Sonic Excess in Its Purest Form
Sonic Excess in Its Purest Form lives up to its title without forgetting the songs. Crowbar build the music from huge guitars, hard drums and Kirk Windstein's rough voice. Yet the album offers more than a long sequence of heavy blows. Melody brings out a sad, sometimes almost comforting side that fits the massive backing surprisingly well.
The Lasting Dose gives the riffs a clear leading role. The guitar parts are direct and powerful, with enough shape to become more than a layer of distortion. The band use their heavy sound within the songwriting. A good riff need not be complicated here, but it does need direction and a recognisable character.
Windstein contributes a great deal. His singing remains rough and strained, while the more melodic lines reveal more of the sadness underneath. The contrast makes the music more inviting without removing its aggression. The heaviness consequently feels connected to an emotion rather than a goal in itself.
Counting Daze gives the bass a noticeable moment of its own, briefly breaking the guitars' dominance. In Times of Sorrow chooses a quieter, instrumental interruption. That pause has a purpose within such a heavy setting, but the piece is less convincing than the strongest songs. The album loses some momentum there.
Limited variety remains an issue. Many tracks occupy the same dark setting and rely on similar ingredients. The strength lies in how convincingly Crowbar use them: firm rhythms, distinctive riffs and a voice that still cuts through the wall of guitars. That makes Sonic Excess in Its Purest Form a particularly strong album, even when its breaks work less well.
