| NOLA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by Down | ||||
| Released | September 19, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | August 29, 1994 – January 22, 1995 | |||
| Genre | Heavy metal, sludge metal | |||
| Length | 56:33 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Down, Matt Thomas | |||
| Down chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [1] |
NOLA is the debut album of Louisiana-based heavy metal band Down. It was released on September 19, 1995. The title is the abbreviation for New Orleans (N.O.), Louisiana (La.).
Contents |
Down formed in 1991 with vocalist/songwriter Phil Anselmo of Pantera, guitarist Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity, second guitarist Kirk Windstein and bassist Todd Strange of Crowbar, and drummer Jimmy Bower of Eyehategod. All of the band members were longtime friends, and shared interest in bands such as Black Sabbath and Saint Vitus, which would significantly influence the music they made.
NOLA was written mainly by Phil Anselmo and Pepper Keenan between 1990 and 1995. Originally the band made a three-track demo for underground trading in 1991. The demo featured the tracks "Losing All", "Temptations Wings" and "Bury Me In Smoke". In 1992 the band recorded a second demo, this time a four-track demo featuring the same track listing as the original but with an intro. In 1993 the band made the Demo Collection 1992 - 1993 which is a ten-track demo featuring all the songs that would make the album cut except "Rehab", "Pray For The Locust" and "Underneath Everything". In an effort to build a fan base, the bad would ask heavy metal fans if they had ever "heard of this band, Down" and hand them copies of the tapes without telling the person that they were in the band. Anselmo solely wrote only three songs on the album ("Hail The Leaf", "Pray For The Locust" and "Pillars Of Eternity"). Eventually, the tape was distributed throughout the United States and Down played a small concert in its home town. A record executive from Elektra Records was attending the show. When he found out who the members of the band were, he signed Down to a recording contract. The band began recording the album in the summer of 1994 at the Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, Louisiana and completed the recording sessions by January 1995.
NOLA has always reminded me sound-wise and approach-wise as a really loud demo, and it was based on three three-song demos that we did just for fun. We were still growing and finding out what we were as a band, and we were into a lot of bands that were influenced by Black Sabbath, like St. Vitus, Trouble and Witchfinder General.
The booklet art is by Jim DeBarros and David Manteau and makes extensive use of vintage photographs by Clarence John Laughlin.
NOLA was released in September of 1995 and would peak at number 57 in October 1995 on the Billboard 200, and remain on the chart for six weeks.[3] The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America with 1,000,000 copies sold in America.[4] The album spawned four singles in "Stone the Crow", "Lifer", "Temptations Wings", which were released in 1995, and "Bury Me in Smoke" in 1996. However, only "Stone the Crow" would achieve commercial success when it reached number 40 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, becoming Down's first and only top 40 song.
The album received positive reviews from critics with Allmusic reviewer David Reamer giving the album a nearly perfect 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising the songs "Temptation's Wings", "Stone the Crow", and "Bury Me in Smoke". Reamer stated that "this is a landmark album that combines the talents of dedicated rock musicians, and should be included in any collection of heavy metal music."
Down supported NOLA with a 13-date concert tour.[4][5] The band went on hiatus in 1996 as all members continued their main projects. They would reunite in 1999 to make a second album, Down II, released in 2002.
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| An Evening with Down | |||
| September 20, 1995 | New Orleans, Louisiana | United States | Rendon Inn |
| September 21, 1995 | Dallas, Texas | Deep Ellum | |
| September 24, 1995 | Chicago, Illinois | The Vic Theatre | |
| September 25, 1995 | Detroit, Michigan | Saint Andrew's Hall | |
| September 26, 1995 | Cleveland, Ohio | The Odeon | |
| September 27, 1995 | New York City, New York | The Academy | |
| September 29, 1995 | San Francisco, California | Fillmore West | |
| Headlining with Far | |||
| September 30, 1995 | Los Angeles, California | United States | The Palace |
| An Evening with Down | |||
| December 27, 1995 | San Antonio, Texas | United States | Sneakers |
| December 28, 1995 | Houston, Texas | The Millenium | |
| December 30, 1995 | Shreveport, Louisiana | The Warehouse | |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Temptation's Wings" | Anselmo/Keenan | 4:24 |
| 2. | "Lifer" | Anselmo/Keenan | 4:36 |
| 3. | "Pillars of Eternity" | Anselmo | 3:57 |
| 4. | "Rehab" | Anselmo/Keenan/Windstein | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Hail the Leaf" | Anselmo | 3:28 |
| 6. | "Underneath Everything" | Anselmo/Keenan | 4:46 |
| 7. | "Eyes of the South" | Anselmo/Keenan | 5:13 |
| 8. | "Jail" | Anselmo/Keenan/Strange/Windstein | 5:17 |
| 9. | "Losing All" | Anselmo/Keenan | 4:21 |
| 10. | "Stone the Crow" | Anselmo/Keenan | 4:42 |
| 11. | "Pray for the Locust" | Anselmo | 1:07 |
| 12. | "Swan Song" | Anselmo/Bower/Keenan | 3:35 |
| 13. | "Bury Me in Smoke" | Anselmo/Keenan | 7:04 |
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | The Billboard 200 | 57 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Stone the Crow" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 40 |
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