Vocalist Philip Anselmo and his DOWN bandmates recently visited the Loudwire studios to talk about their new EP, "Down IV Part I - The Purple EP"; touring; and looking handsome. Check out the footage below.

"Down IV Part I - The Purple EP" sold 12,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 35 on The Billboard 200 chart.

"Down IV Part I - The Purple EP", DOWN's first in a series of four EPs to be released over the next few years (with a year between EPs), each touching on a different aspect of the band's sound, came out on September 18. It will be followed by the second collection of songs early next year, around the time of a planned U.S. tour. EPs three and four are scheduled for later in 2013.

"Down IV Part I - The Purple EP" heralds the sound of DOWN going back to its roots, with influences from BLACK SABBATH, SAINT VITUS and WITCHFINDER GENERAL.

Lyrically, the EP goes beyond just personal experiences, and explores themes that include the faith of mankind, the imperfection of mankind and cultural belief systems.

"DOWN gives me the platform to be poetic and paint imagery with lyrics," said Anselmo. "That's the approach I took. They complement the music and create an ominous feeling. Ultimately, when people consume the words, it's always their interpretation that matters. I could be image-conscious though when I wrote. It's not so gut level or street. The darker shit is some of my favorite."