(RockAndMetal.com) (08/06/04)

By Michael Bennett

NEW ORLEANS, LA, USA - Candlelight Records has announced the worldwide signing of New Orleans Sludge Metal monsters CROWBAR.

The band's addition further strengthens the label's already formidable roster, including 1349, Zyklon, Khold and the home to Emperor and the early Opeth catalog.

"Life's Blood For The Downtrodden," Crowbar's label debut for Candlelight, is slated to see a February 8th, 2005 release in North America.

Final studio work on the album produced by the working team of Warren Riker (Down) and Rex Brown (Pantera), is planned in Miami, Florida from August 14th-September 1st.

Upon completion it will be the band's first studio album in over three years.

As undisputed heavyweight champions of the New Orleans Sludge sound, Crowbar have remained a true force in aggressive underground music for over a decade.

Even with an ambitious and genre-defining musical legacy in their wake, Crowbar continue to evolve while remaining the sonic definition of "heavy."

Vocalist/guitarist Kirk Windstein's wrecking ball of charged emotion remained as crushing as ever while guitarist Sammy Duet, drummer Tony Costanza and bassist Jeff "Okie" Okoneski trawl the infinite depths of the soul with seasoned expertise on the band's last studio album (their sixth full-length), entitled "Sonic Excess In It's Purest Form."

That album title was a more-than-fitting description for the band itself, and in light of the current climate on the music scene, their importance to the evolution and survival of heavy music becomes even more apparent.

Crowbar reached the ultimate state of heaviness in the realest sense by melding melody, emotion and aggressiveness with prolific song writing ability and an increasingly impressive vocal performance from Windtein on "Sonic Excess In It's Purest Form."

"I changed the way I approached the vocals on that album," he says.

"I'm a better vocalist now because of it. Starting with 'Oddfellow's Rest' I tried to add a lot of harmonies, but last time I didn't do as many layers so everything was more raw and aggressive."

While the bands lyrical subject matter dwells mostly in human pain and misery, Crowbar ultimately confronts and attempts to conquer what many are afraid to face.

"Our songs are just about finding strength," says Windstein.

"They're about struggling and trying to get a grip, although some people may see them negative."

The original incarnation of Crowbar was formed in 1989 by Kirk Windstein and drummer Jimmy Bower (also the guitarist for Eyehategod), with Todd on bass and Kevin Noonan on second guitar.

After Bower temporarily left New Orleans and was replaced by Craig Nunenmacher (current drummer for Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society), Crowbar released their debut, "Obedience Through Suffering," in 1992.

One year and one guitarist later (Noonan was replaced by Matt Thomas), the band released what they now refer to as "their first real album," the Phil Anselmo-produced self-titled "Crowbar."

Global attention would follow quickly (the album has since sold well over 100,000 copies worldwide), and the band began to spend more and more time on the road, expanding their loyal crowd base each time out.

The precision bludgeoning of the early Crowbar live experience was documented with 1994's "Live +1" EP, but a year later, the studio album "Time Heals Nothing" showcased a marked musical expansion.

With pummeling outbursts of speed tempered with a deepened, more melodic expression of their trademark slow style, the Crowbar sound had truly arrived.

The band have since become legends among a wide cross-section of knowledgeable heavy music fans, touring North American and Europe many times over (with acts including Pantera, Black Label Society, Paradise Lost and Napalm Death) on the strength of 1996's "Broken Glass," the dark melodic complexity of 1998's "Oddfellows Rest" and 2000's massive "Equilibrium."

An aptly titled best-of collection, "Sludge," was also released in 2000.

The band found their last studio experience to be more enjoyable than ever, thanks in part to first-time Crowbar producer Dave Fortman. "He made it easy for us," Windstein says.

"He's a true engineer - very hands-on and on top of things."

"We had all of our arrangements worked out going in, Dave was prepared and it went real smooth."

"Of course, we're really happy with everything that (long-time producer) Keith Falgout has done for us."

Another factor to the well-oiled studio process is the nature of the new material.

"These new songs are made for the live setting," says Kirk.

"In the past, we've written songs that we couldn't do justice to on stage. This time for us, less is definitely more."

The approach lends itself to a focused and passionate performance that has caused fans and critics to loudly proclaim that Crowbar IS the New Orleans sound.

The current Crowbar line-up featuring Windstein, bassist Patrick Bruders, guitarist Steve Gibb and drummer Tommy Buckley recently completed an 11-date European tour, including a performance at Germany's With Full Force Festival and at Pressure Fest.

Wise with age, sharpened by time but still as hungry as ever, Crowbar remains on top as a recognized flagship of no-nonsense musical values, uncompromising vision and ultimate heaviness.

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