Hey hey yall,
I realize this album is a couple of months old now, but give me a break! I just received a copy of it finally last night for my birthday, finally received a copy of the long awaited Down II. Here is my review of what I think is a new classic!
*Highly charged
1-Lysergik funeral procession*
Wow, what a build on this motherfucker, another great sabbath sounding riff from Pepper! Weird samples at the beginning sound great, tempo in the middle of the song builds! Tuff sounding riff!
2-Theres something on my side
My god! This one just begins rocking, and goes back and fourth between a pretty fast tempo and mid tempo with this huge swell that goes to a really cool kinda mellow section in the middle of the song(almost bluesy at one point), but ofcourse, Down manages to build this section back to the original heavy theme
3-The man that follows hell*
Pepper is starting to scare me, he sounds so Toni Iomie on this album, but no worries these are kinda old school COC sounding riffs as well. Phils lyrics and vocals are cool as fuck on this one. My god, the end riff changes and mutates to a wonderfully brutal groove at the 2:45 to 3 minute mark on this one! Killer sounds between Rex's bass line and Peppers and Kirks guitars on this one.
4-Staind Glass Cross
What the? This song almost sounds like a bluesy Alman Brothers meets Lynnard Skynard affair! With a Down touch ofcourse, certainly a different of tune for them. There is even this great little Hammond Organ going on throughout this song.
5-Ghosts along the mississippi*
Good powerful beginning, and builds with a nice lyrically intro. Great melody flowing from Phil and boys on this one! Almost Pantera esc sounding on this one, Phil vocal kinda remind me of his performance on Cemetary gates on this one! The great thing about this song, is the feeling almost takes aggressive control and suddenly mellows again! Lots of moody swells on this tune, so far the most diverse sounding on the record.
6-Learn from this mistake
A super mellow affair on this one. Phil sounds very different on this one, not that you won't recognize him, but you'll see what I mean when you hear this one. Kinda sounds like a typical building ballad type, but certainly with that Down touch. Pepper really shows some great leads into these sections on this one.
7-Beautifully depressed*
Kinda sounds like a COC riff off the "Blind" album. Great changes between the lyrics and the chorus sections. Not a super heavy song, but again with that heavy ass Down groove that kicks along. Another great sounding tune on this effort.
8-Where I'm going
My god! Phil vocals are great on this intro to this one, and throughout as well. Wow, this tune is all Phil vocals and Pepper on a slide guitar. Certainly different, but a very heart felt performance from this one.
9-Doobi interlude
This is kinda cool, it sounds like Down recording a little jam that they did and it starts off sounding like it's coming through a old distorted radio and the sound everntually clears up more to reveal the true sound of the jam. Kinda a bluesy jam going on here, but it certainly sounds like a interlude. As for the Doobi, yeah, you could smoke one to this. This blends pretty nicely into the crude and mean riff of "New Orleans is a dying whore".
10-New Orleans is a dying whore*
Oh my god, this is the riff that I've been waiting for. Truely blistering and angry,Heavy as hell! and this song also includes the phil that we've all come to love, angry and insulting! Great drumming on this one as well.
11-The seed*
Another great heavy riff, with a wonderful intro. Trade mark sounding Down riff, with good ole Phil blistering again in definite old school Pantera sounding vocal style. The middle section on this one slows to a pounding, crushing, and powerful section which promptly rebounds back to the original theme. Great song, really loving this one! More thunderous drum sticks on this heavy affair.
12-Lies, I don't know what they say but.......
Another bluesy type ballad type song, but more of a blues jam type of feel. The riff almost sounds kinda like a Doors riff? Maybe, but alittle Lynnard Skynard sound as well. Great bluesy walking bass line from Rex on this tune. Eventually this builds to a pretty powerful jam with some good vocal section by Phil.
13-Flambeaux's jamming with St. Aug
What the? I didn't even notice the title until it got to this song. Maybe they know AugDawg is a Down fan? Really, this is just the guys jamming on the drumms and percussion and goofing around which blends into the Dog Tired song.
14-Dog tired*
Oh my, here we go again with another fairly brutal heavy riff. Great Phil vocals on this one throughout. Reminds me of a tune of the first Down album, maybe abit like "Temptations Wings" from the first Down album. Powerful performance by everybody on this one!
15-Landing on the moutains of meggido
Wow, another ballad type song, but this one builds with a great acoustical guitar and has more of a Black Sabbath type of trippy sound going to it. Great effects on Phil vocals in this one, really need to play this track with headphones. More of a epic sounding production to this one as well. Kinda of a surprise to end the album with this one.
Surprises on the album* Phil Anselmo really expands quite abit on his vocal efforts on this album. Great lyrics throughout, pretty creative stuff.
No Surprise* Pepper K continues to add to his guitar legend in my book. Without question he is the secret weapon of Down. His guitar tone throughout the album is simply deadly. Kirk is no slouch either, it's hard to tell whos who on the guitars but this album is such a guitar album it really doesn't matter. Great guitars on this album for sure, they certainly stick out larger than life.
Backbone* Rex is a fine addition to Down, he tends not to step on anybodies feet with his performance but also doesn't shy away from certain moments. Fine effort on the bass guitar and one that we would certainly expect from such a veteran of the bass. Great performance on the drums throughout by drummer Jimmy. He certainly gets explosive at the perfect time on many tracks.
Overall: To be %100 honest with you, I'm surprised that this album has received some negative reviews? In my book, Down II stands right beside the freshman effort and even goes some new places. All Down fans should love this album and I would highly recommend it to any true metal fan.
