Fans hungry for the second effort of underground metal hybrid Down should head to any music store and pick up the band’s latest album, “II.”

For those unfamiliar, Down is Black Sabbath-meets-Pantera. The group features five guys from four different bands. The result is a groovy amalgam of heavy psychedelic rock.

Pantera’s Philip Anselmo leads the way with his traditionally edgy meld of aggressive, emotional vocals. But Down’s unique sound hatches from the riffage of guitarists Pepper Keenan (from Corrosion of Conformity) and Kirk Windstein (from Crowbar).

Black Sabbath assuredly is the band’s largest influence. The reason it works is because few bands have tried to emulate Sabbath’s sounds of the ’60s and ’70s. With “II,” Down does with the music only.

Drummer Jimmy Bower (from Eyehategod) doesn’t mimic the slick old sound of Sabbath drummer Bill Ward — he lays a proper, sturdy groove and stays in the pocket. Pantera’s Rex Brown plays bass.

It all happened like this, according to lead guitarist Keenan on the band’s official Web site: “[We were] just a couple of freaks who were into bands which were into Sabbath — before it was cool to be into Sabbath. We would jam and blow our heads off in this little garage, then something started to happen.”

In 1995, the freaks (minus Brown who joined in ’99) put out “NOLA,” a 13-track glimpse into this intriguing combination of old and new metal. However, because the band was a side project for all its members, press coverage and radio airplay nearly were non-existent.

Despite playing only 13 shows, Down’s debut sold almost a half-million copies. For the next seven years, Down fans would remain in the dark about the group’s future.

In November 2001, the band went into a barn doubling as its private studio and residence and wrote and recorded “II” in 28 days. The hangout, deemed “Nodferatu’s Lair” by the band, is located in an undisclosed swamp in southern Louisiana.

But onto the music. Down nails its sound, and either of its albums represent a quality purchase. The music and lyrics are intelligent – especially the latter from the learned Anselmo.

On the mellow “Learn From This Mistake,” Anselmo shares some of his pertinent wisdom: “There’s no junkie out there with a happy ending/ It consumes you, haunts you like the devil/ It’s the art of the process that kills off all the rebels/ Learn from my mistakes.”

If you’re slightly open-minded and could use a worthy rock record to get moving now and then, “II” is a pick for you.

For more about Down, visit www.down-nola.com.