Things are looking up for Down.

After weathering a series of personal storms over the past several years, the southern-metal supergroup is finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, says drummer Jimmy Bower.

"We're looking forward to the future right now," the 40-year-old says from his home in New Orleans, prior to a week of Western Canadian dates that start tonight at Winnipeg's Burton Cummings Theatre. "I'm feeling very positive right now. And it's about time, you know? We've all had our personal tragedies to deal with and work through."

To call that an understatement is an understatment itself.

In 2004 and 2005, Down -- which also features former Pantera singer Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, along with Corrosion of Conformity singer-guitarist Pepper Keenan and Crowbar guitarist Kirk Windstein -- were devastated by a one-two punch that would have killed many bands.

First came the horrific onstage murder of Anselmo's former guitarist and bandmate Dimebag Darrell Abbott, who was shot to death during a show with his new band Damageplan. Less than a year later came Hurricane Katrina, which flooded Bower's home and destroyed Anselmo's house, taking his musical memorabilia and personal possessions along with it.

"My house wasn't too bad, but Phil lost pretty much everything," Bower says. "We didn't lose any gear, but almost everything else was gone."

But as the saying goes, what didn't kill them made them stronger. Six months after Katrina, they regrouped and decided to make Down their No. 1 priority. And they channelled all their grief, frustration and anger into their tellingly titled 2007 album Down III: Over the Under, exorcising their demons in songs such as Mourn, On March the Saints and I Scream.

"We were just trying to get something positive out of all the negativity and tragedy that was surrounding us," Bower says.

"Everyone knows that when something tragic happens, you have to vent in some way. And what better and more honourable way for us to vent than through music? Of course, it was emotional at times, but in the end, I think the record was a very healing experience for us -- hence the title."

The album also served notice on fans, reminding them that Down's members have not only perfected the sludgy blues-rock riffs and Sabbath-inspired boogie beats of Southern Metal -- they pioneered them nearly 20 years ago with their previous groups.

"At one point, there was seven or eight dudes who played in every band," laughs Bower, who also plays guitar in EyeHateGod and is known as the Godfather of Southern Metal for his two decades of service.

"It used to be a pretty tight-knit scene. But now, years later, it's caught on. it's like what happened in Seattle with grunge. There are a whole slew of new kids coming up, picking up on the influence we gave them -- not to blow my own horn, but I'm proud of what we've achieved."

After tonight, Down plays Friday at the Events Centre in Edmonton, Saturday at Mac-Ewan Hall in Calgary and next Monday at the Commodore in Vancouver. They return to Canada Sept. 18 to play Toronto's Koolhaus.

DARRYL.STERDAN@SUNMEDIA.CA

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