Various Artists "Dark Passages Vol. II (UK, Rise Above Records, RISE 012 CD)"

Dark Passages Vol. II is a Doom/Stoner Metal compilation, released in 1996 by Rise Above.

Tracklist:

1. Orange Goblin  "Saruman's Wish"   5:42
2. Paul Chain  "Sand Glass"    5:47
3. EyeHateGod  "Shop Lift" 3:16
4. Acrimony   "Earthchild Inferno" 6:22
5. Pentagram   "Sinister" 4:32
6. Iron Man "Leaving Town" 6:33
7. Mourn  "Calm Before The Storm" 6:07
8. Trouble "Victim Of The Insane" 5:10
9. Solstice "Winter Moon Rapture" 7:03
10. Electric Wizard "Return To The Son Of Nothingness" 6:39
11. Down "Bury Me In Smoke" 5:56
12. Cathedral  "Schizoid Puppeteer" 12:16

Down "Down III: Over the Under"

Down III: Over the Under is the third studio album by American heavy metal band Down, released five years after their previous album, Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow. It was released internationally on September 24, 2007 and in the United States on September 25, 2007.

Lyrical themes of Over the Under include the band's anger about Hurricane Katrina, Phil Anselmo's frustration over the murder of Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell, and the bad blood between the two up until the guitarist's death.

"Phil's really good at [lyrics], Several songs address Katrina's aftermath and how life changes on you, man. We've got a lot of ammunition for this one, I'll put it that way — a lot of things have not necessarily gone right for everybody these last couple of years. Everybody's just trying to stay positive. We're not writing Christian songs. These are still angry, frustrated songs." – Pepper Keenan

"We've progressed a lot, but we didn't forget those first Down demos. ...We still get off on those big, giant, heavy riffs. But at the same time, we're not afraid to play acoustic guitars in a circle. It's not a one-direction evolution for us." – Pepper Keenan

The album was leaked in full on or around August 29, 2007. The album was also released on LP, and in a special edition digipak featuring a bonus track and an extended booklet. The album debuted at No. 42 in the Irish Singles Chart on September 27, 2007. The album debuted at No. 26 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 29,000 copies in its first week. On the UK Album Charts, the album debuted at No. 46 on September 30, 2007.

Over the Under was No. 4 in Revolver's list of the 20 best albums of 2007 and No. 2 in Metal Hammer's year-end list. It was ranked No. 37 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.

Reviews for the album were mixed. Matthew Cooper at Last Rites praised the production, musicianship, and backing vocals. He commended "Nothing in Return (Walk Away)" to be a "slow, massive nine-minute closer is a supremely commanding emotional climax built on a dominant back-and-forth drum pattern, astral noodling, and impassioned vocals, in an undeniable display of the band members' combined talents." Don Kaye at Blabbermouth rated it 6.5/10 stars, and opined "the group is just not playing or writing at the top of its game here," as well as "many of the songs on "III" are drawn-out and unmemorable, consisting mainly of one or two riffs repeated over and over while Anselmo's vocals cascade and echo on top. He heaped additional criticism on Anselmo's vocals as well, noticing a weakness he did not see while Anselmo was in his prime. However, he noted there were flashes of the "old Down", referencing guitar work on "In the Thrall of It All", while saving his biggest praise for "Nothing in Return" as "the mournful, massive feel of some of the band's best early numbers and ends the album on a majestic note." Vince Neilstein of MetalSucks rated it 3.5 out of 5 horns, echoing the mixed opinion, writing it "...isn't a spectacular album that is going to change the face of metal and save the day. But what it is is an awesome album to groove and smoke a bowl to while being reminded that metal doesn't always have to be all about tough guy posturing..."

