FUSE The longtime heavy metal frontman—now a part of New Orleans-based act Down—offers tips for making it in the rock scene, like playing free gigs and "ripping off 20 of your favorite bands"

Philip Anselmo has been nominated for the Legend award at the 2013 Metal Hammer Awards in Berlin, Germany. Fans can vote for Philip at www.metal-hammer.de Tips for English-speaking fans: You can find Philip on the third page of the voting:   Voting navigation translations: Später fortfahren - continue later Umfrage verlassen und löschen - exit and clear survey Weiter - more (scroll through pages)

Catch Philip Anselmo on Fuse (State of Metal) tonight, Friday, March 29th at 8pm EST.

    DOWN has been nominated for a Golden Gods Award for "Best International." The event takes place the Monday following the Download Fest weekend. Be sure to VOTE NOW and support!

DOWN IV PART 1 TO BE RELEASED ON VINYL FEBRUARY 26 Heavy metal icon collective DOWN has announced that they will perform a handful of headline dates this May. Kicking things off May 23 in Birmingham, AL, the band will stop in 7 cities in the Southeast including Baltimore’s Maryland Deathfest, and wrapping things up with a hometown show in New Orleans on May 31. Tickets go on sale to the general public on February 16 and include VIP Packages that include opportunities to meet the band and hang out at soundcheck. For more information, visit DOWN-NOLA.com. The band just wrapped up a nationwide headline tour with Warbeast, receiving overwhelming acclaim for their larger than life live show with Houston Press declaring them “the undisputed kings of the heavy metal scene…all eyes in the room were on Anselmo. The man effortlessly commands Texas metal crowds like no one else can, and he drew huge cheers just scratching his elbow.” DOWN is touring in support of their latest release, Down IV Part I. The 6-song EP will be released on vinyl on February 26 (Down Records/ADA). The EP – a collection of dark, dangerous and decisive metal tracks – debuted at the top of the Hard Music Album Chart and sat comfortably at the #1 spot on Metal Radio for several weeks upon its official release last September. The release was critically acclaimed, with Rolling Stone praising “a typically aggressive Anselmo vocal against a twisting, grinding musical backdrop,” while Noisecreep proclaims “Down specialize in the kind of Saint Vitus-kissed grooves and vocal hooks that get stuck inside your head long after it leaves your stereo.” Additionally the band was featured on the January cover of Decibel. DOWN’s notorious dark and unique southern-infused brand of hard rock/metal consists of lead singer Phil Anslemo’s (Pantera) gut-wrenching vocals, Pepper Keenan (C.O.C.) and Kirk Windstein’s (Crowbar) grinding guitar riffs, Jimmy Bower’s (Eye Hate God) thunderous drums, and Pat Brunder’s (Crowbar) blasting bass cords leave even the most dedicated and hardcore of fans in complete shock and awe. DOWN are back with a vengeance, and intend to show everyone exactly why they are one of heavy metal’s most iconic figures. DOWN TOUR DATES May 23, 2013 Birmingham, AL Zydeco May 24, 2013 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre May 25, 2013 Baltimore, MD Sonar – Maryland Deathfest May 27, 2013 Augusta, GA Sky City May 28, 2013 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works May 30, 2013 Broussard, LA The Station May 31, 2013 New Orleans, LA House of Blues PRESS HERE to stream DOWN IV PART I PRESS HERE to watch the video for “Witchtripper”

Artistdirect.com By: Rick Florino "We've got one night together," declared Philip Anselmo at the start of Down's sold out Key Club show. "Let's make this cocksucker fucking memorable."     Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, and Jimmy Bower didn't just make the night "fucking memorable," they made it downright legendary. Now, the Down "cult" certainly wouldn't expect anything less, but the group's descent upon Los Angeles trumped even those kinds of lofty fan expectations.     Down springs to life on stage like no other band in heavy metal, hard rock, or rock 'n' roll right now. Kicking the evening off, "Hail the Leaf" from NOLA hovered like smoke from the band's amps, raging with a deluge of blues inflection and Sabb'ed out grit courtesy of Keenan and Windstein. Bower's drums thundered with earth-shattering intensity as Pat Bruders's bass reverberated infinitely. Anselmo carried the chorus with charisma and his incomparable, immortal, and impenetrable delivery.     Dedicating "Lifer" to Dimebag Darrell, these five titans cruised through a towering groove and riff wall, equally exuding panache and power. In between songs, Anselmo's sense of humor hit just as hard as these timeless anthems.     "Ya'll could be bowling tonight," he smiled. "If it wasn't for this cult audience, we'd have no reason to do this."     "Witchtripper" from last year's triumphant Down IV Part I - The Purple EP cast an unbreakable spell on the packed house, igniting endless movement from the pit and staggering audience participation. "Open Coffins" stood emblematic of Down's brilliance. The avalanche of six-string power exploded on impact as Anselmo's voice shined on the melodic chorus. "Temptation's Wings" and "Losing All" transported everyone into the thickest and darkest corners of NOLA.     Every fan in the crowd stood transfixed, and they responded to every heavy musical movement on stage with a powder keg of fervor and enthusiasm. The room practically overheated with sweat and raw energy. Only Down could bring that out of a Los Angeles crowd.     "Most of you know me by now," Anselmo went on. "I don't blow smoke unless smoke need to be blown. This is the best fucking crowd on the tour so far."     Well, that's just because it was the best show the Sunset Strip has seen in God knows how long. "Lysergik Funeral Procession" slayed with classic spirit, oscillating from Southern Gothic sludge into an overpowering buildup of flawless riffs as Anselmo sang, "And I'm so damn mad, so fucking mad, to lose that special darkness."     "Ghosts Along the Mississippi" and "New Orleans is a Dying Whore" dove back intoDown II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow, while "The Misfortune Teller" mounted with epic sonic bombast and poetic lyrical brilliance.     Once again shining a light firmly on the underground, Anselmo asked, "Anybody a Portal fan?" and then he proceeded to share his excitement over the Australian outfit's new record. That's the magic of a Down show. It's like hanging out with these icons as much as it is watching them.     A powerful "Stone the Crow" took flight into "Bury Me in Smoke" and Anselmo ended the night the only fitting way, dropping a line from Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven".     Mind you, he did all of this while battling a fever. That's precisely the Down ethos though. There's no fucking around. There's no wasting time. There's no bullshit. There's just music. The music just so happens to be better than everything else out there.     There's no doubt everyone in attendance will remember this show for a long time to come. —Rick Florino 01.17.13

