Down - IV Part II (2014, EP)

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Down - IV Part II (2014, EP)

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Down long since outgrew the notion of them being a mere supergroup, putting out three albums of some of the finest sludge metal on the market, including one of the most fully-formulated debuts in metal history, and becoming a fully-fledged band in their own right. Their decision to release four EPs over a few years in place of a new full-length album along with legendary frontman Phil Anselmo’s comments suggesting Down would never record an album again raised plenty of eyebrows, but ultimately the music is what matters and not the format, and when the first of these EPs (Down IV Part I – The Purple EP) was released in 2012 it was a master-class in what Down specialise in, whiskey-drenched Southern sludge with truck-sized riffs and an air of foreboding and misery. Fans expected the second of these EPs to arrive the following year, but events transpired differently and the release was delayed by a number of things including the departure of founding guitarist Kirk Windstein who wished to concentrate on his other band Crowbar, and his replacement with Bobby Landgraf. However two years down the line Down IV – Part II has finally emerged from the Louisianan swamp.

It’s a little strange that the second installment of the Down IV saga of EPs does not have a colour attached to it like The Purple EP did (some interviews in 2013 hinted at orange), and some consistency would have been nice. Such a minor qualm is irrelevant however compared to the actual music contained within, and just as this six track affair rears its hind legs with Steeple and Phil Anselmo lets loose his opening howl, it’s clear Down are onto another winner with this one. After a grinding doomy intro, the song charges forward like an enraged animal as Anselmo barks and bellows. His voice has gotten grittier and deeper since his Pantera days, his hoarse moans and shouts demanding presence and respect, with the occasional savage high released into the fray. The riffing here meanwhile is truly top-notch, Windstein’s departure clearly not damaging the band’s capability to produce six-string work of crushing density. Landgraf and remaining founding guitarist Pepper Keenan fill each and every track with multiple flawless riffs. Take the city-levelling main riff to We Knew Him Well. The life-affirming brilliance of this riff cannot be understated, going up there with the hallowed Bury Me In Smoke as one of Down’s greatest ever and warranting repeated plays. Hogshead/Dogshead takes an undeniably more bluesy approach yet retaining its stunning heaviness, while the eight-minute Conjure is pure Sabbath-ian doom, as well as being peppered with swirling, cosmic psychedelics. Nine-minute closer Bacchanalia meanwhile is another highlight, featuring more riffs than you could shake the proverbial stick at, disorientating and menacing guitar parts crawling out of the mud and building up and up into the light before collapsing into the gorgeous acoustic outro.

This second EP is slower, doomier and overall heavier than the first, and while it lacks a single knock-out monster track like Witchtripper from the first EP, it’s a listen that proves to be fantastically enjoyable and enduring. This release might officially be an EP, but there’s still a good 35 to 36 minutes of material to get to grips with and delve into. With their first UK festival headline appearance at Bloodstock this year and releases like this under their belt, Down are looking stronger than ever before. Let’s just hope EP number three appears a little sooner this time.

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