Now for another review by my friend Aaron Anarchy who as of tomorrow is going to become a full time contributor and co-author on this blog. Here's his review of Down's "Purple E.P."...
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| 1. Levitation 5:00 2. Witchtripper 3:49 3. Open Coffins 5:44 4. The Curse Is A Lie 6:01 5.This Work Is Timeless 3:43 6. Misfortune Teller 9:05 Total Time: 33:19 |
It
has been five years since the release of Down III: Over the Under, a well-received &
critically acclaimed album, so new material has been anticipated with bated
breath for some time… and the Purple E.P. fails to disappoint.
The Purple E.P. brings them back to familiar, definitely bringing back fond memories of their ground breaking debut NOLA which means you’re in for six
songs packed with, southern-fried doom filled ecstasy. The band members all excel in their
respective roles as Phil Anselmo, the legendary ex-Pantera crooner shines throughout with an
impeccably refined voice which suits the band’s unique brand of doom metal to a
tee.
A particular favourite moment of mine is on "Open Coffins", when he just casually
addresses the band and tells them to “tear this shit up young son” in his rich, signature Louisiana drawl.
Pepper Keenan (Corrosion of Conformity) and Kirk Windstein (Crowbar) combine to
make a guitar duo so intensely doomy, talented and full of stoner groove that
I’m pretty sure it’s somehow blasphemous. Their brilliantly down tuned guitars
and Sabbath resembling riffs make this a pleasure to listen to.
Drummer Jimmy Bower
(EyeHateGod) also shines with his bluesy drum beats empowering the rest of the
band members to do what they do best. Sadly ex-Pantera bassist Rex Brown is
missing from this E.P. so Pat Bruders (also of Crowbar) is drafted in
to replace him, whilst his credentials on bass shine through he isn’t quite up
to Rex’s impeccable standards so the bass in this E.P. is somewhat lacking.
The tracks that are the most noteworthy on this are "Levitations", "Open Coffins" and "This Work is Timeless" respectively. In
"Levitations", the opening chugging is quite frankly heavier than a body slam from
Butterbean (If you don’t know who he is, Google him… then you’ll see what I
mean) and sets the tone for the entire E.P., dragging you kicking and screaming up
Doom Mountain by your entrails.
"Open Coffins" has a heavy catchy beat which is as infectious as the plague and you’ll find yourself knodding your head like a noble tick every
time it’s played. "This Work is Timeless" has essentially the same effect but in
a shorter segment making it a bit more easy listening than some of the more
prolonged parts of the record such as “The Curse Is A Lie” or “Misfortune
Teller” which can get a bit tedious on occasion. The longer songs are both a
blessing and a curse… meaning there’s more Down to listen to but making it
easier for the Purple E.P. to become a tad droll at times.
In conclusion, apart from the slow tedious bits those only
appear occasionally and the absence of more iconic, well known bassist Rex
Brown…. This E.P. is a fantastic success both musically and artistically… marking
another chapter in the incredible legacy of in my opinion one of the best metal
bands of more recent times. I wholeheartedly recommend this as an essential
purchase for Down fans or general fans of doom metal or just regular heavy
metal. Altogether another fine addition to their repetoire. Well worth the long wait and I’m anticipating Down IV Part II like a
lonely housewife anticipating a delivery from Ann Summers….
9.5/10
Check this out if: You enjoy southern styled metal or have an affinity for bluesy grooves in your music.
For fans of: Down, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity
The Purple E.P. is out now on Down Records
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