THE RETURN OF DOWN AS THEY PREPARE TO UNLEASH 'VOLUME V'
The heavy metal underground has spent more than a decade waiting in the shadows, nursing the embers of anticipation. Now, the silence is about to be shattered in the most apocalyptic fashion possible. American heavy metal heavyweights DOWN—a collective whose very name is synonymous with unapologetic, swamp-soaked sonic power—have officially announced the release of their long-awaited new studio album, Volume V, dropping on November 20th via the powerhouse imprint Nuclear Blast Records.
For the uninitiated, DOWN has never been merely a band; they are an institution, a sacred brotherhood forged in the fires of decades-long childhood friendships that predated platinum records and global fame. Born from the humid, atmospheric crucible of New Orleans, Louisiana, the group’s music serves as a living, breathing homage to their hometown—a sprawling sonic gumbo blending the crushing misery of Black Sabbath, the defiant swagger of Southern rock, and the aggressive grit of hardcore sludge/stoner metal.
To generations of dedicated fans, DOWN’s discography is more than just a collection of songs; it is a rallying cry for the lifers. It resonates deeply with anyone who has ever aggressively nodded their head until their neck ached, shredded invisible strings on an air guitar in their bedroom, or worn a faded, sweat-stained tour t-shirt like a badge of honor and a suit of armor against a mundane world.
For over thirty years, this legendary quintet—uniting the formidable talents of vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders—has quietly and relentlessly constructed one of the most untouchable, authentic legacies in heavy music history. They operate on a rare, elemental frequency. Whenever these master musicians congregate in a room together, the mundane falls away and pure alchemy ensues. It is a supernatural reaction conjured by earthquaking, hypnotic grooves that rattle the ribcage, soul-shredding vocals bellowing straight from the abyss, and twin-guitar riffs so thunderously loud and heavy they feel capable of waking an ancient deity from a thousand-year slumber.
On November 20th, the wait is over. The kings of the southern underground are back to reclaim their throne.
This autumn, DOWN begins another chapter with Volume V.
“We were all excited about this,” smiles Anselmo. “There was a sense of lightness in the air. Everyone’s attitude was positive. There was more focus than ever. It just felt fresh again. Each one of us was individually striving for something, and I believe we achieved what we wanted to achieve. The record is a journey. It’s classic DOWN, but it’s also unique.”
“Everybody played their asses off, wrote great riffs, and Philip is singing amazing,” adds Windstein. “There’s so much electricity when we get together. To me, it’s the same vibe as our debut NOLA, but we’ve got another 35 years of experience as songwriters.”
“The five of us are from the same era, grew up together, and accomplished a lot on our own,” Keenan observes. “We all sounded different, but we’re still from the same 20-block radius. As far as what makes DOWN special, we knew one another before any of us had done anything. There’s history.”
Two writing sessions yielded the bulk of material on Volume V.
Upholding a tradition dating back to Down II, the members retreated to Anselmo’s home studio and their de facto clubhouse, Nodferatu’s Lair. Songs originated on the spot as they jammed face-to-face.
Throughout 2025, the music naturally took shape. Keenan and Windstein chose to simultaneously record guitar together, giving the album a timeless punch.
The album opens with a blistering barnburner 'The Myth.' It sets the tone with a powerhouse vocal, pummeling rhythms, and precise down-picking.
Then, there’s 'Merciful Fate' featuring King Diamond. It reaches an apex with a vocal duel between Anselmo and King Diamond and fret-burning solos executed at a breakneck pace of 120bpm.
King’s wife Livia Zita even blesses the track with dark accents of her own. Closer 'Twice-Told Tales' caps the trip off with a heavy and hypnotic denouement.
“It’s a conglomerate of tight riffs and blues rock mixed with the diligence of classic metal,” Anselmo reveals. “It’s an important song to us. I could feel Ozzy Osbourne’s influence on me in the strangest way.”
Lead single, 'Blood Oath,' is anchored by an alternately hard-hitting and hummable riff, culminating on a clarion call chorus. With a sly tip of the hat to their stomping grounds, it practically bleeds old gold, black, and white.
“Anybody who’s from New Orleans is going to get a kick out of the references to the city,” grins Anselmo. “Musically, it’s got a big hook. It’s a DOWN song, but it takes a turn.”
“You’ll know it’s DOWN right off the fucking bat,” adds Keenan. “It’s heavy in its attack.”
PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE VOLUME V: https://down.bfan.link/volume-v
WATCH DOWN’s 'BLOOD OATH' VIDEO:
DOWN - VOLUME V || TRACKLIST
01. The Myth
02. Merciful Fate
03. Turn Out The Light
04. The Message
05. Causeway Grief
06. Blood Oath
07. They Walk The Night
08. They Came From Dust
09. Ozz
10. Twice-Told Tales
DOWN’s Volume V was produced by Eddie Mapp and DOWN, mixed by Dave Fortman, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum at Maor Appelbaum Mastering in California.
The record will be released on CD and digital formats as well as 2xLP in the following colour variants:
Orange [World]
Yellow + Red Galaxy [Nuclear Blast US Exclusive]
Orange + Red Galaxy [Nuclear Blast EU Exclusive]
Black [Band Exclusive #1]
Clear, Black + Red Smoke [Band Exclusive #2]
Orange + Black Galaxy [Decibel Exclusive]
Smoke [Revolver Exclusive]
DOWN is amid their North American headlining tour with support provided by Helmet and Spirit In The Room.
The Strap It Down tour commenced in Atlanta, Georgia on August 15th and will close in Shakopee, Minnesota on September 4th with a special performance as direct support to Slayer.
The journey also includes slots on the 2026 installment of Zakk Wylde’s Berzerkus Festival featuring Lamb Of God, Black Label Society, and others on August 28th in Scranton, Pennsylvania and August 29th in Wantagh, New York.
Limited DOWN VIP ticketless packages are available now, featuring a soundcheck experience, meet & greet, photo opportunity, signed poster, and exclusive merch item.
Visit down-nola.com/tour to secure yours.
In October, DOWN will perform at both Aftershock and Sick New World Texas.
In December the band will headline day two (December 5th) of this year’s edition of the Decibel Magazine Metal & Beer Fest Denver. The appearance marks the band’s first Denver appearance in over twelve years!
Tickets for all shows are on sale now.
See confirmed dates below.
DOWN w/ Helmet, Spirit In The Room [remaining dates]:
19/08/2026 House Of Blues – Cleveland, OH
20/08/2026 Stage AE – Pittsburgh, PA
22/08/2026 Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
23/08/2026 HISTORY – Toronto, ON
25/08/2026 MTELUS – Montreal, QC
26/08/2026 The Palladium – Worcester, MA
28/08/2026 The Pavilion @ Montage Mountain – Scranton, PA Berzerkus Fest w/ Lamb Of God, Black Label Society, more…
29/08/2026 Northwell @ Jones Beach Theater – Wantagh, NY Berzerkus Fest w/ Lamb Of God, Black Label Society, more…
30/08/2026 The Fillmore Silver Spring – Silver Spring, MD
01/09/2026 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
02/09/2026 Ramova Theatre – Chicago, IL
04/09/2026 Mystic Lake Amphitheater – Shakopee, MN ** w/ Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, Hatebreed
** No Helmet, Spirit In The Room US Festival Dates:
03/10/2026 Aftershock – Sacramento, CA
24/10/2026 Sick New World Texas – Fort Worth, TX
05/12/2026 Decibel Metal And Beer Fest – Denver, C
