### Down: III - Over the under

#### 20/09/07 || Euthanatos

Since I’ve been reviewing a shitload of records that have singers emulating Phil Anselmo’s vocals, I thought it was time to give the man himself the time of day. Love him or hate him, Anselmo is one of the last truly inspiring metal vocalists, influencing many and antagonizing even more.

Personally, I think most of what comes out of his mouth when he is talking is pure garbage. But, when ol’ man Phil gets his pipes going, I think very few are so immediately recognizable and unique as him. Down, his most prominent side-project that became full-time band, is probably the best place to see his versatility and overall talent.

Heavily based on Southern rock and heavy metal and rock pioneers like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Rex Brown and Jimmy Bower are the the power behind the throne in Down. They deliver passionate and heavy rock music, which allows Anselmo to soulfully lash out against his demons.

Creatively speaking, I admire where the band’s third album has them going. “II: A bustle in your hedgerow” was disappointing to most fans of Down. To me, it was the crowning achievement of Anselmo’s career outside Pantera. Memorable vocals, amazingly inspired music that brought together everything from noisy hardcore to whiskey-soaked blues.

“III: over the under” sees the band going back to its debut, with its roots being deeper in dirty southern rock music, as mellow and dark as the Mississippi waters of their native Nola. Anselmo, on the other hand, seems like he’s in the best shape of his life. Singing with true passion, he seems to be bellowing out all the pain that haunts him, from the horrors of Katrina to the untimely death of his arch-enemy and beloved brother-in-arms Dimebag Darrel Abbot. The lyrics, as usual, are well above average.

“The Path”, “On March the Saints”, the enigmatic “His Majesty the Desert” and the bluesy “Never Try” all sound a lot closer to “II”, but the rest, mainly “3 Suns 1 Star”, “N.O.D.” and “I Scream” are good old-fashioned rockers much more in the vein of “Nola”.

Probably aiming to just have fun and kick away their ghosts, Anselmo and his troupe end up making what will probably be an album that will please both fans of “Nola” and “II”. While I enjoyed “II” more, strictly in terms of reviewing the quality of album, “III” is a lot more compact and delivers straight-to-the-throat rockers like “Nola”, and is highly enjoyable precisely for that reason.

The cover: I like the color schematic of Down’s covers, all black, white and gray, but this particular one is especially pleasing to the eye, with an interesting, albeit curious, illustration.

7 bucket loads of marijuana out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2007
- Label: Warner
- Website: www.down-nola.com
- Band
- Phil Anselmo: vocals
- Pepper Keenan: guitars
- Rex Brown: bass
- Kirk Windstein: guitars
- Jimmy Bower: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. 3 Suns And 1 Star
- 02. The Path
- 03. N.O.D
- 04. I Scream
- 05. On March the Saints
- 06. Never Try
- 07. Mourn
- 08. Beneath the Tides
- 09. His Majesty the Desert
- 10. Pillamyd
- 11. In the Thrall of it All
- 12. Nothing in Return (Walk Away)