Luxury
6. Eat My Sin
7. Blood Red Halo
8. New Sun Rising
9. Left Bleeding (By Love)
10. Faith Or Fury
11. Silent Mandarin (Unit 731)

It was sad to hear Henner Allendorfer had passed away in a car accident back in 05. I had always had a good deal of respect for the man. As the owner of AFM he'd always been more about the music and not just about the business. Metal label by someone who actually cared about metal.

As the frontman of Squealer, Henner was pretty much the soul of the band. I mean really it was HIS band and the decision to carry on even though he had died surprised me more than a little. I had mixed thoughts on this from the beginning. In one way I was pleased to see a good band try to continue and hoped for good material... on the other hand I wasn't sure the band would ever be the same without the voice and writing of Henner.

Well now the new album is out under the band name of Squealer AD and the answer is here... this is not the same band at all. While Squealer had been a very interesting and unique blend of heavy music and power metal elements like big choruses this seems entirely more direct and a hell of a lot less interesting. What we have here sounds something like if newer Slayer and Exodus had a retarded child. Basic 'we be tough metal guys' aggro metal with any and all originality sucked out of the band. Grip INC is another obvious comparison as that's where the new vocalist is dug up from. That really about sums up what this band is now. Everything special about Squealer died with Henner it would seem. The band claims that they had planned on going for a more heavy approach even before Henner had died, but I doubt it would've been this. It just seems the band has completely forgotten who they were, or without Henner, never knew in the first place. The songs just aren't there, the style is overused, the memorable choruses are gone... this flat out sucks and there's no way around it.

There's very little here to remind of what the band used to sound like. The only song that remotely recalls old Squealer is Kamikaze Nation which has some familiar sounding riffs, structure, and some cleaner singing. Not even close to enough to forgive generic grunt metal like the song Infanticide though. When you go from songs like Friends For Life to Infanticide you know something has changed.

In conclusion... don't bother. This is just a throw away album in a musical vein that's been beaten to death. Completely brainless tough guy metal. That's really all there is to say about the music on this release. Squealer After Death? Well Squealer should've just rested in peace.

Highlights: Kamikaze Nation

Rating - 1.0/5

Benedictum - Uncreation

Heavy/Groove Metal
Locomotive
2005

1. Uncreation
2. Benedictum
3. #4
4. Misogyny
5. Ashes to Ashes
6. Wicca
7. Heaven and Hell
8. Them
9. Two Steps to the Sun
10. Valkyrie Rising
11. The Mob Rules

Uncreation marks the debut release from this heavy as all hell, female fronted metal act and it truely is a ballsy one. The first thing that struck me about this band is the heavy, dirty guitar sound and the somewhat rough, shouting voice of the frontwoman. Definetely not your average atmospheric sort of female band, I'll tell you that much.

The word to sum up this release would be attitude. The whole album just seeps heaviness with a low and punishing guitar sound and semi-modern approach that reminds me of acts such as Pantera and HavocHate. Vocally, I'm reminded a lot of Kate French, current vocalist of Chastain and there are some musical reminders of that band's more recent output as well. Ann Boleyn of Hellion also comes to mind. This album is just full of heavy grooves and some damn catchy moments. Just the sort of stuff you can imagine hearing in a dirty biker bar or something. Also worth noting is the fact this band takes a somewhat unusual step by covering two songs by the same band on their debut album. Interesting fanboy or fangirl move by someone there but to their credit they carry the songs Extremely well. Their cover of Heaven & Hell sounds fantastic with their beefed up guitar sound and the vocalist is a perfect fit for Dio's voice. Heaven & Hell is one of the big highlights of this album actually since it's done so fucking well, but their material stands just fine on it's own. Songs like Wicca are a damn good blend of modern heaviness and old school metal.

To sum it up, this is a damn fine band with a promising debut. If you like the acts mentioned and this sludgy/heavy sort of attitude driven metal than I think you should like em.

Highlights: Wicca, Valkyrie Rising, Heaven & Hell

Rating - 3.5/5

HavocHate - Cycle Of Pain

Groove/Thrash
Indecent Media

2005

1. Cycle of Pain
2. Tentacle
3. Fiction
4. Still Alive
5. Alone
6. Wicked
7. Cold Embrace
8. Crack in the Sky
9. Speak No More
10. Buried in Lies
11. Rotting Hour

Well this was sort of a blind listen as I hadn't heard the first album and knew little of the band, but they came recommended so I figured what the hell. After giving this a few spins I'm glad I decided to check this one out.

Cycle Of Pain seems an apt title for the heavy as fuck metal within this one I must say. This album has nothing if not a thick and punishing sound to it. Musically I'm reminded of a cross between Crowbar's thick grooves and maybe later day OverKill & Exodus as the music blends sludge and thrash together. Pantera also comes to mind at points as some of the guitar just has that trademark Pantera sound to it. Vocally, Havochate makes good use of gravelly, not quite death vocals and some very powerful clean vocals that would be more typical of a traditional/power sort of band. Once again I'm kinda reminded of Pantera when Phil actually sang, but this guy has a stronger voice than Phil ever has.

Overall, this just comes together as the band's own sound and it's one I'm looking forward to hearing more of. A solid album from start to finish with really heavy riffs and a good touch of melody.

Highlights: Fiction, Still Alive, Alone

Rating - 3.5/5