New Orleans, Louisiana sludge-doomsters Down, featuring Jim Bower on drums, have signed a worldwide deal (ex-US/Canada) with Roadrunner Records. Down is boasting an amalgamation of talent from metal outfits such as Crowbar, Pantera, EyeHateGod, Superjoint Ritual and Corrosion of Conformity, and featuring Phil Anselmo as their charismatic frontman. The new deal means a new start for the band.\"In many ways, \'Over The Under\' [Down\'s new/third album] represents a fresh start for the band; no more external politics, brand new teams taking care of business, nothing to hold the project back - and now of course former Pantera bassist Rex is involved with the set-up too.\"
Down - Jimmy Bower (drums), Philip Anselmo (vocals), Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein (guitars), and Rex Brown (bass) - came together to begin work on album three just before Hurricane Katrina hit their hometown city of New Orleans in August 2005.
Having released two records as a side-project from their ‘day jobs’ in other bands, the band gathered to start work on new material. After the tragedy of the hurricane in which the members were displaced and separated for many months, the band reconvened. It was obvious then that this was no longer a side project. With everyone having honoured previous commitments with their respective bands, the Nolanatives were focused on Down and Down alone, having found new life and a new bond through the common tragedies they endured both separately and collectively, not only with Katrina but with the untimely passing of their friend, Dimebag Darrell. It was all fuel to the fire, culminating in the most definitive record of their career.
In the summer of 2006, Down embarked on a six week European headline tour with no opening band, no product and a strictly ‘word of mouth’ ethos, yet proceeded to sell out all 21 shows. Off the back of this success, the band were invited to play the ‘secret guest’ slot at the UK’s mammoth Download Festival at Donington Park and were one of the talking points of the weekend.
Inspired by the response, the band reconnected in New Orleans to start work on this, their most ambitious record to date. Having already tapped the Grammy Award winning producer Warren Riker, who worked with them on their second release, ‘Down II - A Bustle in Your Hedgerow’, the band demoed 18 songs in Nodferatu\'s Lair, Philip Anselmo\'s studio in the swamps of Folsom, LA, with engineer David \"Puma\' Troia.
In February 2007, the band began tracking on their third and most committed record to date. Recorded in Los Angeles between February and July, with a Canadian tour with Heaven & Hell thrown in for good measure, 15 songs were ultimately cut for the release.
Jimmy Bower plays Pearl drums, Sabian cymbals and Vic Firth Sticks.
