Crowbar

Prior to forming Crowbar, guitarist and vocalist Kirk Windstein joined the band Shell Shock alongside drummer Jimmy Bower. When the band’s guitarist Mike Hatch committed suicide, Windstein and Bower carried the band on as Aftershock and experimented with a more doom metal sound. After a series of name and personnel changes, by mid 1991 the band was renamed Crowbar with a line-up consisting of Windstein, bassist Todd Strange, drummer Craig Nunenmacher, and lead guitarist Kevin Noonan.

Crowbar’s debut came in 1992 with the album “Obedience Through Suffering” and signed with Pavement Music. Crowbar’s subsequent self-titled album in 1993 and “Time Heals Nothing” in 1995, were issued by the new label, the former of which earned national promotion on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball. After the release of “Time Heals Nothing” Nunenmacher left the group, and was replaced by Jimmy Bower for the albums “Broken Glass” in 1996 and “Odd Fellows Rest” in 1998. Choosing to focus on his other project Eyehategod, Bower left shortly after and was replaced by Sid Montz who recorded drums on 2000’s “Equilibrium”.

In 2001 with a line-up consisting of Windstein, Sammy Duet on lead guitar, Jeff Okoneski on bass, and Tony Constanza on drums, Crowbar released their seventh studio album “Sonic Excess in its Purest Form” on Spitfire Records. The band supported the album with an extensive touring schedule, and with Crowbar plagued with tumultuous line-up changes, often members of other bands needed to fill in. The band has subsequently released the albums “Lifesblood for the Downtrodden” in 2005, “Sever the Wicked Hand” in 2011, and “Symmetry in Black” in 2014.

The band formed in 1988, led by guitarist Jimmy Bower and drummer Joe LaCraze, bringing in Michael D. Williams on vocals, Brian Patton on lead guitar and Steve Dale on the bass. After releasing some early demos, they recorded their debut album, "In The Name of Suffering," in 1992, released on French label, Intellectual Convulsion. This was followed by 1993's "Take As Needed For Pain," featuring new bassist Mark Schultz. However, after substantial touring, Eyehategod went on a hiatus, with Bower made busy with commitments to Crowbar and Down.

The band briefly returned to release their third album, "Dopesick" in 1996, before falling quiet once again until the end of the decade. The band recorded several new singles which were compiled in 2000 on "Southern Discomfort," also including live recordings. This new release gave them impetus to complete another full studio album, "Confederacy of Ruined Lives," that same year, before again embarking on nationwide tours.

The band fell quiet once again, although still continued to perform intermittently. It was not until 2005 that new material was released, "Preaching the 'End-Time' Message," another compilation album in the same vein as "Southern Discomfort. In the following years the band continued to performat major festivals and embark on tours, celebrating their 20 year anniversary in 2008. It was not until 2014 that Eyehategod brought forth their fans new music, with their self-titled album, their first for nearly ten years.