Loudwire.com By: Chad Childers Kathy Flynn, WickedGoddessPhotography.com The temps may be chilly outside, but Down and Warbeast definitely brought the heat to West Hollywood’s Key Club Wednesday night (Jan. 16) for the Los Angeles stop of their winter tour. The two acts combined for a blistering night of rock and some rather emotional moments before all was said and done. As was announced right before the tour, both bands have dedicated the entire trek to the memory of late Rigor Mortis and Ministry guitarist Mike Scaccia and each of the acts made note of Scaccia’s legacy and friendship during their sets. During their performance, Warbeast dedicated tracks to the guitarist and urged fans to scream in his honor. It was obvious that frontman Bruce Corbitt was still feeling the loss of his onetime Rigor Mortis bandmate. Warbeast amped up the audience during their opening set. Guitarist Scott Shelby laid down some killer licks and Corbitt commanded the crowd throughout, with tracks like ‘Egotistical Bastard’ and ‘Krush the Enemy’ working the audience into a circle pit frenzy. The group ended their set on a high note with ‘It’ and ‘Birth of the Psycho,’ their two contributions to the newly released split EP with Phil Anselmo, ‘War of the Gargantuas.’ Down were the night’s headliner and they did not disappoint with the audience passionately fist-pumping along to the band’s songs throughout the evening. Like Warbeast, Phil Anselmo offered his salute to Scaccia and also got a little teary-eyed mentioning the band’s home base of New Orleans before rocking out to ‘New Orleans Is a Dying Whore.’ But amidst the emotion, there was also some levity as Anselmo grabbed a bra that had been tossed onstage, gave it to drummer Jimmy Bower commenting that he thought it might not be big enough and then watched as Bower put on the undergarment to cover his shirtless body for the remainder of the show. Highlights of Down’s performance included a blistering version of ‘Witchtripper,’ fan favorites ‘Lifer’ and ‘Lysergic Funeral Procession,’ and the anthemic ‘Eyes of the South.’ The set also included an encore of ‘Stone the Crow’ and ‘Bury Me in Smoke,’ with members of Warbeast hopping up onstage for an extended jam on the final track. The Down / Warbeast ‘Weed and Speed’ tour rolls on into early February. To check out the remaining dates on the trek, click here. Take a look at the photo gallery from the Down / Warbeast show HERE.

DOWN and Warbeast Kick Off “The Weed & Speed Tour: West Coast Throwdown in the Year of XIII” this Friday, January 11th! Warbeast Set to Release New Full Length Album ‘Destroy’ in Early 2013 Heavy metal legend Philip Anselmo and Texas thrashers Warbeast are pleased to announce today’s release of their new split album, entitled War of the Gargantuas. The split, released via Housecore Records, includes two songs from each artist. This album serves as the first release of any solo work by Philip Anselmo during the span of his nearly 30-year legacy. Also, the two Warbeast tracks on the split feature former bassist Alan Bovee before his amicable departure from the band. Since then, Dre Karst has joined on bass. See what the press is saying about War of the Gargantuas: “Veterans of the scene, Warbeast don't simply rely on the '80s template. Rather, they blow it up and rebuild it into an even more vicious and vital monster… This is everything Anselmo fans and metal fans have been hoping for and so much more. As with all of his projects, you've got to hear it to believe it.” – ArtistDirect.com, 5/5 Stars “The combination of Philip Anselmo and Warbest make War Of The Gargantuas a vicious, brutal onslaught of metal that creates the ultimate teaser for both bands.”- Bloody-Disgusting.com “…ANSELMO’s solo contributions to an upcoming split with Warbeast, War of the Gargantuas, so delight me: they sound just, like, completely fucking fucknuts… It sounds as though Anselmo is about to release the aural equivalent of a broken glass bath.” – MetalSucks.net “…absolutely killer.” – MetalInjection.net -- In addition to this week’s release of War of the Gargantuas, DOWN and Warbeast will head out on “The Weed & Speed Tour: West Coast Throwdown in the Year of XIII” this Friday, January 11th, starting in Houston, TX at Warehouse Live. The tour will make its way through several states, coming to a close on February 1st in Chattanooga, TN at Track 29. The entire upcoming tour is dedicated to the memory of the late Mike Scaccia. To donate to the Mike Scaccia Family Fundraiser, head here and follow the link:http://www.warbeast.org/?p=156 DOWN and Warbeast 2013 U.S. Tour Dates: 1/11 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live – Ballroom 1/12 – San Antonio, TX @ Backstage Live 1/14 – Tempe, AZ @ The Marquee 1/15 – Las Vegas, NV @ Fremont Country Club 1/16 – West Hollywood, CA @ Key Club 1/18 – Anaheim, CA @ City National Grove of Anaheim 1/19 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades 1/20 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom 1/22 – Seattle, WA @ Showbox at the Market 1/23 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater 1/24 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House 1/26 – Denver, CO @ The Summit Music Hall 1/28 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 1/29 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave 1/30 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s 2/1 – Chattanooga, TN @ Track 29 Warbeast also recently announced the upcoming release of their second full-length album, Destroy. The album is scheduled to be released early this year via Housecore Records and is currently in the mastering stages. Stay tuned for more information on Destroy coming very soon.

