Down III - Over The Under : Down : Review : Rolling Stone

Ex-pantera singer Phil Anselmo doesn't believe in A's for effort. "Never try/You either do it or don't waste your time," he growls in "Never Try," in a voice etched with scars from his own blues and trouble (the messy breakup of his old band, a personal war with hard drugs -- he's been clean since 2002 -- and the near-destruction of his New Orleans home to Hurricane Katrina). But Down, originally started as a Pantera side project, are a clear-cut victory in their own right, making Southern metal of depth and color as well as of scrap-iron constitution. Guitarists Pepper Keenan (from Corrosion of Conformity) and Kirk Windstein stutter in furious Thin Lizzy tandem in "N.O.D.," then swim like black-fuzz snakes through swamp water in "Beneath the Tides." The backing harmonies in "I Scream" have the scuffed-brass sheen of classic Van Halen, while Anselmo has hit on a strange but perfect vocal truce of James Hetfield and Deep Purple-era David Coverdale: avenging metal and overheated white soul. Over the Under is not yet the hard-rock album of '07; there is some time to go. But it is a main contender.

DAVID FRICKE

(Posted: Oct 4, 2007)

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Give us your review of Down III - Over The Under

Review 1 of 7

4of 5 Stars

Down III is just great. True hard metal and great grooves. I'm glad Rollingstone got this one right. Down is one of the best metal acts out there today. This really is one of the best releases of '07.

Apr 17, 2008 16:07:24

Review 2 of 7

5of 5 Stars

When I heard Down was back together and for that matter Phil Anselmo was making music I couldn't have been more excited! Being a long time fan of Down and pretty much everything Phil has done thus far that was the best music-related news I had received in 2007.

Let me say I was not let down by DOWN!! With stand out tracks like "Beneath the Tides" and "Never Try" I was sold right away. The closing track "Nothing in Return (Walk Away)" still gives me chills after the bobillionth listen!

I had the honor to catch them live last month in Flint, MI and let me tell you, they were dead on! Phil is back!

Pick up this album!!

Feb 13, 2008 10:38:08

Review 3 of 7

5of 5 Stars

Simply the best album I've purchased this year. The music is real, featuring some giant riffs, heavy beats and that classic heavy rock feel of years gone by. You've got to respect a band that pays homage to the forefathers of metal by naming their second album after a song lyric.

I love this album enough that I bought Down I and Down II.

Dec 10, 2007 18:32:31

Review 4 of 7

5of 5 Stars

I LOVE THIS ALBUM! I have always dug the soulfullness of Down's music. You can tell this album contains their heart and soul completely, and it just completely rocks. I love just popping it in the radio and sitting back and jamming out, it just flows so beautifully.

Sep 25, 2007 20:20:55

Review 5 of 7

5of 5 Stars

WOW! Its about time we get to hear some real rock n roll. Its true rock music all the way throught the scars the bones

Sep 25, 2007 12:57:38

Review 6 of 7

5of 5 Stars

Down III - Over The Under is an island of integrity in an ocean of cheap mass produced commercial garbage. From the first chord it is pure, unbridled emotion. From the frustration and rage of "Never Try" to the unrelenting pride of "On March the Saints", this is the purity that has been missing from music for ages. Every note is felt and recognized. Great job brothers!

I want to make a personal note to David Fricke. I don't get the reference to James Hetfield, although the Deep Purple I can hear in the songs themselves as well as chops from everything such as Zeppelin to C.C.R. As far as I and many others I could name James Hetfield or any member of the pop band "Metallica" have no business being compared to Phillip H. Anselmo's own particular art. This is the real deal brother.

-Ends

Sep 23, 2007 23:54:11

Review 7 of 7

5of 5 Stars

Phil still has it.Everything he does is brilliant(with the exception of Super Joint whitch isn't my style). T his album was worth the waite.I have always loved Down and everything Pantera ever did.Where we will never have Pantera back,it's always great to here Phil's music.I wish Vinny would let go of his hatred toward Phil and that they could collaborate on a new project.Hell Yeah was a big Hell no!

Sep 23, 2007 05:46:51

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