Track listing

1. "Three Suns and One Star" Phil Anselmo, Kirk Windstein 5:41
2. "The Path" Anselmo, Rex Brown 4:09
3. "N.O.D." Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Windstein 4:00
4. "I Scream" Anselmo, Keenan 3:48
5. "On March the Saints" Anselmo, Keenan, Windstein 4:10
6. "Never Try" Anselmo, Brown, Keenan 4:55
7. "Mourn" Anselmo, Keenan 4:44
8. "Beneath the Tides" Anselmo, Keenan 5:32
9. "His Majesty the Desert" Anselmo, Keenan 2:25
10. "Pillamyd" Anselmo, Keenan 5:15
11. "In the Thrall of It All" Anselmo 6:20
12. "Nothing in Return (Walk Away)" Anselmo, Keenan 8:55

Total length: 59:54

Bonus track on 2007 European and Japanese releases

1. "Invest in Fear" Down 5:20

On October 14, 2008, Down re-released Over the Under in a deluxe edition, containing 30 extra minutes of bonus footage and live performances on a DVD, as an exclusive item for Best Buy stores throughout the United States.

Marketed and distributed by Independent Label Group.

Recording information:

Recorded at Nodferatu's Lair, Northshore, LA; Sage & Sound, Hollywood, CA; The Pass, Burbank, CA; Ocean Way, Hollywood, CA, December 2006 / February 2007.

Mixed at Ocean Way, Hollywood, CA.

Mastered at Bernie Grundman Mastering.

Co-produced by Down.

Down "Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow"

Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow is the second studio album by American band Down, released on March 26, 2002. The subtitle "A Bustle in Your Hedgerow" is borrowed from the lyrics of "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin.

Down II was the band's first album in seven years since the release of NOLA, the longest gap between their three studio albums to date. Being a supergroup, the band went on hiatus in 1996 so that members could focus on their main bands (namely Eyehategod, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Pantera). Down reformed in 1999 with Pantera bassist Rex Brown replacing Todd Strange. The band wanted the album to have a "bluesy" feel, so they moved into Phil Anselmo's barn, dubbed "Nodferatu's Lair", in Southern Louisiana where they lived and recorded the album in 28 days without anyone leaving the house.

Down II was not received as well as the band's debut release, NOLA. Blabbermouth reviewer Borivoj Krgin stated, "Down II appears to have been thrown together more haphazardly, with much of the material falling short of the standard set by Down's classic debut offering." However, UK critics were more enthusiastic, with Metal Hammer awarding the album 8/10 and Rock Sound declaring it "a storming experience from the depths" and rating it at 4/5. Despite its poor US reviews, the album debuted at number 44 on the Billboard 200.

Track listing

No. Title Writer(s) Length

1. "Lysergik Funeral Procession" Phil Anselmo, Jimmy Bower, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein 3:10
2. "There's Something on My Side" Anselmo, Keenan, Windstein 5:21
3. "The Man That Follows Hell" Anselmo, Keenan 4:33
4. "Stained Glass Cross" Anselmo, Bower, Keenan 3:36
5. "Ghosts Along the Mississippi" Anselmo, Bower, Rex Brown, Keenan, Windstein 5:06
6. "Learn from This Mistake" Anselmo, Brown, Keenan 7:14
7. "Beautifully Depressed" Anselmo, Bower, Keenan, Windstein 4:52
8. "Where I'm Going" Anselmo, Keenan 3:10
9. "Doobinterlude" (instrumental) Bower 1:50
10. "New Orleans Is a Dying Whore" Anselmo, Bower, Keenan, Windstein 4:15
11. "The Seed" Anselmo, Bower, Keenan 4:21
12. "Lies, I Don't Know What They Say But..." Anselmo, Brown, Keenan 6:21
13. "Flambeaux's Jamming with St. Aug" (instrumental) Bower 0:59
14. "Dog Tired" Anselmo, Bower, Keenan 3:21
15. "Landing on the Mountains of Meggido" Anselmo 7:49

Total length: 65:58

• The song "Ghosts Along the Mississippi" takes its title from a book by photographer Clarence John Laughlin, whose photographs were used extensively in the booklet art for NOLA.
• The title "Landing on the Mountains of Meggido" refers to a hill overlooking a valley where the kibbutz of Megiddo, Israel is located. In apocalyptic literature this place is identified as the site of the final battle between the forces of good and evil at the end of time, known as Armageddon.

The original title was "The Backwood Heavies".

Recording information:

Recorded at Nodferatu's Lair, North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain, LA, September 28 / November 26, 2001.

Mixed in a church called "Ocean Way", Nashville, TN.

Mastering at Sterling Sound.

