Editing Down (band) (section)

===''Diary of a Mad Band'' (2008–2010)===
{{Main|Diary of a Mad Band: Europe in the Year of VI}}
[[file:Down-madrid.jpg|thumb|left|Down live in Madrid, 2008. L–R: Kirk Windstein, Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown, Jimmy Bower]]

On July 24, 2008, frontman [[Phil Anselmo]] mentioned in a post on the band's [[Myspace]] blog that Down had been "fucking around with some new material" and had "enough material already recorded"—at least six new songs in addition to those that did not make the final cut on ''Down III: Over the Under''.<ref name="newmaterial">{{cite web |date=July 29, 2008 |title=Down: Six New Songs Recorded |url=http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/upcoming_releases/down_six_new_songs_recorded.html |access-date=July 29, 2008 |publisher=Ultimate-Guitar.com}}</ref> What or how much will be included on the tentative ''Down IV'' is uncertain, but according to Anselmo, there is  "definitely enough for an awesome EP, with some surprises within."<ref name="newmaterial" />

Asked in November 2008 what the current status of the new album was, bassist [[Rex Brown]] told [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]] that Down had been "writing constantly on the road. We still have all these ideas, and we play a lot of new stuff at sound check, just to feel it out. Hopefully, we can get back in the studio in the fall and work on something."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043532/down-gets-busy-on-new-album-while-touring |title=Down Gets Busy On New Album While Touring |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard.com]] |date=November 11, 2008 |access-date=November 11, 2008}}</ref>

On February 18, 2009, Down was announced in the lineup for the 2009 [[Roskilde Festival]] in Denmark. Following these live dates, the band toured the United States and Canada during August and September 2009. On March 30, 2009, Down posted a statement on their message board indicating that they will be back in the studio from October through November writing and recording what will eventually become ''Down IV''. In the summer of 2009, Down began a US tour without Rex on bass, who had developed acute pancreatitis.<ref>{{Cite web|date=September 3, 2009|title=DOWN/Ex-PANTERA Bassist REX BROWN Diagnosed With Acute Pancreatitis|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/down-ex-pantera-bassist-rex-brown-diagnosed-with-acute-pancreatitis/|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=[[Blabbermouth.net]]}}</ref>

On January 27, 2010, it was announced that Brown had nearly fully recuperated from his fight with pancreatitis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://down-nola.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/416070/pid/400042 |title=Rex is Back in the Saddle |publisher=Down-nola.com |date=October 1, 2010 |access-date=July 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100410080638/http://www.down-nola.com/index.cfm/pk/view/cd/NAA/cdid/416070/pid/400042 |archive-date=April 10, 2010 }}</ref> Down had discussed reconvening in New Orleans sometime after the [[Super Bowl XLIV|2010 Super Bowl]] to begin work on a new album. With a release date yet to be announced, the new album will be the band's fourth studio offering. After legal issues with Warner Brothers Records regarding the rights to the music, Down released the live album ''[[Diary of a Mad Band: Europe in the Year of VI]]'' on October 5, 2010, via Roadrunner Records. The title is a reference to ''[[Diary of a Madman (album)|Diary of a Madman]]'', an [[Ozzy Osbourne]] album.