Where Southern metal is concerned, Down are THE supergroup that probably couldn't get any superer. They consist of (I'm going off their current line up here, not this album, Todd Strange, left..); Infamous Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo, Corrosion Of Conformity guitarist/frontmman Pepper Keenan, Crowbar guitarist/frontman Kirk Windstein, Pantera bassist Rex Brown and Eyehategod riffmaster Jimmy Bower on drums. Quite the line-up! It's a who's who of Southern metal genius, maybe if it was a perfect world Dimebag would be in there too (R.I.P.). Usually with the prospect of a supergroup, the product is far lesser than the sum of it's parts. Whereas with Down, you'd have a hard time finding an album that matches it in any of the aformentioned bands catalogues.
This album is what Southern American metal IS. It's soulful, it's bluesy, its heavy, it's grimy, it just kills. Anselmo's performance is one of his best and Keenan and Windstein crack out some amazing riffs; check out Lifer, Stone The Crows, Bury Me In Smoke and Temptation's Wings for proof. In fact, you'd have a strong argument of the inclusion of NOLA in the top 5 of THE essential metal albums of the 1990's it's that good.
Yes siree, living proof that the word `supergroup' isn't necessarily something to recoil from. Unfortuantely Audioslave aren't quite up there.......
I think the reason for so many people warming to this album, apart from the songs of course, is the lack of the hardman metal cliche Anlselmo usually carries around with him. This album isn't about that; it's very blues influenced, it's pretty soulful at times, especially in the trippy acoustic, Jail. There's a lot of stoner rock in here too, the riffs are swinging and grooving rather than grinding metal riffs.
If you're into any of the aforementioned bands, bar Audioslave, NOLA is a record you'll come back to again and again. Even if you forget it for a while, you'll come back to it and wonder why you had forgotten in the first place.
Essential.
