PHILIP ANSELMO talks about KING DIAMOND's guest appearance on new DOWN album 'Volume V'
"He really did such an amazing job”
04-11-2026
The latest issue of Fistful Of Metal magazine features an exclusive interview with Philip H. Anselmo and Pepper Keenan of DOWN, as the band prepares to release “Volume V”, its first new studio album in twelve years, arriving November 20 via Nuclear Blast Records.
Speaking with Oran O’Beirne, Philip and Pepper discuss the long road to the new album, the chemistry that continues to bring DOWN together, their approach to recording, and the rather special inclusion of King Diamond on the track “Merciful Fate”. There are some great insights from both musicians, with Anselmo offering his thoughts on the band’s evolution and the creative process behind the new material.
Regarding how King Diamond ended up making a guest appearance on “Volume V”, Philip said: “Well, we wrote this song, and during the demo sessions, I just started singing the words ‘Merciful Fate’ because it fit the section so well. Then I started thinking about it, because what that title implies is exactly what goes on in my mind quite a bit these days: having a nice, peaceful death when the time eventually comes. Later, as the song developed, I sang my part and asked the rest of the band what they thought about the King actually singing on the record, and everyone was for it.
“I’ve known King for a long, long time, so I reached out to him and then sent over the demo,” Philip explained. “He seemed to be thrilled to do it. We waited patiently and went on with mixing the record. And in perfect timing, King delivered his performance and we were all floored.
“There were so many times I really tried to imagine what he’d do over the song, but when I heard the actual real deal, I almost fell over. I was that thrilled. He really did such an amazing job. His wife, Liv [Livia Zita], also killed it on the song, adding some awesome harmonic vocalizations.”
Pepper also has some particularly enthusiastic things to say about the King Diamond collaboration, describing the vocal exchange between Philip and King as potentially “one of the best heavy metal moments of the last fifteen or twenty years.”
DOWN will release their new studio album, “Volume V”, on November 20 via Nuclear Blast Records. In celebration of the announcement, the band previously released an official video for the album’s first single, “Blood Oath”.
Watch “Blood Oath” below.
“Anybody who’s from New Orleans is going to get a kick out of the references to the city,” grins singer Phil Anselmo. “Musically, it’s got a big hook. It’s a DOWN song, but it takes a turn.”
“You’ll know it’s DOWN right off the fucking bat,” adds guitarist Pepper Keenan. “It’s heavy in its attack.”
About the album:
“We were all excited about this,” smiles Anselmo. “There was a sense of lightness in the air. Everyone’s attitude was positive. There was more focus than ever. It just felt fresh again. Each one of us was individually striving for something, and I believe we achieved what we wanted to achieve. The record is a journey. It’s classic DOWN, but it’s also unique.”
“Everybody played their asses off, wrote great riffs, and Philip is singing amazing,” adds Windstein. “There’s so much electricity when we get together. To me, it’s the same vibe as our debut ‘NOLA’, but we’ve got another 35 years of experience as songwriters.”
“The five of us are from the same era, grew up together, and accomplished a lot on our own,” Keenan observes. “We all sounded different, but we’re still from the same 20-block radius. As far as what makes DOWN special, we knew one another before any of us had done anything. There’s history.”
“Volume V” track listing:
01. The Myth
02. Merciful Fate
03. Turn Out The Light
04. The Message
05. Causeway Grief
06. Blood Oath
07. They Walk The Night
08. They Came From Dust
09. Ozz
10. Twice-Told Tales
Last January, DOWN returned with a special cover of Dr. John‘s “Right Place, Wrong Time”. The cover was in celebration of Mardi Gras.
Watch “Right Place, Wrong Time” below.
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