Crowbar — Odd Fellows Rest

intothewellsabyss
Jul 7, 2023
3 min read

𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…

25 years ago this month, we entered the “1000 Year Internal War”!

On July 6 in 1998, Crowbar released their fifth full-length studio album, “Odd Fellows Rest” via Mayhem Records.

It was re-released on August 24, 1999 via Spitfire Records, featuring a bonus track.

The Wells Perspective:

As if they shouldn’t have been a household name by 1998, Crowbar’s “Odd Fellows Rest” should have taken them into the stratosphere. Without cutting any corners or sacrificing the bands integrity, the sound on this album is substantially more accessible, more melodic and even more diverse than any of this NOLA based quartets previous efforts, meaning that “Odd Fellows Rest” should have undoubtedly captured the attention of a broader audience. Why this never happened is beyond any comprehension.

While tracks like "... And Suffer as One" and "It's All in the Gravity" maintain the Doom-laden Sludge that Crowbar have become renowned for, the band moved into uncharted territory with songs such as "Planets Collide" and "December's Spawn", which combined Crowbar’s signature sound with melodic vocals and hook-laden riffs. And, in my opinion, these elements combined with Kirk Windstein’s profoundly depressive lyrics ultimately created an atmosphere much heavier than any of Crowbar’s previous releases, which in my opinion, marked “Odd Fellows Rest” for greatness. — E.N. Wells

Critical Reception:

On June 8, 2017, “Odd Fellows Rest” was inducted into Decibel Magazine’s Hall of Fame (No. 151) with Greg Pratt stating;

“It’s an honor to finally place “Odd Fellows Rest” where it belongs, sharing war stories and rubbing shoulders with the best albums in metal’s history in our Hall of Fame; make no mistake, within underground Metal, within Sludge—and within Metal as a whole—this album is undeniable. Like a planet slowly making its way toward Earth, all you can do as a listener is stare in silent appreciation at its overwhelming hugeness, at the power it contains, until you’re blinded by its beauty. And then it turns everything to black.”

In his review for AllMusic, Jason Ankeny stated;

“Despite the change in labels, Crowbar's fifth album differs only imperceptibly from past releases -- “Odd Fellows Rest” is as thick and slow as molasses, with titles like "...And Suffer as One," "December's Spawn" and "Behind the Black Horizon" clear tip-offs that the group takes itself way too seriously.”

While Sputnikmusic contributing writer Robert Davis stated;

“Odd Fellows Rest” proves to be a consistent and solid collection of songs from a band that have always been doing the same thing since their beginning in 1991. As said before, you won’t be tempted to change your opinion, and if you don’t like music that is slow, brooding and, well, ‘sludgy’, then this certainly isn’t recommended to you. For those that do like Crowbar’s style and haven’t listened to this album before, you know what to do.”

Noteworthy:

While Kirk Windstein had pointed out similarities between the cover artwork of "Odd Fellows Rest", and Metallica's album, "Hardwired…To Self-Destruct", Kirk also wrote on his Facebook page;

"In all fairness, after touring with the mighty Metallica while in Down, I know the fellas know who Crowbar is. However, I seriously doubt that any member of Metallica stole this idea from us. Maybe the artist? Anyway you slice it... it's a cool cover idea!!! Now James and Lars, go listen to 'Odd Fellows Rest'!!! LOL"

Links to Artists, Albums, and Music Videos:

Click this link to listen to “Odd Fellows Rest” via Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/odd-fellows-rest/216024735

Click this link to listen to “Odd Fellows Rest” via Spotify: Odd Fellows Rest https://open.spotify.com/album/6gV4q8n1Y30huvqSMRFfIZ

Click this link to follow Crowbar on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crowbarmusic

Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells