There are some releases you just listen to and go “wow, it’s been a long time since I heard new music from these guys.”  In a year filled with comebacks, DOWN’s re-entry into the fold certainly is a mind-altering one for me.  Back in 2007, I was a lot stupider, a lot more susceptible to imbibing and to music that sounded a whole lot better while inebriated.

Now I’m not saying everything is Bon Iver and Ray Lamontagne these days, but in listening to this album, I realize even with hazy shades on in years prior…the output by a stoner rock band, which is essentially what DOWN is – was a heck of a lot better.

The Purple EP, for lack of a better term is just downright boring.  I get no inspiration from it and don’t feel like the riffs are up to par to even perk my head up off my desk.  I was turned on to Torche earlier this year and by god, those guys are interesting.

Too often on this disc, Anselmo sounds way too much like a middle aged Ozzy sounds these days.  “Levitation” starts off at seemingly low volume and fails to get off its haunches to even venture off the porch.  “Witchtripper” is as decent of a rave-up as you’re going to get on the entire disc.  “The Curse” is Iommi-led Black Sabbath for sure.

“This Work is Timeless” is debatable.  Does it do the time warp and is it reminiscent of DOWN’s entire back catalog? Yes. Is it a particularly memorable track?  I’ll let you decide. “Misfortune Teller” is easily the best track on this EP, even if the chorus is rather telling (“we’re right back where we started from”) – it ends with one of those “hidden tracks” (something I’ve hated since the days of MP3 and MegaBytes).

The band apparently has three more EPs to Frankenstein together, perhaps, a comprehensive piece of work that stands up to the DOWN legacy. Right now, I’m feeling they’ve missed the mark.

 

Grade: C-