Down

Formed in New Orleans in 1991, Down brought together Phil Anselmo, Jimmy Bower, Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein — musicians already active in Pantera, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity and Eyehategod — which earned them the reputation of a supergroup with sporadic activity, intermittent hiatuses and comebacks. Down’s sound is rooted in heavy metal with strong sludge, southern metal and stoner metal influences: heavy riffs, a thick groove, often slow to mid tempos, and a marked imprint of 1970s hard rock. The project first took shape in the underground demo-exchange circuit before releasing NOLA in 1995, Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow in 2002 and Down III: Over the Under in 2007. The band later adopted a more compact format with the EPs Down IV – Part I (2012) and Down IV – Part II (2014). Despite several pauses due to members’ other commitments, Down continues to be associated with major metal stages and international festivals. The band’s history also includes several changes of bassist — from Todd Strange to Rex Brown and then Pat Bruders — while Kirk Windstein left and rejoined the band from 2019 onward, underscoring the group’s collective and fluid nature.