Though the paths of their careers have led them to the ends of the Earth playing in their respective bands, when it comes time for Down to reconvene, every road leads back to NOLA. And while the Crescent City is where each of the band members to a man will tell you they’re from, and it’s where their fabled first writing session occurred in the early ‘90s, that’s not just a reference to the place they call home. The attitude and ethos of Down as a band hasn’t changed since their legendary first record NOLA was released in 1995, which was spawned from a simple jam that led to their legendary demo that was copied countless times over before anyone even knew who was even in the group. From that very first time, Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod), Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity), Kirk Windstein (Crowbar), and Phil Anselmo (Pantera) got in a room together to play, any subsequent gathering of these musicians ignites a creative spark led by a very simple guiding principle: following where the riffs and grooves take you.
Pat Bruders (Crowbar, Goatwhore) joined the four aforementioned musicians for the first time in 2011 to replace Rex Brown on bass, and took part in recording what would become the pair of Down IV EPs released in 2012 and 2014. Following a decade without one of these storied writing summits, driven largely by obligations with their primary bands, the fivesome finally gathered last year to begin what would become Volume V, the fourth full-length album in the band’s discography and the first new music released by the band in twelve years when it comes out on November 20th through Nuclear Blast Records. Borne from a familiar rehearsal room, the record is another monumental achievement that only adds to the mystique of one of the most reliable, celebrated, and indispensable metal bands around, furthering their sludgy, southern lore.
Ahead of the release of Volume V, I had a chance to sit down with Pat Bruders to discuss the new record, plus a wide variety of topics, including:
- what it took to coordinate the schedules of everyone in the band to write the new record, how those two sessions went, the continued influence of bands like Black Sabbath on their music, and how each track on the album has its own distinct personality.
- how King Diamond on guest vocals went from a pipe dream to a reality, how Pat developed the bassline for “Merciful Fate,” Phil’s role in arranging songs, the somber tribute to Ozzy Osbourne simply titled "Ozz", and the progressive nature of the record.
- how everyone in Down will be pulling double-duty at the Great NOLA Trendkill, Pat’s plans with Crowbar including an upcoming slot opening for Slayer, and trying to pinpoint the origins of John Crowbar.
- reflections about moving to New Orleans, becoming aware of who Down was, and eventually joining the band in 2011, expressions of gratitude for being able to play in the group, and our future plans for a couple of beers.
You can view the entire interview HERE:
No matter where the road out of New Orleans leads them, each and every one of the five musicians that comprise Down know where home is. Before any of them were anybody, they were friends jamming in a garage there, looking for the ultimate riff or the definitive groove that told everyone what they were all about and where they were from. That same sentiment remains the gold standard, whether we’re talking geography or debut records, with Volume V being overwhelming evidence of both. Maybe it’s best to let the boys do it their own words, if I can paraphrase from A Bustle in Your Hedgerow as a closing argument: The power of the riff compels us!
Down's Volume V will be released worldwide on Friday, November 20th through Nuclear Blast Records. You can check out a number of pre-order options at the website linked below.
The Great NOLA Trendkill, featuring Black Label Society, Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod, Down, and many other bands will take place to on November 20th and 21st at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans to coincide with the release of Volume V. One- and two-day tickets are available here:
