Stoner supergroup DOWN are back with the second half of their ''IV e.p'' and it truly is better than the first. Full to the brim of sludgey riffs and growling vocals it really is hard to hate their new and improved yet classic sound, all members bring their own personal styles which really shine when put together. DOWN announced that they will never do more albums, only to pull out more metal tunes on even more E.P's. ''IV part II'' is an essential part of the sludge bands discography and certainly should be listened to at the first chance you get. The E.P opens up with ''Steeple'' which hits you in the face with super low growls from Phil Anselmo and some dirty riffs, it's one of the heaviest tracks of DOWN's discography but it's impossible to hate this making it so easy to get stuck into your head, Pepper Keenan and Bobby Landgraf are a duo of guitarists who know how to bring a old school edge to the mix.

A mix of DOWN's old style from earlier albums can be found in the guitars and drums but the vocals have really taken a new life of it's own with added anger and depth which makes it super haunting to listen to but you must listen carefully throughout every minute of ''Steeple'' as it constantly changes speed with every minute of 5.45 minute sludge track. DOWN have produced a pure shocker for an E.P owner, showing how far the band can push themselves by experimenting with new styles which dedicated fans have craved for so long. ''We Knew Him Well'' is one of the most known from the E.P as it was released as a preview but it certainly pleases the ears with it's groove metal riffs joined with it's simplistic yet enjoyable drums by Jimmy Bower. The track is the kind which easily gets stuck in your head and will get you head banging within the first verse till the very last second of the song, with ''We Knew Him Well'' you see how quickly DOWN can flick a switch between their new heavier sound and their old stoner groove jams.

Phil Anselmo's rough growls have a ''NOLA'' essence to them which everyone has missed and the band should have got back along time ago which matches well with the lyrical content, ''We Knew Him Well'' is where DOWN should be heading with their future releases. As seen on the opening track Pepper Keenan and Bobby Landgraf are two great guitarists who work superbly together no matter what they work on it always turns out impressive, this goes for third track ''Hogshead/Dogshead'' which captivates their creative talent when all over parts sound considerably weak.

It's sad that after two amazing tracks that DOWN have gone downhill with the third but it's still one of better releases of their entire discography, Anselmo's vocals are slacking compared to the rest but the lyrical content ''Hogshead/Dogshead'' does match well. After listening to the track a few times over you will enjoy it for sure but DOWN could have picked a better song to be featured on the E.P, if you're interested in hearing their new style this is good to listen to. Slow filthy riffs with a old school sludge essence is what ''Conjure'' is made up of, with it being heavily influenced by the likes of BLACK SABBATH and CROWBAR it certainly is pleasant for the fans of DOWN, listen to ''Conjure'' if you're just getting into sludge or doom metal as it has the old school sound but with what newer bands are bringing to the genre too. All members of the band have really got their selves on top form with their experimental vibe, Anselmo has a hard rock edge to his normal aggressive hard core shouting which is certainly a surprise but it seems we can be seeing a lot more of this in the future, Bower's drumming is slow yet hypnotizing along with the guitar and bass which add depth to ''Conjure''.

DOWN ditch the slow and trippy vibe of ''Conjure'' and bounce back with ''Sufferer's Years'' which is near excessive with the heavy stoner groove metal vibes coming from the guitars which are nothing like you've heard before, Anselmo leaves behind his hard rock vocals by adding his old hard core influenced vocals with melodies added, if you think of old PANTERA crossed with the likes of CROWBAR then it is what you've achieved. ''Sufferer's Years'' is easy to listen to but equally as heavy as ''Steeple'', ''IV Part II'' is an E.p which deserves recognition by die hard metal fans due to songs like ''Sufferer's Years'' which shows so much progression by a super group which embodies so many influences, lyrically it's one of the most poetic yet aggressive of the E.P with Anselmo going out in full force with what he loves most, creating aggressive but passionate music. The last song of the E.P is ''Bacchanalia'' which is just under 9 minutes long which is a treat for any metal head, the guitars, bass and drums sound just like a massive jam session which is certainly entertaining whilst Phil Anselmo sings poetic lyrics over the hypnotizing whirring of Keenan and Landgraf on the guitars. ''Bacchanalia'' is one big explosive ending for ''IV Part II'' till the 6.20 mark where we hear BLACK SABBATH influenced vocals with chilling acoustic guitar accompaniment, after the trippiness of the first half of the track it is just what is needed to calm down your head, it would be interesting to hear if DOWN produced any more music like this.

Overall DOWN's newest E.P is nearly flawless in every way possible, with new ideas flowing with the style that the band and fans love, ''IV Part II'' is the perfect sequel to the flawless previous release. Anselmo, Landgraf, Keenan, Bruders and Bowers are a super group that can never fault, every release they produce brings new life to the group and transforms the genre they have conquered.