Description
Hard rock pioneers Down second part of their IV series. It’s always exciting when new Down music drops, but even more exciting when the early response is mostly positive. I’ll add my voice to the chorus praising Down IV, Part 2, a collection of six songs that ooze with swampy, blues-driven, metallic doom in the best Down tradition. Part Sabbath tribute, part C.O.C. spawn, part Southern metal, Down finds room for it all on the second EP of a promised four, which together will comprise the band’s fourth album. Phil said before the first one that they would each feature a different aspect of the band’s sound, and that the first one would be the heavy one. If that’s the case, then I guess Part 2 is the heavier EP. The riffs are much thicker and more menacing than on Part 1. To use Sabbath as a reference point, this EP is musically more Master of Reality than Vol. 4. Phil’s vocals are much more aggressive, too, adding to the heavier feel. He did a bit more singing on Part 1 than what he does here, and much less screaming. One of the features that made NOLA a classic was the interplay between Phil’s Southern-tinged singing and his all-out screaming. I’m not saying he does it as much as the old days here, but he uses it some, and that’s better than almost none. You might be aware that Down has parted ways with original guitarist Kirk Windstein, and before that, longtime bassist Rex Brown. I think they prove beyond a shadow of a doubt here that the essential sound of the band comes from Phil’s vocals, Pepper’s guitar, and Jimmy’ s drumming. Take one of those guys out and I wouldn’t think of it as Down anymore, but the essentials are here, so the sound is, too. The riffs are some of Pepper’s best ever, especially in the chorus, and the drumming is phenomenal. Outstanding job this time around so getting this EP is a no-brainer if you like Down, doom, sludge, heavy rock, or metal. You really can’t go wrong with these guys.
Track listing:
1. Steeple
2. We Knew Him Well
3. Hogshed/Dogshead
4. Conjure
5. Sufferers Years
6. Bacchanalia