PHILIP ANSELMO: New DOWN EP Is 'Going Really Back To Our Roots'

January 21, 2014

DOWN frontman Philip Anselmo recently spoke to Lauren Wise of the Phoenix New Times about DOWN's recently completed new EP, which is tentatively due this spring. Asked how this effort will compare to the last DOWN record, Anselmo said: "Well, DOWN is DOWN, and the music we make isn't rocket science. You put us in the same room together, man; with Pepper [Keenan, guitar] and Jimmy [Bower, drums], especially, you're going to get DOWN. But what I have caught on this record — it's kind of ridiculous to say — but the vibe I catch is a heavy heavy dose of BLACK SABBATH, almost like 'Technical Ecstasy' [SABBATH's seventh album]. Or something like that. A little more obscure BLACK SABBATH. And also WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

"It's a little ridiculous, because we did start the band because of our BLACK SABBATH worship, and same with WITCHFINDER GENERAL. It influenced the hell out of us.

"But that's what I take away from this record. It's going really back to our roots."

Anselmo also spoke about DOWN's latest addition, guitarist Bobby Landgraf, who replaced Kirk Windstein last fall.

"Bobby's great," Anselmo said. "He came right in and contributed right away. He knows the drill; he's been with us... whether it was guitar teching or stage managing for like 18 years, he knows. He's very well-versed and his style of music coincides with us to a certain degree, playing the blues. And he's an incredible guitar player."

He continued: "And when you talk about infusing new stuff, heck man, even Pat [Bruders, the bass player] wrote a lot of killer stuff on this new record. I can't say enough about how we pushed it — especially me for sure, vocally — but we pushed it toward that WITCHFINDER GENERAL feel. A lot of people would pick WITCHFINDER's first record, 'Requiem'... Oh no, Jesus Christ I'm still talking about the second album. God, I'm stupid. Fucking... the 'Friends From Hell' [1983] record for me really grabbed, because when I was a kid it felt like a BLACK SABBATH record that SABBATH never did, in my young mind. It felt like it was BLACK SABBATH's little brother. It has a special spot in my heart.

"I really took those influences and applied them, which is something I've done in the past but not so drastically."

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