DOWN IV Part I Ranks #12 on Metal Hammer's Top 50 of 2012 "The first of four EPs showcasing a different style,Part I confirmed that while DOWN no longer make traditional albums, their modus operandi hasn't changed. These six songs were stripped down to bare bones, from the directness of Witchtripper to the sludgier Open Coffins. In just 35 minutes, DOWN surpassed what most bands achieve over an entire lifetime."

ClassicRockMagazine.com's Classic Rock Songs of the Year 2012 DOWN Witchtripper "Reining in their classic influences of Black Sabbath, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Thin Lizzy, Witchtripper saw DOWN undertake a more stripped-down and raw formula for their gloriously downtuned riff worship. The result was something quite spectacular: a swamp-ridden ode to the occult, which became one of the anthems of 2012 very quickly indeed."

DOWN Featured in Feb 2013 Issue of Metal Hammer!  

[caption id="attachment_1283" align="alignleft" width="281"] DOWN IV Part 1 EP[/caption] Kerrang! Ranks DOWN IV Part I as the Top EP of 2012 "This is how you do an EP, folks. Six tracks that last longer than most of your albums, some of the heaviest riffs of the year, and the return of one of metal's best ever frontmen (Philip H. Anselmo, y'all). EP of the year hands down. Even better, there's another three due to crawl out of a Louisiana swamp sometime soon!"

DOWN, Orange Goblin & Warbeast Manchester Academy "As good Southern boy Jimmy Bower salutes the denizens of the north with a drumstick crucifix, you can't help but feel that this is nothing short of a religious experience - even the DOWN logo backdrop resembles a stained-glass window when their devotional colours of purple and green shine upon it. So when NOLA's legendary crank into "Eyes of the South" to the adulation of the congregation, it's a show tht only the final judgement could compare to. Phil Anselmo is a road-hardened preacher with a voice like tombstones grinding together as he leads us through dark hymns like "Lifer" and "Stone the Crow", backed by muggy riffs that transport us to the mysterious byways and swamps of the Big Easy. Such is the devotion on display that a punter just holds his comatose mate up instead of calling an ambulance. DOWN are the rocks upon which Souther doom is built, and tonight was a sermon to the riff that no other band could hope to match. A-fucking-men!"

After all of these years, there's still no other band quite like Down. When Jimmy Bower, Pat Bruders, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, and Philip H. Anselmo enter the studio or hit the stage, the ensuing magic can't adequately be described in verbal tribute. You just have to feel it, and you most certainly will. The band's latest offering Down IV Part I - The Purple EP left a seismic and staggering impact on music this year both underground and above. Often, if asked, Down fans fondly refer to NOLA as their favorite album from the New Orleans riff gods. There's true soul in the fuzzed out bliss of "Lifer", the blues swoon of "Stone the Crow", and the hazy collective head bang of "Bury Me in Smoke". It's raw in all the right ways, and it announced the dawn of legend. However, upon repeated listens, the EP unequivocally bottles that spirit while fermenting it into an intoxicating and inimitable brew. Down are one of the few metal bands that have gotten even heavier as they've progressed. "The Curse is a Lie" and "Levitation" light up a six string flame that's undeniably incendiary and fortified with utterly mind-blowing lead guitar work. "Misfortune Teller" stands out as a spiraling epic replete with thunderous rhythms and Anselmo's immortal scream. His performance both lyrically and vocally is the stuff of legend and, with his iconic track record, that’s saying a whole hell of a lot. “Open Coffins” hovers through a haunting hook that’s indisputably soulful, while the spell of “Witchtripper” won’t be broken as soon as you hear it. The Purple EP remains as unfiltered, uncompromising, and unique as you’d hope a Down album would be. Rightfully so, Down’s influence still bubbles up across heavy metal. You hear their sludge-blues-swagger in Mastodon. You hear their thrashed-out doom in High on Fire. You feel the same old school resonances in Ghost. Chances are all of your favorite metal bands have got NOLA on their iPod, iCloud, tape deck, CD player, Spotify playlist, or whatever they use. Now, it’s likely that a whole new generation of tomorrow’s bands will pick up this EP to much the same effect. Down are still the kings of metal... Rick Florino, ArtistDirect.com

Down has been announced as the fourth edition to next summer's Provinssirock festival. At the end of this year, the metal band released the highly anticipated new EP Down IV Part I. Guitar World magazine has already named it number one in their Top 10 EPs. Provinssirock will take place June 14-16, 2013 in the city of Seinäjoki, Finland.



Provinssirock's 3 day early bird tickets will be on sale until the end of the year at www.lippu.fi, www.tiketti.fi or www.provinssirock.fi/nettikauppa.

