Photo by Metal Dave Media
With a collective resume that pools forces from Pantera, Corrosion Of Conformity, Crowbar and EyeHateGod, few bands are more deserving of the moniker supergroup than the Southern stalwarts of Down.
The legendary unit comprised of Philip H. Anselmo, guitarists Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein, drummer Jimmy Bower and bassist Pat Bruders have confirmed they have penned a deal with extreme music authority, Nuclear Blast Records. Along with the announcement of the new era, Down has also confirmed that new music is in the works and slated for 2026 arrival.
The band shared of the news, "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!”
Guitarist Pepper Keenan further added how the move made sense given his personal history with the label. “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.”
The announcement follows Down's recent supporting run with Danzig and precedes the band's upcoming headlining performance at Milwaukee Metal Fest next month.
