Crowbar : "the Serpent Only Lies"

I remember back when I first heard "All I Had I Gave" I thought these are some big ugly dudes playing big ugly music that was heavy as fuck. Going to back to listen to that song, it's still a good song, but not as heavy as I remembered it. But then again  the verses to "I am the Storm" reflect back to a similar tempo as "All I Had I Gave" , the chorus might not resonate like the song from the 90's did , but is still well done and is very much true to who this band is. The album opened really strong so I think the first two songs are more powerful and flawlessly crafted. I prefer when the band relaxes back into a more sludged out take on doom with songs like "Surviving the Abyss". When the vocals deliver the more husky melody that are tapping into something more unique than when they hit the more barked passages.

I know these guys started as a hard core band, but when they return to a tempo with more in common with their roots they begin to lose me as I do not feel that is where there strength lies. They do this in a manner than recalls old Type 0 on the title track which works a little better for me. The roar of "the Enemy Beside You" to me sounds like every other post- Pantera band. There is more depth and weight to "Embrace the Light". The sung vocals work much better as well. If you were never into Type O Negative's goth side and miss their take on heavy music then these guys are decent replacement.  Being that the goth side of Type- O is for me just as important then I can't say these guys are as good as Type- O.

The chug closer to doom with "On Holy Ground". This song is emotionally heavy as well as pounding so find the band back at the top of their game. Lyrically I can feel where they are coming from and it's not just metaphoric metal garbage. "Song of the Dunes" comes across like a W.A.S.P power ballad. "As I Heal" is a pretty strong closer, even though when it speeds up I feel the song kind of slips into the status quo. Overall this album is pretty solid and impressed me. I have never given the guys much of a shot after their first album so it's good to hear they are still holding it down. Fans of the band will love this as much as anything else they have done.