DOWN is up for the fan-voted Loudwire awards for Metal Album and Metal Band! Also, Phil is up for 'Rock God' for DOWN/Pantera! Cast your votes now at Loudwire.com!

Thank you to everyone who shared their Halloween costume with DOWN in the Halloween Costume Contest. Congratulations to our winners! Overall Best Costume: Scarriest Costume: tara.dean   Funniest Costume: TaintKirk

via Loudwire #8 Down IV, Part I [caption id="attachment_1283" align="alignleft" width="281"] DOWN IV Part 1[/caption] Although 'Down IV, Part 1 – The Purple EP' contains only six songs, the tracks within offer a sustaining energy that carries the weight of a full-length. The vocal prowess of Phil Anselmo remains powerful, especially when delving low into his range, while the rest of Down pump out monstrous sludge into the groove-driven 'Levitation' and the anthemic 'Witchtripper.'

Converse x Decibel: Phil Anselmo Deep in the Heart of NOLA [caption id="attachment_1391" align="alignleft" width="467"] Philip Anselmo[/caption] Everyone gets old. Most of us get bitter, bored and ignorant along the way. Phil Anselmo, legendary frontman of Pantera and Down, has unexpectedly proven a welcome exception. Now in his mid-40s, Phil has reinvented himself as extreme music’s cool uncle, fostering young boundary-pushing bands via his Housecore Records imprint while sacrificing none of the ferocity and rage that continues to drive his countless projects. In the latest installment of Converse x Decibel, the always candid Anselmo talks boxing, chronic back pain and finding inspiration in a new generation of metalheads. Read this article on Decibelmagazine.com

DOWN TALK POSSIBLE NEW MUSICAL DIRECTIONS, RECORDING WHILE STILL ALIVE + BEING HANDSOME via Loudwire.com

Review by Rhiannon Marley Photography by Michelle Murphy   via Metal-rules.com   [caption id="attachment_1411" align="alignleft" width="600"] Philip H. Anselmo[/caption] It's 9.30...the place is rammed and late bar-goers agonize between pints or pit?! As DOWN get ready to take to the stage. The saying 'couldn't fit a mouse in' doesn't cover it; hell, you'd be lucky to squeeze a mouse's toenail in. As the lights dim, Jimmy Bower takes the kit, brandishing an inverted crucifix with his sticks, you can smell just how serious shit is about to get. Nola classic 'Eyes of the South' bleeds into 2012's 'Witchtripper', as the downstairs pit turns into the battle for Middle Earth and bodies fly overhead. The spectacle is overseen by Kirk Windstein's beard and Lord of the Groove Anselmo, who chucks liquid over the crowd, plays to the cameras and pulls every last thread of signature arrogance in tow. Undeniably compelling, but as he thunders around like an angry bull and headbutts his mic, there's an unsettling twinge of insanity that would cut dead your urge to personally ask him just how many times he's informed the audience that “Tonight is a motherfuckin' special night” on the tour thus far. The crowd are quieter for new EP slice 'Open Coffins', and the place mutates into old-school Amsterdam as the stench of weed cancels out the BO. Yet from the surge as Anselmo dedicates 'Lifer' to Dimebag, and lets loose his pterodactyl screams for 'Temptation's Wings' and 'Hail the Leaf', it's clear that the Southern heavyweights release something primal in all who listen to them. After all, a sonic Royal Rumble between Crowbar, Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity and Eyehategod couldn't do anything else. But the real magic comes at the opening hammer-on pick of the 'Stone the Crow' riff; booze and sweatshirts are launched ten feet upwards, and its anthemic chorus unites 5000 drunken tenors and mezzo-sopranos. The tremendous finale, as both Warbeast and Orange Goblin join the gents onstage for 'Bury Me In Smoke', sees copious man-hugging from the metal giants, with billows of smog, chest-rattling bass, and brother-love spilling onto the rows of Black Label Society cuts in front of them. Down and the boys might provide the soundtrack to a lion taking down two zebras and drilling a lioness in the backside. They might make you want to growl and snarl and roar and break things, but they all prove that the manliest thing about being the biggest, baddest bastards of all is passion for their craft and tribe: huge, hairy monsters planting sloppy kisses and back-slaps on each other, while swigging their beers and rocking their tunes. An epic closure to an amazing night!

Review: DOWN

HMV Institute (The Library), Birmingham



There is always an extra charge of electricity when mighty American sludge veterans Down are in town.



This UK 'tour' consisted of just three dates but fortunately for the masses who packed out the Library, Birmingham was part of the triumvirate.



Launching straight into the epic Eyes of the South, Down delivered a punishing aural experience with wave after wave of crushing riffs sucking out what little air there was to be found.



Down are fronted by the iconic Phil Anselmo whose place in the annals of metal history was secured long ago through his association with legendary groove kings Pantera.



They are not the kind of band to stand in the shadow of anyone and while the delivery may be slower than Pantera, it is no less heavy or intense.



The band have been working on a series of Eps and Witchtripper was the first of several tracks from Down IV Part I to disturb the dust on the Library shelves.



Crowd-surfers were popping up with the regularity of salmon in spring but when one enthusiastic punter failed to get to his feet after being priced from the masses by the security team, Anselmo instantly pulled the plug as the medics rushed in.



With the Library now as hushed as, well a library, several minutes passed before the battered and bruised metalhead rose to his feet with Anselmo hollering "he's alive!" before plunging straight into Temptation's Wings.



The show must go on after all!



