Down
III-Over The Under
4/5

Who It’s For: Metal-heads, stoners and doom-soaked hipsters
Sounds Like: Black Sabbath, COC and Pantera

Five years is a hell of a long time for a band to go between albums these days, especially one as high profile as Down. Having not only the distinction of being comprised of NOLA all-stars, they’re also Phil Anselmo’s main priority now that Pantera are no more.

What we get this time around is Down’s trademark combo of metal coupled with blues-heavy stoner psychedelia, served up with a swampy New Orleans attitude, for better or for worse.

The better being that since now most of the band are sober, the performances on the album are top notch; every riff belted out, every groove locked in tight. The worse being that a few of the songs on here do actually drag on at times. But despite the slight unevenness of the record, if you’re looking for a great heavy record with a deep groove, that doesn’t follow any of the latest trends in metal, look no further.

Track Listing:

1. 3 Suns and 1 Star
2. Path
3. N.O.D.
4. I Scream
5. On March the Saints
6. Never Try
7. Mourn
8. Beneath the Tides
9. His Majesty the Desert
10. Pillamyd
11. In the Thrall of It All
12. Nothing in Return (Walk Away)

- Spencer Lavigne