If you've been operating under the assumption that the Foo Fighters' upcoming HBO series 'Sonic Highways' is just a behind-the-scenes look at the making of their new album, it's time to think again.

As the show's recently released trailer (which you can watch above) makes clear, the 'Sonic Highways' show also acts as a sort of companion piece to Foos frontman Dave Grohl's 'Sound City' documentary, offering an examination of the way music is shaped and influenced by the places it's made. Traveling to eight separate studios and working with a diverse array of guest artists, the band explores different aspects of its evolving sound.

And as if that weren't ambitious enough, the show also surveys the history of American music, incorporating interviews with everyone from Chuck D and LL Cool J to Bonnie Raitt and President Barack Obama. Sketching out "a musical map of America," 'Sonic Highways' seeks to offer a new, deeper perspective on what Grohl refers to as "our musical identity."

"This isn't just the making of our most ambitious album," he points out. "This is a love letter to the history of American music."

HBO is scheduled to air the first of eight 'Sonic Highways' episodes on Oct. 17 at 11 PM EST. The 'Sonic Highways' album -- bits of which can be heard throughout this trailer -- is set to follow on Nov. 10.

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