r/Down_Nola

As a long time Down fan that's seen them 10+ times and Phil 20+ times I'm gonna run my mouth a little.

I really like the song, it's definitely a jamming tune perfect to crank up loud in the car and headbang. I'm still a nerd that makes my own greatest hits mixes for bands and this would definitely make the Down list. The song is a success and I'm glad it's here. That being said I'm a little disappointed in Phil's vocals. The vocals are good as always, but to be honest, I used to really listen to DOWN to hear Philip do some clean singing (Rehab, Beautifully Depressed, Mourn). We'll see what the rest of the album has but it seems like I'm just gonna have to come to terms with the fact that Phil can't or won't sing like that anymore. I'm guessing it's a little of both. Any vocalists feel free to jump in here.

I always thought Down II and Down III had the best vocals of his career. Nola is great but he screams more on NOLA than II or III. Nola may have the better songs, but imo, Bustle and Over the Under have the better clean singing vocals. What I'm getting at is ever since Over The Under I was just dying for more of that vocal approach and that production value from that band and I guess I just need to accept the fact that they aren't that band anymore. Little disappointing but it is what it is. That's the first thing I noticed with the two EP's. On Part 1 his voice took a step back to the more gravely sound, than another step to even more abrasive on Part II. Now with this it seems he's settled in here with this more gravely hoarse style. Happy, love the song, just a tad bummed out to be totally honest. I miss those TIME IS MINE type vocals man. Those songs were extra special to my ears.

To be honest I usually hate when people complain about his vocals and say he cant' sing anymore. I've been hearing that since the 1990's and he always debunks those claims. I'm not saying that. I'm not even complaining, I like that song a lot, just voicing a preference for a type of music they don't seem to be making anymore. The last time I heard Philip really sing sing....was on DYING SONG I believe. I'm more or less just hopeful he'll mix it up and give us a mellow tune like that on the album, just something a little more diverse vocally on a few of the other tracks.

Miss me with any triggered hate....this isn't a post about never being pleased or whatever. I also don't understand why people freak out if someone post something longer than one paragraph. I like the song, I like the vocals, I still love the band, I'm just a fan sharing my thoughts and some of those thoughts are about a style of music from Down that I miss. Hopeful I'll hear it again someday.

Oh....and I forgot...I guess they're giving up on the EP thing?? Once again....Down IV Part III was supposed to be....possibly the mellow EP. I remember Pepper saying the ending of the 2nd EP would kind of lead into the 3rd EP(go listen to the end of EP II). So again....just a little bummed. I've been hearing about a DOWN acoustic album since 2002. A decade later that evolved into...."maybe the 3rd EP will be the mellow one." I remember hearing four EP's that'll cover four different styles the band can cover. Again, it's one of those things I guess they just aren't ever gonna make that "sitting around the campfire" type album they used to talk about.

Some cool info from the press release:

Down was never just a band.

It’s a brotherhood rooted in childhood friendships that have endured for decades. It’s an homage to the city of New Orleans, LA. It’s the sound of five heavy metal lifers jamming together in a room without rules. It’s music meant for anybody who has ever headbanged, played air guitar, or worn a weathered tour t-shirt like armor. For over three decades, the quintet—Philip H. Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Pat Bruders—have quietly built a legacy like no other. When these individuals congregate, it’s out of pure love for music and one another. As soon as they get together, magic ensues conjured by earthquaking grooves, bellowing straight from the soul, and riffing loud enough to awaken an ancient deity. 

In 2026, Down begins another chapter with Down V [Nuclear Blast]. 

“We were all excited about this,” smiles Philip. “There was a sense lightness in the air. Everyone’s attitude was really positive. There was more focus than ever. It just felt fresh again. Each one of us was individually striving for something, and I believe we achieved what we wanted to achieve. The record is definitely a journey. It’s classically Down, but it’s also unique.”

“Everybody played their asses off, wrote great riffs, and Philip is singing amazing,” adds Kirk. “There’s so much electricity when we get together. To me, it’s the same vibe as our debut NOLA, but we’ve got another 35 years of experience as songwriters. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“The five of us are from the same era, grew up together, and accomplished a lot on our own,” Pepper observes. “We all sounded different, but we’re still from the same 20-block radius. As far as what makes Down special, we knew one another before any of us had done anything. There’s history.”

Their bond runs deep. The guys initially crossed paths as teens in various local bands throughout New Orleans. Over the years, each musician went off and made a name for himself with Philip notably fronting Pantera, Pepper holding down guitar and vocals for Corrosion Of Conformity, Kirk leading Crowbar, and Jimmy slinging guitar in Eyehategod. 

However, Down always called to them…

In 1991, their first impromptu jam session yielded a now-legendary demo that made its way around the world. From there, the three-song tape effectively laid the foundation for 1995’s Platinum-certified NOLA. Metal Hammer cited the latter as “a rock classic, period,” and Stereogum professed, “Our modern understanding of what metal in the Deep South sounds like and means starts with NOLA, and we should pay our respects.” The band delivered fan favorites such as Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow [2002], Down III: Over the Under [2007], Down IV – Part One [2012], and Down IV – Part Two [2014]. Each tour proved to be special in its own right. Beyond packing houses on global headline jaunts, the group shared the stage with the likes of Metallica, Heaven & Hell, Danzig, and Melvins in addition to igniting festivals such as Aftershock, Louder Than Life, Hellfest, and Sick New World. It's no wonder Revolver christened the collective one of the “12 Greatest Supergroups in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal History.” 

Two writing sessions yielded the bulk of material on Down V. Upholding a tradition dating back to Down II, the members retreated to Philip’s home studio and their de facto clubhouse “Nodferatu’s Lair.” Songs originated on the spot as they jammed face-to-face. Throughout 2025, the music naturally took shape. Pepper and Kirk chose to simultaneously record guitar together, giving the album a timeless punch.

