The long-anticipated return of Down to the studio is officially underway, bringing exciting news for fans awaiting new music from the New Orleans sludge metal supergroup. On Wednesday, July 9, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein commenced recording guitar tracks for the band’s upcoming album at OCD Recording in Metairie, Louisiana. A brief video clip offering a glimpse into their creative process, along with several accompanying photographs from the studio, has been shared, providing a tantalizing preview of what’s to come. You can see it down below.
This recording session follows the significant announcement in April that Down – featuring vocalist Philip H. Anselmo, drummer Jimmy Bower, and bassist Pat Bruders alongside Keenan and Windstein – had officially signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The band’s forthcoming full-length LP is slated for release in 2026, marking their first album in over a decade.
Upon confirming the partnership, Nuclear Blast issued a statement expressing their enthusiasm: “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!”
The band members themselves conveyed their excitement about the new collaboration. Philip H. Anselmo stated, “It’s good to sign with Nuclear Blast Records. It’s a good label home and we’re ready to make some awesome recordings!”
Pepper Keenan, who also has ties to Nuclear Blast through Corrosion of Conformity, added: “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.” Jimmy Bower echoed these sentiments, remarking: “Nuclear Blast is a great label that put out some excellent records. It’s an honor to have them work our jams!”
Regarding the musical direction of the new material, Kirk Windstein, also frontman of Crowbar, recently offered insights to Concrete Spew. He emphasized a return to the band’s foundational sound: “It just sounds like Down. I mean, it sounds refreshing because we haven’t done it in so long, gotten together with me and the guys and done it in — f**k — 12 years or something. So it sounds like Down, I think, to me, it sounds more old-school Down. And the reason I say that is I think we got to a point where… Like, the NOLA record is so simple, and it just wrote itself; it was so simple. And that’s how this is coming about, which is great.”
Prior to these studio sessions, Down headlined the opening night of this year’s Milwaukee Metal Fest, following a recent Western U.S. tour alongside Danzig.
Down upcoming live show:
- September 18, 2025 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center
Ogorthul: Immersed in the bone-shattering world of death metal and beyond. I’m here to excavate the latest news, reviews, and interviews from the extreme metal scene for you.
