DOWN: Legendary Heavy Metal Supergroup Signs To Nuclear Blast Records; New Music To See Release Next Year!

Photo by Metal Dave Media

Legendary heavy metal supergroup DOWN – featuring vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders – is pleased to announce their official signing with Nuclear Blast Records! The band is currently in the final stages of recording their long-awaited new full-length, slated for release in 2026.

In a collective statement, Nuclear Blast comments, “Nuclear Blast is proud to be in the trenches with NOLA legends DOWN as their partner in their long overdue return to the metal world. In addition, we are excited to bring some of their key past catalog releases back into the spotlight, especially on the vinyl side. There are so many longtime DOWN fans at Nuclear Blast who are excited to be working with one of their all-time favorite bands. 2026 can’t come soon enough!”

Adds the band:

“It’s good to sign with Nuclear Blast Records. It’s a good label home and we’re ready to make some awesome recordings!” – Philip H. Anselmo

“Having already been a part of the Nuclear Blast family with Corrosion Of Conformity, it is an honor and a privilege to be here as well with my brothers in DOWN. The team at Nuclear Blast is a well-oiled machine and you can definitely tell they love what they do. We are in the right place.” – Pepper Keenan

“Nuclear Blast is a great label that put out some excellent records. It’s an honor to have them work our jams!” – Jimmy Bower

Updates on new DOWN music will be unveiled in the months to come. In the meantime, don’t miss DOWN when they headline night one of this year’s edition of Milwaukee Metal Fest. For more info, visit: therave.com/metalfest. The show follows the band’s recent Western US tour with Danzig.

DOWN Live:
5/16/2025 Milwaukee Metal Fest @ The Rave/Eagles Club – Milwaukee, WI 

You know it’s DOWN as soon as you hear them. There’s no mistaking those gargantuan riffs, swamp blues leads, crashing drums, and hypnotic howls for absolutely anybody else under the sun. The band upholds a certain tradition that countless fans celebrate, expanding their own musical mythos as they leave its pillars intact and untouched.

With a collective resume encompassing Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar, and EyeHateGod, the quintet puffed out its first haze of sonic smoke from the belly of gritty old New Orleans on the 1995 platinum-selling classic, NOLA. At that moment, they naturally summoned something akin to a ritual, continually partaking in it with critically revered offerings — Down II: A Bustle In Your Hedgerow in 2002, Down III: Over The Under in 2007, Down IV – Part One in 2012, and Down IV – Part Two in 2014. Their shows built a certain live lore with unforgettable runs alongside Metallica and Heaven & Hell, as well as coveted spots on iconic festivals like Download, Soundwave, Ozzfest, and so many others, forever delivering passionate, powerful, pure heavy music you can feel deep down in your soul.

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