Down "NOLA"

NOLA is the debut studio album by American sludge metal band Down, released on September 19, 1995 by Elektra Records. The title is the abbreviation for New Orleans (NO), Louisiana (LA).

NOLA was written mainly by Phil Anselmo and Pepper Keenan between 1990 and 1995. Throughout 1991 to 1993, the band released three demos, a three-track demo (1991), a four-track demo (1992), and a ten-track demo (1993). Originally, the band made the three-track demo for underground trading. The demo featured the tracks "Losing All", "Temptation's Wings", and "Bury Me in Smoke". In an effort to build a fan base, the band would ask heavy metal fans if they had ever "heard of this band, Down" and hand them copies of the tape without telling the person that they were in the band. In 1992, the band recorded a second demo, this time featuring the same track listing as the original but with an intro. In 1993, the band made the Demo Collection 1992–1993 which is a ten-track demo featuring all the songs that would make the album cut except "Rehab", "Pray for the Locust", and "Underneath Everything". Anselmo solely wrote only three songs on the album ("Hail the Leaf", "Pray for the Locust", and "Pillars of Eternity"). Eventually, the original demo tape was distributed throughout the United States and Down played a small concert in its home town. A record executive from Elektra Records was attending the show. When he found out who the members of the band were, he signed Down to a recording contract. The band began recording the album in the summer of 1994 at the Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana, and completed the recording sessions by January 1995.

The booklet art is by Jim DeBarros and David Manteau and makes extensive use of vintage photographs by Clarence John Laughlin.

Although a sludge metal album, NOLA contains traces of hardcore punk, southern rock, stoner rock, and grunge. Lyrical themes on the album prominently focus on topics such as death, suicide, drug abuse and personal struggles.

NOLA was released in September 1995 and would peak at number 57 in October 1995 on the Billboard 200, and remain on the chart for six weeks. The album spawned four singles in "Stone the Crow", "Lifer", "Temptation's Wings", which were released in 1995, and "Bury Me in Smoke" in 1996. However, only "Stone the Crow" would achieve commercial success when it reached number 40 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, becoming Down's first and only top 40 song.

The album received positive reviews from critics with Allmusic reviewer David Reamer giving the album a near perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars. He praised the songs "Temptation's Wings", "Stone the Crow", and "Bury Me in Smoke" stating "this is a landmark album that combines the talents of dedicated rock musicians, and should be included in any collection of heavy metal music."

Track listing

1. "Temptation's Wings" Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan 4:24
2. "Lifer" Anselmo, Keenan 4:36
3. "Pillars of Eternity" Anselmo 3:57
4. "Rehab" Anselmo, Keenan, Kirk Windstein 4:03
5. "Hail the Leaf" Anselmo 3:28
6. "Underneath Everything" Anselmo, Keenan 4:46
7. "Eyes of the South" Anselmo, Keenan 5:13
8. "Jail" Anselmo, Keenan, Windstein, Todd Strange 5:17
9. "Losing All" Anselmo, Keenan 4:21
10. "Stone the Crow" Anselmo, Keenan 4:42
11. "Pray for the Locust" (instrumental) Anselmo 1:07
12. "Swan Song" Anselmo, Jimmy Bower, Keenan 3:35
13. "Bury Me in Smoke" Anselmo, Keenan 7:04

Total length: 56:33

Down supported NOLA with a 13-date concert tour. The band went on hiatus in 1996 as all members continued their main projects. They would reunite in 1999 to make a second album, Down II, released in 2002.

Todd Strange was originally credited as bass player on this album. It has since been confirmed that Kirk recorded the bass parts.

Released by EastWest America on MC with different artwork (cat. # 7559-61830-4 (USA) / 96 18304 (Canada)), vinyl / CD (cat. # 61830-1 / 61830-2).

European release: September 15. Manufactured in Germany by EastWest Records GmbH / Elektra on vinyl & CD (cat. # 7559-61830-1 / 7559-61830-2),

Released on CD in Japan by EastWest Japan (cat. # AMCY-889)

Re-released in Eurpe, 2009 as limited edition bootleg vintl (cat. # 0-7559-61830-1).

Recording information:

Recorded and mixed at Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, LA, August 24, 1994 / January 22, 1995. Mastered at Sterling Sound, NYC.