So after Sabbath, I decided this next review would have a much shorter discography. Honestly there’s still so many bands to do still and I’ve decided to do the supergroup Down. This is a band that I never really listened to until recently. I would explain a little who is in this band but if you don’t know by now who is the frontman then do some research please. Anyway here goes…..
Nola- the first album by Down would be if you take Black Sabbath, Trouble, St. Vitus and threw in some Pantera and Corrosion of Conformity mixed it all and you get the first Down album. The riffs are very Sabbathy and very bluesy. This is definitely a departure from Pantera but vocally it still has that Pantera tinge to it. This is a perfect album from start to finish and it’s easy to see why after listening to it. In fact, (I’ll probably get shot for saying this too) but I’m gonna say that this is better than some Pantera albums. I give this one 10/10
Standouts: Temptation’s Wings, Lifer, Losing All
Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgegrow- this one for me took some listening a few times in order to really get into. It just seems like this one was thrown together. The songs to me aren’t as strong on this one as they were on NOLA. The production seems grittier on this one too not sure why but maybe it’s just me. The songs on this one seemed a bit slower too but again that could be the mastering of the album. One notable thing on this is that original bassist Todd Strange has been replaced with Rex Brown from Pantera. This is by no means a bad album I personally prefer the first record. That being said, I am giving this one 8/10
Standouts: The Man That Follows Hell, Ghosts Along the Mississippi, Dog Tired
Down III: Over the Under- this was the first Down record that I actually purchased. I think I bought it at Warehouse (I know I’m old) and when I put it on I just thought that it was meh. I also remember seeing them at The Fonda when this album came out and actually thought that they were great live. It was just them. No other bands. A few years later, I suddenly felt the urge to revisit it and I now have a much better appreciation of this album. This album I feel like put of the three is probably their weakest mostly because of the vocals but man I love the riffs on this record. You can definitely hear the Sabbath influences on this one for sure. I give this one 8.5/10
Standouts: 3 Suns and 1 Star, N.O.D., On March the Saints
Down IV Part I- The Purple EP: so I literally just heard this today for this review. Its a pretty good release too although I’m not sure why they didn’t just release this one and part two together and make one full length album but whatever. This one isn’t as strong as NOLA or III but a good album regardless. This is the first album to not have Kirk Windstein and Rex Brown on it and Patrick Bruders from Goatwhore is now on bass which I think is cool. I give this one 7.5/10
Standouts: Levitation, Work is Timeless, Misfortune Teller
Down IV Part II: part 2 of their EP’s. This one I didn’t even really know about until a few weeks ago. This one sounds very doom-y. The songs on it are heavy but they are slower than the previous 3 albums. It still sounds like Down but there is something missing and maybe it’s the riffs from Kirk I don’t know. Personally I thought he and Pepper Keenan made a great guitar team. Overall, this is a pretty good album and this makes me excited to hear what’s next from them. I give this one 7/10
Standouts: We Knew Him Well, Hogsheads/Dogshead, Sufferer’s Years
After really going back and listening to these guys again, I feel like I’ve gained a new appreciation for this band. I would venture to say that they have better songs than some Pantera songs (omg the horror). I for one am looking forward to their next album and when we can all go to concerts again, I hope to see them again sooner rather than later.
Final Grade: A
Album Rankings:
- Nola
- Down III: Over the Under
- Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgegrow
- Down IV Part I- The Purple EP
- Down IV Part II
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