Crowbar

Sever the Wicked Hand (eOne Music)

“I live by my mistakes,” exhorts Kirk Windstein on “Isolation (Desperation),” opening dirge on this NOLA quartet’s ninth blunt-force trauma. Thrashing title track, Layne Staley bog vox and quicksand melodies (“Let Me Mourn”), plus Sad Wings of Destiny guitar harmonies on “As I Become One” peak on piano chant “A Farewell to Misery,” bearing Testament onto “Protectors of the Shrine.” Emotional re-souling: “Echo an Eternity.” (Fri., 10:35pm, Dirty Dog Bar)

***.5

This article appears in March 18 • 2011.

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San Francisco native Raoul Hernandez crossed the border into Texas on July 2, 1992, and began writing about music for the Chronicle that fall, debuting with an album review of Keith Richards’ Main Offender. By virtue of local show previews – first “Recommendeds,” now calendar picks – his writing’s appeared in almost every issue since 1993.