VERDICT: 4/5 stars



Mark Woodward

DOWN plus ORANGE GOBLIN and WARBEAST   5/5 Ks: "Classic"   Words: Paul Travers   Photography: Danny North   [caption id="attachment_1400" align="alignleft" width="818"] Philip H. Anselmo[/caption] Philip H. Anselmo is a man who knows his metal. He has of course fronted one of the most bullish, belligerent and best metal bands of all time (that's Pan-frickin'-tera in case you didn't know) Then there's Down - back tonight from their first headlining tour since 2009 and bringing their first new studio material in five years - who have created some slabs of pure, rumbling genius themselves. On top of that, he's been involved with innumerable side-projects, and his Housecore label provides a platform for a plethora of underground noise-mongers. It's no real surprise, then, to see him watching his latest signings Warbeast intently. The Texan thrashers not only sound like the Apocalypse channelled through speaker stacks, they're set to appear on an EP next year that should also see Anselmo's own solo material finally unveiled. Songs like It and Birth of a Psycho suggest the War of the Gargantuas split will have two sides worth checking out while Krush the Enemy displays a flagrant abuse of the letter K we can't help but admire. Orange Goblin, meanwhile, provide the perfect prelude to this evening's main event. On most recent album A Eulogy for The Damned, they explored a more melodic landscape in places, and that comes through at times tonight. Still, the overwhelming impression they leave is still one of a huge, rolling groove. There's a sense of unstoppable momentum to Goblin's set, which is something Down have sometimes lacked. Not in a musical sense, but as a by-product of being a true sludge metal supergroup. The fact that various members also serve time in bands such as Crowbar, Eyehategod and Corrosion Of Conformity has let to Down being something of a stop-start affair. After all, three albums in 20 years is hardly prolific. That said, with the recent 5K-rated Down IV Part I - The Purple EP - heralding a quartet of releases in quick succession, it looks like Down is actually going to be a priority, for the immediate future at least. "We're here for one night only," Anselmo keeps insisting, as he pushes the faithful to ever-greater heights of exultation. With this being the band's first headlining tour since 2009, there's a sense of this being a genuine event. Not that a certain Philip H. Anselmo is one for milking empty adulation - "Don't cheer at everything I say - this is no Motley Crue concert," he adds, with a comically cantankerous air. He also repeatedly slams his own head with a microphone and slaps guitarist Kirk Windstein's bald head like camp comedian Benny Hill and his little sidekick on steroids. You never really want to take your eyes off him in case he does or says something extraordinary, but Down are certainly not a one-man show. Guitarists Windstein and Pepper Keenan peel off some truly hulking riffs between them (Witchtripper, Lifer) while drummer Jimmy Bower and newly recruited bassist Patrick Bruders set up the monstrous low-end rumble. It's a fearsome noise, and one that we'd love to be assaulted by more frequently. Enjoy Down while you can - they're one of the most downright heavy bands you'll ever hear. 5 Minutes with Philip H. Anselmo (Down, Vocals) So, Phil, tell us a fact you know about Manchester…? "I know of the football team and their crazed fans. I can relate to that; my U.S. football team is like a religion." And what's the most Spinal-Tap thing that's ever happened to Down onstage? "Every night is somewhat of a Spinal Tap scenario with Down, ha-ha! Just look at Kirk." How about the most embarrassing thing on your collective iPods/on-the-road playlists, then? "Anything and everything with my voice and/or guitar playing on it. Why people like my music I'll never know." What's your most memorable Hallowe'en? "I have too many memorable Hallowe'en stories…you'd need to make an extra-long issue if this question were to be truly answered." Maybe next year. So, how would you survive a zombie apocalypse? "I'd arm-up, smash brains in with stealth, and with as much silence as possible." What's the worst Halloween costume you've ever worn? "I guess skipping out on the 'dressing up' part…my regular clothes suck." What's your favorite horror story and why? "Once again, an impossible question for a cat like me who owns more horror flicks than the law allows! As far as books go, I'm re-reading the entire H.P. Lovecraft collection right now, so I'm all for his noxious tales of shadowy, crawling, tentacle-toting chaos hordes and cosmic, otherworldly terrors!"

