Straight out of New Orleans sludge metal.
The Down Smoking Jesus Men's Band T-Shirt features the band's unmistakable Smoking Jesus graphic on a black tee, bringing together heavy Southern riffs, underground imagery, and a band deeply connected to New Orleans metal culture.
Formed in New Orleans in 1991, Down emerged as a supergroup built from musicians already embedded in the Southern metal underground. The band's classic lineup brought together Phil Anselmo of Pantera, Pepper Keenan of Corrosion of Conformity, Kirk Windstein of Crowbar, Jimmy Bower of Eyehategod, and Todd Strange of Crowbar. What began as a side project developed its own identity through crushing riffs, blues-soaked grooves, doom-heavy atmosphere, and an unmistakably Southern sound.
Their 1995 debut, NOLA, became the defining Down record and a cornerstone of sludge and Southern metal. Tracks including "Stone the Crow," "Bury Me in Smoke," "Temptation's Wings," "Lifer," and "Eyes of the South" established a sound that was heavy without sacrificing groove and steeped in the musical atmosphere of Louisiana.
Down later expanded that catalog with Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow, Down III: Over the Under, Diary of a Mad Band, and the Down IV EPs, building a devoted following far beyond the individual bands that originally brought its members together.
For Kulture Vulture NOLA, Down is also local history. The band's music is inseparable from the New Orleans heavy-music lineage that produced Crowbar, Eyehategod, Acid Bath, Goatwhore, and an entire community built around riffs, sweat, volume, and Louisiana attitude.
Product Features
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Down Smoking Jesus graphic
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Men's band t-shirt
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Black color
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Bold front artwork
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Celebrates the New Orleans sludge and Southern metal band
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Strong addition to a Down or NOLA metal collection
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Ideal for Down shows, metal gatherings, battle-vest culture, and heavy-music events
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Gift-worthy choice for dedicated sludge and doom metal fans
Why Down Matters
Down took musicians from some of heavy music's most important bands and created something with an identity entirely its own.
NOLA is central to that legacy. Released in 1995, the album distilled doom metal, blues, hardcore, Southern rock, and sludge into songs built around enormous riffs and grooves. Its title also permanently tied the record to the city where the band began.
Down's importance extends into a larger New Orleans metal story. Alongside bands such as Crowbar and Eyehategod, the members helped develop a Louisiana heavy-music scene recognized for oppressive riffs, raw production, Southern influence, and an underground mentality far removed from polished mainstream metal.
Decades later, the opening riff of "Stone the Crow" is enough for the faithful to know exactly what's coming.
Perfect Gift For
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Down fans
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NOLA devotees
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"Stone the Crow" fans
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"Bury Me in Smoke" obsessives
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New Orleans metal fans
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Sludge metal collectors
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Doom and Southern metal listeners
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Crowbar fans
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Eyehategod fans
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Corrosion of Conformity fans
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Collectors of underground metal shirts
Frequently Asked Questions
What design is featured on this Down shirt?
This black men's band tee features the Down Smoking Jesus graphic, a provocative design that fits the band's underground metal aesthetic.
Where is Down from?
Down formed in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1991 and became closely associated with the city's influential sludge and Southern metal scene.
Who are the members of Down?
Down's classic lineup included Phil Anselmo, Pepper Keenan, Kirk Windstein, Jimmy Bower, and Todd Strange, bringing together musicians associated with Pantera, Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, and Eyehategod.
What is Down's NOLA album?
NOLA is Down's 1995 debut album and the record most closely associated with the band. Its title is a reference to New Orleans, Louisiana, where Down formed.
What are some essential Down songs?
Start with "Stone the Crow," "Bury Me in Smoke," "Lifer," "Temptation's Wings," "Eyes of the South," and "Ghosts Along the Mississippi."
What kind of music does Down play?
Down is commonly associated with sludge metal and Southern metal, combining doom-heavy riffs with blues, hardcore, and Southern rock influences.
Why is Down important to New Orleans metal?
Down brought together musicians deeply connected to the Louisiana heavy-music underground. The band's sound and NOLA debut became internationally recognized parts of a New Orleans metal tradition that also includes Crowbar, Eyehategod, Goatwhore, and other influential local bands.
Is this a good gift for a New Orleans metal fan?
Absolutely. Down's connection to the city makes this an especially fitting shirt for anyone devoted to NOLA sludge, Southern metal, and Louisiana's underground heavy-music history.
Bury me in smoke.