Crowbar - Time Heals Nothing

Crowbar's 3rd album, Time Heals Nothing, doesn't get nearly the love it deserves. First of all, The Only Factor doesn't sound like the start of a new album, it sounds like you've just listened to the first two albums and Kirk merely changed the subject. Second, it sounds like you're listening to it through cheese cloth, or with a blanket over your head; production wise it sounds like acid washed jeans, and that's a tough sell if you don't already adore Crowbar and/or have the ability to physically recalibrate your ears to enjoy the synesthesic sound of TV static.

The good news is that it is unmistakably Crowbar under all that asbestos blanketed high end, but that kind of makes it even more obvious you're hearing it through a dirty window instead of punching a boody fist through that window to let the audio sludge ooze out into the alley. The engineering/production sucks, is the bush I'm beating around. 

I was so surprised I had to throw on their self titled sophomore album to verify. The bad news is yeah, absolutely, now it sounds even worse by direct comparison. It's an audio travesty of the highest proportion. You can sort of make it better by cranking the volume way up to completely inadvisable levels, but the real damage is already done. 

Fantastic album, killer songs, disappointing listening experience compared to the rest of their discography.