Watch the First Episode of NOLA: Life, Death and Heavy Blues from the Bayou

Noisey, the music arm of VICE, has released the first episode of NOLA: Life, Death and Heavy Blues from the Bayou, a seven-part series examining the people and the culture that helped foster New Orleans’ incredible metal scene.

I’m not going to beat around the bush here: judging from just this first episode, this series promises to be FANTASTIC. Interviews with members of Down, Eyehategod, Crowbar, Corrosion of Conformity, Goatwhore, and more are featured prominently in an exploration of not just the music itself, but the culture of New Orleans that helped spawn it. The right questions are asked, and even better answers are given. Press play and you won’t be able to look away, I guarantee.

Also: heartbreaking footage I’ve somehow never seen before of a video message Phil Anselmo recorded after being denied entry to Dimebag’s funeral. Just gutting.

If you want to see a trailer for the whole series, check it out here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ahx6DX7lOI