HEADLINING TOUR BEGINS WINTER 2013 w/ SUPPORT FROM WARBEAST DOWN IV: PART 1 OUT NOW! [caption id="attachment_1294" align="alignnone" width="788"] DOWN[/caption] “…a typically aggressive Anselmo vocal against a twisting, grinding musical backdrop.” Rolling Stone “… Southern broasted, neck-snapping riffs, power-meets-sludge metal grooves, and Anselmo’s signature gravelly, dynamic vocals.” Premiere Guitar “If the darkest corners of the New Orleans underground has an official sound, it is the gloriously bleak, punishing chug of Down.” Boston Herald “Down exist in a space of their own. They're not worried about trends. They're not worried about expectations. They're not worried about anyone's opinion. All that matters is the music..” Artist Direct New York, NY November 6, 2012 –Heavy metal icon collective DOWN will be hitting the road in January 2013 for a string of nationwide tour dates in support of their latest record, Down IV: Part I. Released September 18, 2012 (Down Records/Independent Label Group), The EP – a collection of dark, dangerous, and decisive metal tracks -- debuted at the top of the Hard Music Album Chart and sat comfortably at the #1 spot on Metal Radio for several weeks. See full tour dates below. Live, the metal five-piece is larger than life. Their notorious dark and unique southern-infused brand of hard rock/metal aggressively rips through the audience, and the mix of lead singer Phil Anslemo’s (Pantera) gut-wrenching vocals, Pepper Keenan (C.O.C.) and Kirk Windstein’s (Crowbar) grinding guitar riffs, Jimmy Bower’s (Eye Hate God) thunderous drums, and Pat Brunder’s (Crowbar) blasting bass cords leave even the most dedicated and hardcore of fans in complete shock and awe. DOWN are back with a vengeance, and intend to show everyone exactly why they are one of heavy metal’s most iconic figures. PRESS HERE to stream DOWN IV: PART I PRESS HERE to watch the video for “Witchtripper” VIP Experiences are available for all shows. VIP Presales begin for most shows Wednesday, November 7th. UPCOMING TOUR DATES: 1/11 Warehouse Live -- Ballroom Houston, TX 1/12 Backstage Live San Antonio, TX 1/14 Marquee Tempe, AZ 1/15 Freemont Country Club Las Vegas, NV 1/16 Key Club Los Angeles, CA 1/18 City National Grove Anaheim, CA 1/19 Ace of Spades Sacramento, CA 1/20 Regency Ballroom San Francisco, CA 1/22 Showbox @ the Market Seattle, WA 1/23 Roseland Theater Portland, OR 1/24 Knitting Factory Boise, ID 1/26 The Summit Music Hall Denver, CO 1/28 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN 1/29 The Rave Milwaukee, WI 1/30 Bogart’s Cincinnati, OH 2/1 Track 29 Chattanooga, TN 5/25 Maryland Deathfest 2013 Baltimore, MD (No DOWN VIP packages offered for this show)

Check out Philip Anselmo's Halloween Horror playlist on Spotify, featuring Down, Ghost, Agnostic Front, Eyehategod and more.  

ITB Meet Kirk Windstein – Down @ Roundhouse 21.10.2012 via ITBgigs

Down’s set ends with a full on stage invasion of the Down family: the support acts and the technicians. They seize Down’s instruments and take over the grinding outro riff of Down’s classic track, ‘Bury Me In Smoke’ from their debut album ‘NOLA’ . The band members – free of their instruments – stomp about the stage throwing fists in the air and giving out copious man hugs. It’s an emotional end to an epic evening of classic heavy rock.

Down are a band that have been on the lips of metalers since ’92 when the rumours of the new ‘supergroup’ from New Orleans spread. A group that was made of members of two big bands: Crowbar (sludgy and grinding); Corrosion of Conformity (a sharp, riff-heavy metal outfit) … and one huge band : Pantera – The Cowboys from Hell – one of the 90′s most successful heavy bands. During the 90′s all three bands had been regulars on the global touring scene. You could find any of them on stages at arenas and heavy metal festivals all over the world. But it was Pantera that reached true global stardom, with arena shows such as the 1991 Monsters of Rock performance in Moscow, to over 1.5m people .

The original line up of Down consisted of Pantera’s front man Phil Anselmo; Crowbar’s bass player Todd Strange; drummer Jimmy Bower; and guitar player Kirk Windstein and Corrosion of Conformity’s Pepper Keenan. Rex Brown (of Pantera) took over from Todd Strange after their first album ‘NOLA’ and was Down’s long term bassist, until relatively recently Patrick Brudders took over on bass.

Down’s debut album ‘NOLA’, finally came out in 1995 and was welcomed by fans and critics alike. The band toured once before going on hiatus alowing the members to focus on their respective pre-existing bands. Over the proceeding two decades Down have released albums when they could, toured sporadically and as a result of their ‘lack of profile’ become a huge cult underground rock band.

[caption id="attachment_1423" align="alignnone" width="300"] Kirk Windstein[/caption]

My day had started at 3pm with the photographer in the Camden Monarch, prepping to interview Down’s guitarist Kirk Windstein.

Already therewas a plethora of Down fans taking root in Camden. At the allotted time we headed back stage at the nearby Roundhouse to meet Kirk.

via MetalInjection.net Intro music isn’t something that they've done before (in the UK at least), but ‘Down’ by Harry Nilsson is quite frankly genius; the psychedelic pop tune is a nod of the guys’ honky tonk roots and the kind of music you might still experience in the French Quarter of New Orleans today. The band take the stage and open with ‘Eyes of the South’ from their debut record ‘N.O.L.A’, a perfect choice which slow-burns at first, but quickly grows with intensity and as Anselmo bellows the first lyric ‘GODDAMN!’ – the entire floor turns into a gigantic heaving pit. [caption id="attachment_1417" align="alignnone" width="604"] DOWN[/caption] The energy both on and offstage is incredibly impressive; balled up fists are pumped relentlessly and the entire room is instantly transformed into a sea of beer and hair. Down play nothing from their last full album ‘Down III: Over the Under’, but do pepper (no pun intended) the set with three tracks from ‘Down IV: The Purple EP’; the debut single ‘Witchtripper’, plus ‘Open Coffins’ and ‘Misfortune Teller’ – these three slip into the set list alongside material over two decades old with authentic ease and are received well. Down have never chosen to address the departure of Rex Brown and the addition of Pat Brudders on bass in a live capacity, but it doesn’t actually matter as much as it threatened to. I’m sure that die-hard Down fans will agree – this is simply a new chapter for them professionally. The camaraderie, friendship and brotherhood shared between this group is evident as they joke and jostle throughout the performance. It demonstrates the love and history between them and gives the show an edge of fun, which is just as well because these musicians play with such passion and such strength that it would be easy for a live show to become a serious affair. But this is A) Saturday night B) in the home of heavy metal and C) with Down and these factors combined mean that a good time is imminent. The band never play ‘Lifer’ without dedicating it to ex-Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell who was brutally murdered in 2004 and tonight is no exception. Anselmo turns the mic to the crowd repeatedly throughout the entire song and they respond by screaming every single word back, deafening in volume and rich with emotion. Guitarists Pepper Keen and Kirk Windstein thrash about the stage, shredding ferociously, the former holding up his Gibson under the flash of blue and red stage lights. Down leave the stage after ten songs and return with an encore... Read the full review

