Missing The Offspring on the Main Stage or Mayhem in the Temple is a heartbreaking choice, but Down has not played a standalone French show since 2012, and opportunities to see Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Jimmy Bower, Kirk Windstein and Pat Bruders together remain rare enough to make the decision surprisingly easy. Pilgrimage takes precedence over curiosity, even if the bitter aftertaste of Anselmo's infamous 2016 outburst has never entirely disappeared.
What quickly becomes apparent is that Down no longer feels like a side project. Originally conceived as an opportunity for famous musicians to let loose outside their day jobs, it has gradually become a classic band in its own right. With NOLA performed almost in its entirety and nothing in the set newer than the early 2000s, the emphasis is firmly on legacy. And what a legacy it is. Doom, Southern rock, sludge and stoner metal intermingle in songs that swing as much as they crush.
Perhaps more importantly, Down plays like a family. Not the polished kind, but the sort that argues, drinks too much and always ends up around the same table anyway. Despite having already performed earlier in the day with their respective bands, Anselmo, Bower and Keenan attack the set with undiminished energy, proof that whatever fuels these men should probably be banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The chemistry between them remains palpable, and after numerous appearances at Hellfest over the years, the performance carries the unmistakable feeling of a homecoming.
Which is fitting, because Down has always been about fellowship. The camaraderie of Southern rock. The collective groove of doom metal. Friends making music for friends. On the final evening of Hellfest, with the sun setting over Clisson and thousands of people singing along to songs that have become standards in their own right, it feels like the last gathering on the porch before everyone finally heads home.
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TesseracT @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Point Mort @ Warzone (Photo)
Queensrÿche @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Stoned Jesus @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Bloodywood @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Accept @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Sepultura @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Helloween @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Opeth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Iron Maiden @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY FOUR
Scour @ Temple Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Eyehategod @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Six Feet Under @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Corrosion Of Conformity @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Possessed @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Agnostic Front @ Warzone - (Photos, setlist)
Acid Bath @Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Marduk @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Napalm Death @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Down @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)