Down - Down IV: The Purple EP (Down Records/Independent Label Group)
New Orleans metal supergroup (consisting of current and former members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod) is back with their first (of four EPs to be released over the course of the next year or so) new recording since the stellar Over the Under in the year of our lord 2007. Bassist Rex Brown, of former Pantera glory, is missing from the Down camp on this outing, replaced by Crowbar's Patrick Bruders. He left due to apparent health issues, only to form a new band called Kill Devil Hill. It makes me question whether or not Brown's departure was amicable. Same thing with Pepper Keenan leaving C.O.C? I dunno, but I'll take their word for it, unless you want to ask them for the dirt on your own.
The Purple EP, released on Sept. 18th, finds Down broadening the gap between themselves and the classic rock/metal hybrid for which they are known, taking a much more straightforward approach to classic doom and sludge. Both were prominent in previous releases (most notably Over the Under) but their previous subtle flirting is now a tongue-down-the-throat, doin' it in the road, open affair. Hearkening back to such elite names as Trouble and Witchfinder General, we find a much more stripped, basic sounding band with the power and determination of a meth-fueled steamroller. I can hear some Cathedral in there too, specifically on "Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)," which is far less dopey than anything from Lee Dorrian and Co.'s monumental album Forest of the Equilibrium.
Lead single "Witchtripper" is simply badass. Lyrically depicting a black mass, singer Phil Anselmo exclaims, "Satan!/Worm-carved rites/Horrifies their spies/Smokescreen/Defend night-flight sites/Trap clamped, snared for pyres/Blaspheme" in the song's second verse. It's nowhere as heavy as the lyrical content of Down's last offering, which dealt with the murder of Anselmo's former bandmate Dimebag Darrell and the lasting effects of Hurricane Katrina's ravaging of Louisiana. It's a welcome surfacing for air. It's got a campy-cool video as well. "Levitation", "Misfortune Teller", and "This Work is Timeless" all have a full tank of swamp gallop, and most definitely highlight the bluebook value of seasoned guitar slingers Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein. Keenan shows more of the leather seats, high-octane finesse of a European Formula-1 racer while Windstein possesses the steak dinner, musclecar sound familiar to a big, bad orange 1970 AMX driving off with your girl as she's about to lose her shirt.
"The Curse is a Lie" explores the doom sound in depth--it's a slower, sludge-laden dirge with lyrics like "Sculpting statues of yourself/Plague-deep drifting drowning health/The curse is a lie." The lyrics, again, are not as close to the chest as previous Down tunes, and this has its merits and demerits. It's difficult to relate to words that have only spooky charm, but no emotional strings tugging at the writer's heart like a marionette. Instead, the singer is simply an unbiased storyteller, staying neutral against a black background. Simply telling a story absolves the speaker of having to be emotionally invested, or as "Open Coffins" professes: "We wear our hearts on our sleeves," which is something I never could have imagined being uttered by the same man who penned "Temptation's Wings." I get it, but it's hard to picture this band of tattooed reprobates to be sensitive Beanie Baby collectors and owners of inspirational kittie posters with captions like, "Hang In There!!!" It's borderline laughable. I felt frozen by a curve ball. But life does that to you, and maybe the new found sensitivity is a result of the hard shit Anselmo has had to deal with over the past bunch of years. Even the biggest chunk of ice is gonna melt a little when you put it next to the fire.
Honestly though, "Open Coffins" is my least favorite song on Down IV. It can get monotonous, and "Never Try" from Over the Under completed the same feat. This is hard for me to say, but sometimes I just get sick of hearing Phil's voice--which sounds far, far more harsh than I intend it to. He's hands down my favorite metal singer, because of the sound of his voice and that Mike Tyson knockout delivery he's got. But it's kind of a double-edged sword that Mr. Anselmo wields. I guess everyone has a good game and a bad one, and "Open Coffins" is not necessarily a bad game. Maybe just a game where Down reached base on a blooper, an error, or a fielder's choice. They didn't strike out, but everyone in the stands is waiting for the homer. And there's still no one better in the game for delivering that than these guys. I'd have them in my lineup any day.
Down IV is an excellent record. I'm glad I own it. It's better than 2002's II: A Bustle in your Hedgerow. I daresay it's better than Over the Under. What I won't say is that it's better than NOLA. It's not. It's nearly impossible to follow-up or conquer a monster like NOLA, but Down are following the same track to immortality that several bands have taken before, and in the months to come these motherfuckers will show us just how much steam they have. Let's hope, for our sake and theirs, they don't pull into a stop early, shut off the engine, and call it a day. Then you could go ahead and close my coffin.