Yes, it does.
Its a musical device like anything else, and I for one get a huge kick out of the unearthly savage growl of a guitar strung 12-62 in drop B or A. It pleases my ears immensly. And does sound way heavier.
Plus using downtunings take their own particular kind of skill to sound heavy and musical, but not like youre just hitting low notes all the time for the heaviness fix :P