From the first rolling drumbeat you know we’re in Black Sabbath country. Fronted by Pantera’s Phil Anselmo and featuring assorted members of Corrosion of Conformity, Eye Hate God and Crowbar, Down were always going to be a monstrous proposition. This is deep and heavy, all the more powerful for its gut-wrenching bass and doom-laden riffs. ‘NOD’ is a queasy journey through the hell of addiction, ‘His Majesty the Desert’, a shimmering oasis of ‘Planet Caravan’-esque psychedelia, and ‘Pillamyd’ hits like an anvil to the face. Down aren’t the world’s most prolific band – this is their third album in 12 years – but each album strikes with devastating precision. (Henry Northmore)