With Halloween coming up on Wednesday, Ultimate Guitar has prepared a horrifying poll for the big day. Visit Ultimate-Guitar.com to nominate Down's "Witchtripper" for Scariest Music Video. Results will be posted by Ultimate Guitar on Halloween day!  

via The Digital Music Fix

via ThisIsNotAScene

[caption id="attachment_1430" align="alignnone" width="650"] Jimmy Bower[/caption]

"Please everyone, for the sake of humanity, celebrate Emanuel Steward's life… he'd want it no other way." -P. Anselmo

Interview with guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein By Joshua Bottomley Photos by Jodie Cunningham When DOWN’s debut, NOLA, dropped way back in 1995, everyone thought it was a flash in the pan one-off by a stoned-out supergroup. Even if the members of The South’s “Big 4” (EYEHATEGOD, CROWBAR, C.O.C., and PANTERA) did manage to reconvene, they’d never come close to copying the doom inflected swagger of that seminal LP. Fortunately, everyone was wrong, and DOWN is still somehow going strong. So strong in fact, that their fourth LP won’t be a traditional album, but a series of four separate EPs, each exploring a different facet of DOWN’s southern style. The group’s axemen Kirk Windstein and Pepper Keenan took some time to talk with Hails and Horns about DOWN IV: Part 1 aka The Purple EP. Gentlemen, who’s idea was it to release DOWN IV as a series EPs as opposed to a full-length? KIRK: Someone threw out the idea and Phil [Anselmo, vocals] and Pepper were really high on it and then the rest of us were sold on it. It’s a fresh approach, all things considered, with the way the music industry is these days and how fickle the public is about buying the actual product. This way it’s more affordable. A lot of times if you put 10, 12, 13 songs up on iTunes, people won’t buy them all. This way we have an affordable EP and we can concentrate on one element of the DOWN sound at a time, and Part I is the heavy one. PEPPER: I guess it started about a year ago. We had discussed the idea of doing records, but things are so different nowadays with the music industry. We were trying to figure out ways to worm our way out of obligations like that. We felt that we’d have more freedom on the back end with a series of EPs, because we can shift dynamics on the EPs and not have to worry about it being one cohesive record. If one EP is a mellow EP we can get away with that. Part 1 reminds a lot of NOLA because it is so heavy. Did you feel that while you were writing and recording it? PEPPER: Yeah. We didn’t do a lot of guitar overdubs, kept it super stripped down, kinda like the NOLA record. It’s not very elegant. KIRK: We went back to the roots of what got us started in the beginning and went with a little looser and jam oriented vibe the way we did with the NOLA record. To me it was a lot more enjoyable to do it this way. We wanted a jam room vibe. We wanted people to feel like they were in the room with us with a joint or whatever, just feelin’ it. It’s a little more raw. Most bands these days are really trying to polish everything to the Nth degree. We took the opposite approach and just went old school. Do you like to write and record the heavier songs as opposed to the more layered pieces? KIRK: It depends on what mood we’re in, because there’s a lot of different elements to the DOWN sound. On Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow we brought in some elements that we had barely touched on. We brought in more bluesy, mellow, and acoustic things. We don’t like to be pigeonholed or have a genre tag put on us. We just wanna make killer music. Why did you decide to call this The Purple EP? PEPPER: No reason other than the color of the EP. It really has no name at all. It’s not supposed to have a name. It’s just EP number 1. I guess it’s just so people can identify it. I would assume that down the road people will end up calling it The Black Cross EP or whatever. The image that we come out with will make sense. So the artwork will tie in across all the EPs? PEPPER: Correct. That was kind of the idea, just another artistic edge. Have you recorded songs for the other EPs already, or will you record them as you go along? Continue Reading...

