Crowbar & Support

Its been six long years, but New Orleans sludge legends CROWBAR have returned with another righteous slab of devastating heaviness. Led by guitarist, vocalist and mastermind Kirk Windstein who also lends his considerable talents to the super groups Down and Kingdom Of Sorrow CROWBAR have influenced an entire generation of metal musicians through the sheer force of their massively detuned riffage and the crushing emotional weight of Windsteins soulbaring lyrics. From the bruising slow-grooves of their 1991 debut, Obedience Thru Suffering, and 1993s Crowbar (produced by Downex-Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo) to the roaring redemption songs of 2000s Equilibrium and 2005s Lifesblood For The Downtrodden (featuring Downex-Pantera gunslinger Rex Brown on bass), CROWBAR have honed a signature sound that has become instantly recognizable around the world.

CROWBAR began in 1988 as the brainchild of Windstein and multi-instrumentalist Jimmy Bower (also of Eyehategod and Down), with an eye to playing slow and most importantly low. When we started the band, thrash was at its peak, Windstein recalls. Then Jimmy and I started rediscovering Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus and bands like that. We started tuning to D and then C and then B and even A on some songs. It was all about how much low-end we could get out of it.

Bower split CROWBAR in 1990, only to return to the drum pulpit for 1996s Broken Glass and 1998s Odd Fellows Rest, the latter of which also featured Goatwhores Sammy Duet on second guitar. (Duet also played on CROWBARs 2001 release, Sonic Excess In Its Purest Form.) Meanwhile, Windstein and co. toiled away on the global club circuit, slowly establishing CROWBAR as a force unto itself and earning the admiration and respect of fans and fellow musicians. Meanwhile, members of Hatebreed (vocalist Jamey Jasta currently co-manages CROWBAR and founded Kingdom Of Sorrow with Windstein), Killswitch Engage (bassist Mike DAntonio did the cover art for CROWBARs latest) and Chimaira professed their discipleship to Windsteins detuned church of immaculate heaviness. When I met these guys, they were freaking out about CROWBAR, he says in astonishment. And to me, thats like, wow because all these younger bands are so much bigger than CROWBAR. But thats definitely been raising a bit of interest in us these days.

On February 14th, 2011, CROWBAR will unleash Sever The Wicked Hand, their first new studio album in exactly six years. After spending the bulk of that time on the road with Down and recording with Kingdom Of Sorrow, Windstein has finally awoken his own slumbering musical giant, and the results are appropriately gargantuan. This record is probably the most important record weve done, he enthuses. Maybe because weve been around so long and bands have been influenced by Crowbar, but there seems to be more hype and excitement about the band than ever before, which is really cool. The way Im looking at it, this album is basically the re-launch of CROWBAR.

EU street date: February 14th, 2011 Sever The Wicked Hand
Ltd. Edition CD Mediabook, Digital Download
From the booming, anticipatory chords of album opener Isolation (Desperation) to the glacial, thundering death rattle of closer Symbiosis, Sever The Wicked Hand is nothing short of a triumph both musically and personally. I gave up drugs and alcohol back in August, Windstein explains, so it was a cool experience writing and singing everything completely sober. Ive pretty much always done my guitar tracks without beer, but when I would sing, I would get tanked. This time it was a very different emotional experience doing it with a clear head, especially because so many lyrics on this record are very personal. I was nervous about it, but it worked out really well.

Indeed, most of the songs on Sever The Wicked Hand detail the various physical and psychological aspects of Windsteins sobriety process. Its not a concept record, but its definitely got a theme, he clarifies. Sever The Wicked Hand is just a metaphor for cutting anything negative out of your life. Obviously, it can be the hand that pulls the beer to your mouth, the hand that holds the straw to your nose, the hand that pops the pill in. It could be getting rid of a bad relationship, a bad friendship anything that brings negativity to your life in any way. Its about getting rid of that and moving forward.

Windstein realized his vision with help from his faithful bandmates Tommy Buckley (drums), Pat Bruders (bass) and new guitarist Matt Brunson. Tommy and Pat have been in the band for six and a half years, believe it or not, Windstein observes with a laugh. It just doesnt seem that way because we havent done anything in a while. But theyve been really loyal and they put up with me going off for years with Down, and theyre great players. Matt used to be my roommate. Hes a really good friend and a really good guitar player. Everybodys attitude is great, and I just think were really in the right position now. All our ducks are in a row as far as finally getting CROWBAR to the next level.

Crowbar & Support bei popula: Seit dem 29. Juli 14 ist die Rubrik Konzerte & Nachtleben um den Termin Crowbar & Support ergänzt. In der Umgebung von "Musikbunker Aachen e.V." sind vor allem die Veranstaltungsorte  zu empfehlen. Informationen zur Anfahrt zu der jeweiligen Location findest du direkt auf der Detailseite, wenn du auf die Karten-Vorschau klickst. Dienstag, den 29. Juli 2014 begann die Veranstaltung Crowbar & Support. Wenn du wissen willst, was sonst noch am Dienstag in Aachen passiert, kannst du dich zum Beispiel nach Konzerte, Kunst & Schauspiel und Party hier erkundigen. Aachen gehört übrigens zum Kreis Aachen. Diese Woche ist Crowbar & Support auf keinem Rang der Top100 der beliebtesten Events in der Stadt Aachen. Gestalte dir jetzt dein eigenes Veranstaltungs-Widget und binde diese Veranstaltung auf deiner Webseite ein. Probier es aus und du wirst sehen, wie leicht es geht. Mit Aachen findet sich aktuell nur eine Stadt in Deutschland, in der Crowbar & Support stattfindet aber für diejenigen, die sich über die Anfahrt und die Umgebung erkundigen möchten, haben wir die Kartenansicht. Bist du Veranstalter dieses Events? Dann beantrage jetzt Bearbeitungsrechte und füge weitere Infos und Bilder hinzu.