Down don't pretend to be anything that they're not. Regardless of trends, popular opinions, and changing tides, they're uncompromising, unparalleled, and undeniable. That's why they resonate so profoundly in the underground and beyond. After three full-length studio albums, they don't merely have a cult following—they are a cult. Whether you catch fans debating the meaning of "Stone the Crow," sporting a "Power of the Riff Compels Me" t-shirt, or proudly brandishing a tattoo of their logo, the fervor for this outfit proves feverish. With a collective pedigree spanning Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod, there's untainted mystique and magic when Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Pat Bruders enter Nodferatu's Lair at Anselmo's New Orleans home to record. On the group's forthcoming DOWN IV Part 1 – The Purple EP, the mythos surrounding Down expands immensely. Staggering riffs, thunderous drums, and Anselmo's inimitable delivery crush and captivate over the course of the collection's six songs. It's dark. It's dangerous. It's decisive. It's Down at their best.
OFFICIAL :: FACEBOOK :: TWITTER :: MYSPACE :: YOUTUBE
In 2011 after touring the world tirelessly behind Down III: Over the Under, they regrouped in the Lair to begin working on new material. There weren't any deadlines. There wasn't any stress. In a sense, it wasn't all that different from the band's first jam sessions in 1991. "I didn't feel any pressure," affirms Anselmo. "The less I think about it, the more natural it comes. Everybody in the band is well aware of what this is. A lot of artists try to reinvent themselves. They think they need to show different sides of who they are. If there's one thing I've always cherished, it's our core audience. There's no way I'd want to alienate them so we did what we do. You put the five of us in a room, it's going to sound like Down." Make no mistake about it. The music is unequivocally the product of this iconic entity. Even though the style hasn't changed, the lineup experienced one significant shift.
In 2011, longtime bassist Rex Brown parted ways with the group, and Bruders joined. Brown's were big shoes to fill, but the bass player instantly felt at home. "He played his ass off on every song," says the singer. "He plays with his fingers, and there's a certain feel there. It brought a whole lot to the chemistry. He can adapt to anything and what he comes up with is amazing." With Bruders in the fold, they channeled a tangible and kinetic energy. Anselmo and his cohorts have respectively been speaking from the heart for the entire careers and from the day Down was born. Since then, their legendary 1995 debut Nola was certified platinum, while Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow [2002] and Down III [2007] remain fan and critical successes. They've crossed the globe numerous times from storied performances on OZZfest and Download to jaunts with Metallica. In the end, one thing remains paramount with The Purple EP and the future ahead. "The only thing that makes a difference is that collective of fans," he concludes. "I do believe that we have delivered a record that will be accepted and hopefully enjoyed by the Down horde—if you will. If you're looking for a Down record, it's very pure and real." Get ready to join the cult. [Rick Florino, July 2012]
