Down are a New Orleans heavy metal supergroup whose music turned Southern sludge into a landmark sound of the 1990s and beyond. Formed in 1991 by musicians connected to Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Eyehategod, and other heavy acts, the band brought together Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and later Pat Bruders and other members across different eras. NOLA remains the essential statement, blending Sabbathian riffs, bluesy Southern atmosphere, swampy tempos, and Anselmo's raw vocal presence into songs that felt both massive and lived-in. Down II, Down III, and the EP series continued the band's mix of groove, heaviness, and regional identity. Down fit metal scope directly through sludge metal, Southern metal, and heavy metal, with a legacy that shaped countless riff-focused bands. Their best work does not sound like a side project despite the famous resumes involved. It sounds like musicians translating a shared landscape into weight: humidity, sorrow, addiction, camaraderie, and defiance all pushed through amplifiers. Down's riffs feel carved from New Orleans heaviness, slow enough to sink and strong enough to endure.