by Steven Rosen   This may look like just another interview with Down's Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein - but it isn't. In an effort to make you, the reader and fan, feel like you are really a huge part of what Ultimate Guitar is all about, we are presenting for the very first time in our history an interview made up of reader's questions. Over 300 questions were submitted over the course of several days and we had a hard time picking out the best ones. Not that all of your questions didn't rock, but if all 300 questions had been chosen, Phil, Pepper and Kirk would have been on the phone for days answering them. Ultimate Guitar was really blown away by the range and excellence of the questions. We thank each and every one of you who took the time to jot down your query and send it to us. We know how crazy life can be and how busy you are. So we truly appreciate that you put on your thinking caps for a few moments and tried to come up with the most rockin' Down questions you could think of. This marks the debut of an interview based solely on reader questions and we hope you're as proud of it as we are. It did take working out some bugs to make this happen though. After several emails to the band's publicist - and a special thank you goes to Tim Hrycyshyn for making this happen - all the details were worked out. We managed to get Phil, Pepper and Kirk on the phone at the same time and that in itself was a bit of a rarity. For their part, the band loved the questions - the honesty and the directness of them - and had an amazing time answering them. At times the guys would talk over themselves a bit and it was a little tough in figuring out who was saying what. But that only added to the craziness and energy of the moment. We hope you dig the interview with Down. This is new for us as well but we want you to know you made it happen. Let us know what you think. And now for the first time ever: Ultimate Guitar readers get down with Down. UG: How did you feel about playing the Pantera songs live on the Metal Masters tour? What is your favorite Pantera song to play? (Maiden95) Anselmo: I feel great to play 'em live. It's fun; it's great. My favorite? I guess my all-time favorite would be "A New Level". You've been involved in bands with hardcore/punk influences. What are some of your favorite hardcore/punk albums? (HandsofStone) Anselmo: 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'. Pepper Kennan: Hardcore or punk? It would be narrowed down to three records probably: "My War" by Black Flag; "Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing" by Discharge; and Cro-Mags "The Age Of Quarrel". And the Ramones "Road To Ruin". Kirk, same question. Anselmo: He don't know punk. Kirk Windstein: I really don't know punk that well. Anselmo: I know some sh-t. Windstein: I'd say "The Age Of Quarrel" and Agnostic Front... Anselmo: "Victim In Pain." Windstein: Yeah, "Victim In Pain". Keenan: It depends which ones made you shift a lot when you were younger. When I heard "Road To Ruin" when I was 13, 14 years old, it changed my life. Anselmo: Tell me f---in' certain Celtic Frost tunes ain't hardcore? Keenan: Well sure. Anselmo: Exactly. What album are you most proud of? (red_hot_chili18) Anselmo: To me the ones I'm proud of it would take too long for me to answer. That's an impossible question. Continue Reading...  

Sirurs/XM Octane is now featuring new music from Down. Tune in to Sirius XM Octane at Ch. 39 to hear Down "Witchtripper"!

KTUX in Shreveport, LA has added "Witchtripper" into their rotation, marking the first time DOWN has appeared in the Active Rock format. Help DOWN take over the charts by calling in to request "Witchtripper" at your local rock radio station!

DOWN recently invaded the New York City Sirius XM studios to hang with Liquid Metal Host Jose Mangin. You can catch the in-studio appearance on Thursday, October 4th at 3:00pm ET/ Noon PT. Tune in to hear DOWN cuts off their new EP DOWN IV - Part I, and the guys talk early influences, fresh band tattoos and how tacos are made of Metal. Liquid Metal - Sirius XM Channel 40 Thursday, October 4th at 3pm ET/Noon PT Encore Broadcasts Friday, October 5th at 9pm ET/6pm PT Saturday, October 6th at Noon ET/9am PT Sunday, October 7th at 6pm ET/3pm PT

via Fuse.tv Fuse is stoked to bring you the exclusive world premiere of sludge metal supergroup Down’s "Witchtripper." The song, the first single off Down’s recent EP, Down IV Part 1 The Purple EP, is everything fans would hope for from a band that includes former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo (as well as members from Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar and Eyehategod): it’s sludgy, aggressive and charmingly dark. The video unfolds in a similar vein; it’s simultaneously dark, violent and campy, with plenty of self-awareness and humor. It is, basically, the tale of two Puritan-like men who fall under the spell of a group of witches. There are pentagrams and chicken feet and curses and chase scenes, all interspersed with ominous close-ups of Anselmo singing/screaming in front of a flame-filled backdrop. It’s nothing if not very metal. And from the sounds of it, the video shoot was an enjoyable experience. "It was unbelievably fun to make!" Anselmo told Fuse. Down’s guitarist, Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity, added, “We have discovered that we are actors born for theater.” Check out the video HERE at Fuse.tv. Metal fans won’t be disappointed.

via Bravewords.com   Five years have passed since the release of the greatly heralded Down III – Over The Under. Admittedly, in 2010 the treasured live CD/DVD offering, Diary Of A Mad Band, helped bridge the gap between proper studio recordings. Now original members Phil Anselmo (PANTERA) on vocals, Pepper Keenan (CORROSION OF CONFORMITY) and Kirk Windstein (CROWBAR) on guitar, and Jimmy Bower (EYEHATEGOD) on drums, are back – with a new bassist, Pat Bruders (Crowbar) has replaced Rex Brown (Pantera) who went on to join KILL DEVIL HILL. But the music business is an altogether different beast today, compared to what it was back in 2007. As such, DOWN has discarded the traditional full-length album format and opted instead for a series of four EPs, the first of which, The Purple EP, is finally upon us. Described by Anselmo as containing “a touch of darkness,” the six-song effort opens with ‘Levitation’, a track that slowly sinks its way into a tantalizingly twisted groove. Up next is the single / video, ‘Witchtripper’; an irresistible, doom-drenched number guaranteed to delight. ‘Open Coffins’ is defiant and bold with Phil proclaiming, “Bless the bravest attempts to tear us down, Good luck and fuck your retort.” ‘The Curse Is A Lie’ channels the morose influence of the almighty BLACK SABBATH in mind-altering fashion. ‘This Work Is Timeless’ is the shortest song on offer at 3:43, thereby wasting no time and jumping straight into riff stew. Conversely, EP closer ‘Misfortune Teller’ is the longest track, clocking in at just over nine minutes in length (minus a 90-second moment of silence). This beast churns the sludge, causing the dead to rise. Brought to life at the band’s own Nodferatu’s Lair, situated deep in the woods of Louisiana, The Purple EP possesses an underground aesthetic, coupled with undeniable passion from all those involved, making it the perfect soundtrack to the autumn of the year of twelve.   by Aaron Small