“I’m in one speaker and Kirk is in the other speaker,” says Pepper. “This record is real, and it sounds like it. When we tracked our guitars, we played at the same time. If one of us fucked up, we made a promise to start over from the top. We wanted it to be so articulate and tight. It was challenging, but it was a hell of a lot of fun. Overall, the songs are strong, yet the production is simple and stripped-down.”

“These days, there’s no pressure,” Philip goes on. “We each showed up with what we had, and everybody added their input. It was a true band effort. Pat was coming up with incredible riffs, and he’s such a great bass player. With Down, I can look across from me, and I know these motherfuckers. I know their shortcomings, and I know their strengths. I also know they’re all blessed. When I see them, it brings a level of comfort. There’s zero weight on my shoulders. I just have to do what I do, and those guys make it easy.”

Down roar back to life with the single “Blood Oath.” Anchored by an alternately hard-hitting and hummable riff, it culminates on a clarion call chorus. With a sly tip of the hat to their stomping grounds, it practically bleeds old gold, black, and white. “Anybody who’s from New Orleans is going to get a kick out of the references to the city,” grins Philip. “Musically, it’s got a big hook. It’s a Down song, but it takes a turn.” 

“Oh, you’ll know it’s Down right off the fucking bat,” laughs Pepper. “It’s heavy in its attack.”

The album opens with a blistering barnburner “The Myth.” It sets the tone with a powerhouse vocal, pummeling rhythms, and precise down-picking. “‘The Myth’ has some epic moments,” Philip continues. “It’s a straightforward jammer. It’s got a big nod to Trouble, but vocally I’m thinking of James Dewar, Ronnie James Dio, Ozzy Osbourne, Glenn Hughes, and many of the other greats.”

Then, there’s “Merciful Fate” featuring King Diamond. It reaches an apex with a vocal duel between Philip and King Diamond and fret-burning solos executed at a breakneck pace of 120bpm. The King’s wife Livia Zita even blesses the track with dark accents of her own.

“I love what King Diamond did,” beams Philip. “He has an incredible knack for hooks, an uncanny sense of the strange, and real brilliance. He blew me away. He stepped out of his wheelhouse a few times. He does all of his vocal styles, but there’s a really atmospheric breakdown and some bluesy parts. We wanted him to do his own thing. I just said, ‘Listen, feel it, and do it’. That’s what he did, and he killed it.”

“It was Philip’s idea, and he pulled it off,” Pepper elaborates. “The song was already epic, but it got bigger and bigger. We’re all still metalheads. We’re massive fans of this shit. We know what we’re stepping into, but having King Diamond on the album is ridiculous.”

The closer “Twice Told Tales” caps the trip off with a heavy and hypnotic denouement. “It’s a conglomerate of tight riffs and blues rock mixed with the diligence of classic metal,” Philip reveals. “It’s an important song to us. I could feel Ozzy Osbourne’s influence on me in the strangest way.”

In the end, Down V is record diehard fans have been hoping for, but it’s also the perfect gateway for the uninitiated.

“It’s a giant love letter to heavy metal,” Pepper concludes. “If you look back at all of the shit we’ve done, we weren’t destined for this; we made it. It was a lot of work, we did it our own way, and we’ve kept getting back together. It’s a pretty trippy story, but it’s our story. To this day, Down would be a band that I’d like if I wasn’t in it.”

“Down means the world to me,” Kirk notes. “My heart is in it 200%.”

“Way back in the day, we’d said, ‘This is a band we can grow old together in’,” Philip concludes. “We can do a psychedelic record, an acoustic record, or all of these different things because of the freedom Down provides. We’re older now. I’d like to think we’re a whole lot more mature. All of us see some kind of light at the end of the tunnel. We’re all one together. If you’ve never heard of us, this is the perfect place to start and then go right to NOLA afterwards. If you’ve been with us for a long time, I promise it sounds like a fucking Down album.”  - Rick Florino

https://www.nuclearblast.com/pages/down

The single is up on Apple Music. Listened to it twice on the drive to work, and I pounded the fuck out of my steering wheel. SLAMMIN tune! Production is a huge leap forward from IV (which I thought was muddy), and everything sounds amazing. That main riff is an instant Down classic. Crunchy, heavy, infectious. We’re in for a real treat this year. 🤘

Anyone gone to one of the Meet and Greets and know if Down is signing stuff for fans on this 2026 tour I want to get my NOLA Vinyl Album signed.

My son and I are seeing Down this Thursday in Pittsburgh and are doing the VIP. I’m seeing some pics of the band behind the barrier and away from fans, and my vip email says there will be no signings, socially distanced etc.

We’ve done the BLS VIP before and for that they said “only one item”, but Zakk was super gracious and would sign pretty much whatever. We’re hoping that this will be similar for Down. So, if you did VIP, were you able to get a personal item signed?

A bunch of NOLA songs and the same 2 or 3 songs from the 2002 album. Same setlists now that they were playing in 2009. It's gotten beyond stale

They completely ignore Over The Under and the EPs and they ignore 80% of the 2nd album

Would it kill them to bring out 'Dog Tired' or 'Beautifully Depressed' or 'Never Try'

Last time they played an interesting setlist was the 2008 tour

Buzzing for a new album after so long, even better if we can also make it to a live show…

Has anyone heard anything about a possible UK or EU tour after the current USA dates? I had a look online but nothing officially announced… just wondering if anyone here has any other info to share??

Thanks! ✌️

I’m heading down but unfortunately can’t drink as I have to work the next morning or smoke because I have to pass a drug test for my job. I’ll be the short dude in either a cutoff Megadeth shirt or Metallica And Justice for All shirt.