AugDawg review: 8 out of 10
Cheerz,
AugDawg
I realize this album is a couple of months old now, but give me a break! I just received a copy of it finally last night for my birthday, finally received a copy of the long awaited Down II. Here is my review of what I think is a new classic!
*Highly charged
1-Lysergik funeral procession*
Wow, what a build on this motherfucker, another great sabbath sounding riff from Pepper! Weird samples at the beginning sound great, tempo in the middle of the song builds! Tuff sounding riff!
2-Theres something on my side
My god! This one just begins rocking, and goes back and fourth between a pretty fast tempo and mid tempo with this huge swell that goes to a really cool kinda mellow section in the middle of the song(almost bluesy at one point), but ofcourse, Down manages to build this section back to the original heavy theme
3-The man that follows hell*
Pepper is starting to scare me, he sounds so Toni Iomie on this album, but no worries these are kinda old school COC sounding riffs as well. Phils lyrics and vocals are cool as fuck on this one. My god, the end riff changes and mutates to a wonderfully brutal groove at the 2:45 to 3 minute mark on this one! Killer sounds between Rex's bass line and Peppers and Kirks guitars on this one.
4-Staind Glass Cross
What the? This song almost sounds like a bluesy Alman Brothers meets Lynnard Skynard affair! With a Down touch ofcourse, certainly a different of tune for them. There is even this great little Hammond Organ going on throughout this song.
5-Ghosts along the mississippi*
Good powerful beginning, and builds with a nice lyrically intro. Great melody flowing from Phil and boys on this one! Almost Pantera esc sounding on this one, Phil vocal kinda remind me of his performance on Cemetary gates on this one! The great thing about this song, is the feeling almost takes aggressive control and suddenly mellows again! Lots of moody swells on this tune, so far the most diverse sounding on the record.
6-Learn from this mistake
A super mellow affair on this one. Phil sounds very different on this one, not that you won't recognize him, but you'll see what I mean when you hear this one. Kinda sounds like a typical building ballad type, but certainly with that Down touch. Pepper really shows some great leads into these sections on this one.
7-Beautifully depressed*
Kinda sounds like a COC riff off the "Blind" album. Great changes between the lyrics and the chorus sections. Not a super heavy song, but again with that heavy ass Down groove that kicks along. Another great sounding tune on this effort.
8-Where I'm going
My god! Phil vocals are great on this intro to this one, and throughout as well. Wow, this tune is all Phil vocals and Pepper on a slide guitar. Certainly different, but a very heart felt performance from this one.
9-Doobi interlude
This is kinda cool, it sounds like Down recording a little jam that they did and it starts off sounding like it's coming through a old distorted radio and the sound everntually clears up more to reveal the true sound of the jam. Kinda a bluesy jam going on here, but it certainly sounds like a interlude. As for the Doobi, yeah, you could smoke one to this. This blends pretty nicely into the crude and mean riff of "New Orleans is a dying whore".
10-New Orleans is a dying whore*
Oh my god, this is the riff that I've been waiting for. Truely blistering and angry,Heavy as hell! and this song also includes the phil that we've all come to love, angry and insulting! Great drumming on this one as well.
11-The seed*
Another great heavy riff, with a wonderful intro. Trade mark sounding Down riff, with good ole Phil blistering again in definite old school Pantera sounding vocal style. The middle section on this one slows to a pounding, crushing, and powerful section which promptly rebounds back to the original theme. Great song, really loving this one! More thunderous drum sticks on this heavy affair.
12-Lies, I don't know what they say but.......
Another bluesy type ballad type song, but more of a blues jam type of feel. The riff almost sounds kinda like a Doors riff? Maybe, but alittle Lynnard Skynard sound as well. Great bluesy walking bass line from Rex on this tune. Eventually this builds to a pretty powerful jam with some good vocal section by Phil.
13-Flambeaux's jamming with St. Aug
What the? I didn't even notice the title until it got to this song. Maybe they know AugDawg is a Down fan? Really, this is just the guys jamming on the drumms and percussion and goofing around which blends into the Dog Tired song.
14-Dog tired*
Oh my, here we go again with another fairly brutal heavy riff. Great Phil vocals on this one throughout. Reminds me of a tune of the first Down album, maybe abit like "Temptations Wings" from the first Down album. Powerful performance by everybody on this one!
15-Landing on the moutains of meggido
Wow, another ballad type song, but this one builds with a great acoustical guitar and has more of a Black Sabbath type of trippy sound going to it. Great effects on Phil vocals in this one, really need to play this track with headphones. More of a epic sounding production to this one as well. Kinda of a surprise to end the album with this one.
Surprises on the album* Phil Anselmo really expands quite abit on his vocal efforts on this album. Great lyrics throughout, pretty creative stuff.
No Surprise* Pepper K continues to add to his guitar legend in my book. Without question he is the secret weapon of Down. His guitar tone throughout the album is simply deadly. Kirk is no slouch either, it's hard to tell whos who on the guitars but this album is such a guitar album it really doesn't matter. Great guitars on this album for sure, they certainly stick out larger than life.
Backbone* Rex is a fine addition to Down, he tends not to step on anybodies feet with his performance but also doesn't shy away from certain moments. Fine effort on the bass guitar and one that we would certainly expect from such a veteran of the bass. Great performance on the drums throughout by drummer Jimmy. He certainly gets explosive at the perfect time on many tracks.
Overall: To be %100 honest with you, I'm surprised that this album has received some negative reviews? In my book, Down II stands right beside the freshman effort and even goes some new places. All Down fans should love this album and I would highly recommend it to any true metal fan.
AugDawg review: 8 out of 10
Cheerz,
AugDawg
