We've heard rumblings of Down's first new music since their 2014 EP Down IV – Part 2 for a few years now, but it seems like it's actually happening! According to guitarist Kirk Windstein, the band spent some time in the studio last week doing a little writing and ultimately knocked out two songs (kinda). He said in a Facebook post: "So…we kinda wrote 2 Down songs today!!!"
For those unaware, Down is Windstein (Crowbar, Eye Am) and fellow guitarist Pepper Keenan (Corrosion Of Conformity), vocalist Phil Anselmo (Pantera), bassist Patrick Bruders (Saint Vitus, ex-Crowbar), and drummer Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod). Down released three very influential albums between 1995 and 2007 – NOLA in 1995, Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow… in 2002, and Down III: Over the Under in 2007 – before dropping two EPs under the collective Down IV moniker in 2012 and 2014.
In a recent interview with Scott Penfold of Loaded Radio earlier in October, Windstein expressed his hopes that the band could release an EP of six new songs in 2024.
"We talked about doing like a cover-song EP. But we threw around like a hundred songs and we can't pick and choose any of them. So, to me, it's easier to just go, 'Hey, guys, let's get in the fucking room and just write some shit.' Come out with six songs and do an EP. So I hope that that's what happens."
"To be honest, I don't know," he added. "And this is not from Phil or Rex or anything. They can do the Pantera thing forever. Like as far as festivals in South America, Europe and whatnot, they can — they can always go do a weekend or two in the summer here and there between Zakk and Charlie's schedules… whatever they're up to with their respective bands. So I hope that they do. I hope they do it forever."
