Sever the Wicked Hand
| Industry | Music |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Sludge metal music |
Sever the Wicked Hand represents the ninth full-length release by the American sludge metal group Crowbar. It was issued on February 8, 2011, via E1 Music, followed by a UK release on February 14 through Century Media, and was subsequently distributed throughout Europe. This album came six years after their previous work, Lifesblood for the Downtrodden, which was released in 2005.
Background
This record marked a significant milestone as it was the first time frontman Kirk Windstein created an album while sober, signaling a transformative period in the band's artistic development.
Critical reception
The album garnered "generally favorable" critiques, earning a Metacritic rating of 79. Adrien Begrand from Popmatters commended its blend of innovation and familiarity, particularly emphasizing Windstein's vocal performance on "Let Me Mourn," the powerful energy of "Echo an Eternity," and the emotionally rich finale, "Symbiosis." Eduardo Rivadavia of AllMusic observed that although the album did not introduce groundbreaking elements, Windstein's renewed enthusiasm resulted in one of Crowbar's most compelling works.
Personnel
- Kirk Windstein – vocals, guitar, production
- Matt Brunson – guitar
- Pat Bruders – bass
- Tommy Buckley – drums
Guest musicians
- Patrick Plata – vocals featured on "A Farewell to Misery"
- Duane Simoneaux – piano contributions on "A Farewell to Misery"
Production
- Zeuss – mixing and mastering
- Duane Simoneaux – engineering
- Thomas De Ville – engineering
- Mike D'Antonio – artwork