Down

Down III – Over The Under (WB)
by Scott Hefflon

New Orleans groove metal, three records deep. Not dirgy enough to be sludge, but not exactly the most peppy and cheerful sound about. Anyone familiar with Corrosion of Conformity (COC) or any stoner/swamp rock bands from NOLA, you know what yer in for. Phil Anselmo and members of COC and EyeHateGod and others get together, toke up, and record songs Nirvana or Pearl Jam woulda jammed on, had they been swamp-bound and not in rainy Seattle. Acid Bath and Dax Riggs solo stuff still wins as my favorite output of this area, but staggering/weaving bitterness and directionless hatred (why? Whatcha got?) set to stomp groove is always welcome round these parts, and anyone who’s listened to Sabbath’s Masters of Reality as many times as they and I have, shit, we have a riffage/cosmic babble connection others just can’t fathom, dig?
(www.down-nola.com)