Down

Continuing their penchant for blues-inspired heavy music, metal supergroup Down (featuring members of Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity and Crowbar) release third effort Over The Under, another sordid blast of even-paced, fuzzed-out chops that rides the line between Danzig’s subtle employment of the Mississippi Delta’s 1-4-5 pacing and Black Sabbath’s crunchy riffs tied to moderate occultism. Thick and imposing while still retaining its patience and wit, Over The Under is another slow-burn affair that allows breathing between detuned guitar sweeps and singer Philip Anselmo’s throaty crooning. Yet before slipping into stoner rock territory, the band ensure that each track has enough thrust and groove shifting to be interesting; it’s not another case of maximising a few passable riffs. The end result is an album that retains an epic feel, with each song seeming like a mature, methodical and pointed aggravated assault. Think of it like a middle-aged biker watching you tip over his ride. Were he young and fiery, he’d beat the hell out of you and storm off. In this case though, Anselmo and crew kidnap you and do horrible, horrible things over a long period of time. Yet somehow, you just keep asking for more.