Corrosion of Conformity

Down

Q&A: Down, NOLA’s reigning metal super-group, goes four for IV

Down: Down IV Part 1: The Purple EPDown: Down IV: Part 1, The Purple EP (WMG, 9/18/12)

“Witchtripper”

Down: “Witchtripper”

Last year, long-running metal super-group Down released the first of a sprawling four-part EP series. Aptly titled IV, the releases — the rest of which come in 2013 or later — are meant to comprise a massive new album, and the first takes the band’s Black Sabbath influences to a rawer and darker place.

Singer, songwriting contributor, and former Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo — who teams with members of Corrosion of Conformity, Eyehategod, and Crowbar in Down — joined us to talk about soaring vocals, his home studio, and that unapologetic Sabbath influence.

Down

Review: Down’s Down IV Part I: The Purple EP

Down: Down IV Part 1: The Purple EPDown: Down IV Part I: The Purple EP (Warner Music Group, 9/18/12)

“Witchtripper”

Down: “Witchtripper”

For a super-group like Down — formed from members of Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod — what’s more fitting than assembling a Voltron-style album out of four epic EPs?

Clocking in at a weighty 33 minutes (what many consider a full-length these days), Down IV Part I: The Purple EP is less a return than it is a first repayment — starting to make good to its fans for another five-year wait between albums.

Garage a Trois

Concert Photos: Garage a Trois @ Double Door

Groove/jam-rock quartet Garage a Trois is an all-star cast of players, featuring saxophonist Skerik and vibraphonist Mike Dillon (each of Critters Buggin and Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade), drummer Stanton Moore (Galactic, Corrosion of Conformity), and keyboardist Marco Benevento (Benevento/Russo Duo).

The group can rip off wailing solos when warranted, but it brings some seriously hard-hitting riffs that translate to major live energy.  Photographer Jon Shaft captured some shots from the group’s recent stop in Chicago, track suits and all.

Garage a Trois: “Rescue Spreaders”
[audio:https://alarm-magazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Garage_a_Trois_Rescue_Spreaders.mp3|titles=Garage a Trois: “Rescue Spreaders”]

Garage a Trois

Garage a Trois

Garage a Trois

Contest: Win tickets to Riot Fest 2010 at the Congress

ALARM has two pairs of tickets to give away for the Congress Theater dates (Oct. 8 & 9) of Riot Fest 2010, Chicago’s annual punk/hardcore festival.  The entire shindig takes place October 6 – 10, 2010, and this year it expands to the Metro, Double Door, Subterranean, House of Blues, Cobra Lounge, and AAA.

To enter to win, enter your E-mail below for the biweekly ALARM newsletter, the Alarmist.

We’ll contact the winner via E-mail on September 27.

Update: Contest has ended.

On top of another reunion show from Snapcase and dozens of other performances, Riot Fest 2010 features bands such as Bad Religion, Anti-Flag, Propagandhi, Jello Biafra, Smoking Popes, Negative Approach, High on Fire, Torche, Kylesa, Circle Jerks, The Bronx, Corrosion of Conformity, Agnostic Front, and Cap’n Jazz.