Metal Assault has issued a new audio interview with CROWBAR mainman Kirk Windstein. The 8-minute interview, conducted by Aniruddh "Andrew" Bansal, can be heard below:

Interview With Kirk Windstein From Crowbar by Metalassault on Mixcloud

Crowbar's new album, Sever The Wicked Hand, sold 3.7k copies in it's first week in US stores, making it the biggest first week of sales in their twenty year career.

The record fared well on Billboard's various charts as well:

#4 - Heatseekers

#22 - Independent

#16 - Hard Rock Chart

The album landed at #58 on the Canadian Soundscan Indie Chart, and #59 on the Canadian Soundscan Hard Music Chart.

Kirk Windstein offered this comment: “A huge thanks to all of the Crowbar fans who bought Sever The Wicked Hand this week! This was by far the biggest first week we’ve ever had! Equally big thanks to all at eOne, Jamey Jasta and Steve Ross for believing in us. Let’s keep it up, spread the word and stay HEAVY!”

Crowbar have dropped off the bill for the Summer Breeze Open Air 2011, which will be held at its usual location in Dinkelsbühl, Germany, from August 18th to 20th.

Organizers state: "Unfortunately, New Orleans' sludge/doom/core heroes Crowbar have to cancel their scheduled appearance at Summer Breeze Open Air 2011. There has been a death in the band's closer circle which has forced them to change their plans for July/August. A big sorry goes out to all those who were looking forward to seeing Kirk Windstein and his crew. We will not rest until we are able to book the band for Summer Breeze in the years to come."

Acts confirmed now include: ABORTED, ARCH ENEMY, AS I LAY DYING, BENIGHTED, BOLT THROWER, CALIBAN, COMEBACK KID, CORVUS CORAX, CRIMINAL, CRIPPER, DEADLOCK, DECAPITATED, DEMONICAL, DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT, DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL, EINHERJER, EMIL BULLS, ENGEL, ENSLAVED, EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, FACEBREAKER, FARMER BOYS, GOD DETHRONED, HAIL OF BULLETS, HAMMERFALL, HATEBREED, THE HAUNTED, HELRUNAR, IMPERIUM DEKADENZ, INTERMENT, KALMAH, KATAKLYSM, KVELERTAK, MARDUK, MOONSORROW, MOTORJESUS, NEAERA, 9MM ASSI ROCK'N'ROLL, THE OCEAN, A PALE HORSE NAMED DEATH, POSTMORTEM, POWERWOLF, PRIMORDIAL, REV 16:8, REVAMP, ROTTING CHRIST, SALTATIO MORTIS, SEVENTH VOID, SKELETONWITCH, SODOM, SONIC SYNDICATE, SWASHBUCKLE, TRIGGER THE BLOODSHED, THE SORROW, TARJA TURUNEN, TURISAS, TÝR, VOMITORY, VREID, WITCHERY, WOLF, YOUR DEMISE.

On Wednesday, August 17th a Nuclear Blast Label Night will feature the following lineup: VADER, DESTRUCTION, MELECHESH, SCAR SYMMETRY, REVAMP, SYLOSIS.

Tickets are available for 72 Euros (excl. pre-sale fees, incl. parking/camping) here.

The first 10,000 ordered tickets get a free DVD with loads of live footage and impressions from Summer Breeze 2009. Orders of five or more tickets will receive a free Summer Breeze t-shirt (B stock) while supplies last.

Visit the official Summer Breeze Festival website at this location.