Pantera

After Dimebag's death, a Pantera reunion has become impossible but comments made in public by Phil Anselmo suggest that he had planned on reuniting the band. Did not have any US Top 40 hits. An audience member, a club employee, and a member of the bands' security entourage were killed before Gale was shot dead by police officer James Niggemeyer (for more on the shooting, see Dimebag Darrell). The consistent lineup has also allowed the band to coalesce as a live act not only reproducing their studio albums live but also able to recreate the band's entire back catalogue. In 2004 Gale shot and killed Dimebag Darrell at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio as they took the stage. Vanishing Point revitalised the band and introduced a far more complex musical dynamic that has so far have produced increasingly complex yet accessible albums in the form of XTRMNTR and Evil Heat in a surprisingly short period of time. It is believed that negative comments made by Anselmo in the press about Dimebag inspired Nathan Gale to take his Beretta pistol to a Damageplan performance. Starting with the Vanishing Point album (influenced by the film of the same name) a new complex dance/dub rhythm was present in most of the tracks harking back to the crossover success of Screamadelica.

The break-up of the band was not amicable and invariably a war between Superjoint and Damageplan was waged via the heavy metal and musical press. Mani was the key addition though. After this, Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell formed a band of their own called New Found Power which was later renamed Damageplan. Shields brought a great deal of producing talent and a third guitarist to the live band. It was thought he would return to Pantera, but didn't and instead formed Superjoint Ritual, who have released two albums. More line up changes added Mani and Kevin Shields to the group. Pantera irretrievably dissolved after Anselmo left the band to pursue other work with such bands as Down. More of an out and out rock and roll record, critics compared it in style and sound to the early Rolling Stones.

In this release, Pantera took an even more extreme direction. Give Out But Don't Give Up, recorded in Nashville, was another radical departure. Pantera's breakthrough album was 1992's Vulgar Display of Power, which saw the replacement of falsetto vocals with a more shouted delivery and a heavier guitar sound. The extent to which this album grew in popularity can be assessed by the instant success of the 1994 follow-up, Far Beyond Driven which debuted at number one in both American and Australian album charts, the first metal album ever to achieve this, despite the failing fortunes of metal in America at that time. Screamadelica was blending rock with dance music. At this point, Pantera's music was still heavily influenced by "classic heavy metal" — with Rob Halford-style vocals and the extravagant riffs and solos of guitarist Dimebag Darrell, though the album also showcased a more extreme style. This remix has since become the most well-known version of the track and failing to put the definitive original version on any album has (as with "Velocity Girl") damned what may be the group's finest moment to obscurity. The first really successful record Pantera recorded was 1990's Cowboys From Hell. "Loaded" was followed by "Come Together" - a remarkable psychedelic gospel track sampling Nastassja Kinski from Wim Wender's 'Paris, Texas' and the guitar riff from Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds." The original track was backed by a Terry Farley produced version with added beats and an instrumental mix by Weatherall containing a sample of the Reverend Jesse Jackson ("You will hear gospel and rhythm and blues and jazz, all those are just labels, we know that music is music") which became another dance classic and highpoint of the Ibiza scene.

Pantera then located Phil Anselmo and produced "Power Metal", a tape that had Phil singing some songs that were originally sung by Glaze, as well as a few originals. The track was a phenomenal critical success, played everywhere from Ibiza to Glasgow and, along with The Stone Rose's "Fool's Gold" and The Happy Mondays' "Step On," marks the point where white indie music got funky. When Terry balked at the contract he was kicked out of the band. "Loaded" took the piano motif (provided by new recruit, former member of Felt, Martin Duffy), the horn section and bassline from the climax of "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have," added a drum loop from an Italian bootleg mix of Edie Brickell's "What I Am", a sample of Gillespie singing a line from Robert Johnson's "Terraplane Blues" and the central introductory sample from the Peter Fonda B-movie The Wild Angels. Terry Glaze was included in talks to sign with a label that was fronted by Gene Simmons of KISS. Employing methods of deconstructing and layering grooves normally found in the Jamacian dub music of King Tubby and The Scientist. Pantera released three forgotten albums (Metal Magic, Projects In The Jungle and I Am The Night) before ditching singer Terry Glaze in favor of Phil Anselmo with 1987's Power Metal. Standout track "I'm Losing More Than I'll Ever Have" was remixed by Dance DJ Andrew Weatherall (Sabres of Paradise/Two Lone Swordsmen).

They were modern (or so-called "groove") metal. Today "Primal Scream" remains a curiously underrated album and several critics have voiced the opinion that a critical reassessment is overdue particularly given its relatively contemporary style. Formed in 1983, Pantera were one of the most influential Heavy Metal bands of the 1990s. Founder member Jim Beattie left to form Spirea X, continuing that early psychedelic sound, the central trio of Bobby Gillespie, Andrew Innes and Rob Young (augmented by drummer Philip "Toby" Tomanov and bassist Henry Olsen of Nico's band The Faction) relocated to Brighton and ditched their trademark jangly sound for good. Pantera was a popular heavy metal band from Dallas,Texas, USA. Due to their dramatic change in sound the band risked alienating their initial fanbase and the album was criticised in the music press. Pantera: 3 - Vulgar Videos from Hell (1997) (DVD re-release). The following self-titled album had a much heavier edge influenced by MC5, Iggy Pop and The Stooges and the sixties Detroit garage scene.

3: Watch it Go. The highlight of their early work is undoubtedly the "Crystal Crescent" B-side "Velocity Girl" which was effectively the melodic template for most indie music for the next decade, The Stone Roses' "Made Of Stone" and their debut album in particular are indebted to it's sound as are a host of others. The Vulgar Video. Debut album Sonic Flower Groove was heavily influenced by The Byrds, The Velvet Underground and the C86 shoegazing scene (eg My Bloody Valentine, The Wedding Present etc) of which they were pioneers. Cowboys from Hell - The Videos. The music was meant to be somewhat instinctual and primal in nature. Reinventing Hell: The Best Of Pantera [Compilation] - (2003). Initially a psychedelic rock group with a formless loud guitar based sound influenced by the primal scream therapy theory (which also gave the band their name).

Official Live: 101 Proof [Live] - (1997). The band has been through several lineups and musical styles with Gillespie being the only constant element. Reinventing The Steel - (2000). The band was signed to Alan McGee's Creation label. The Great Southern Trendkill - (1996). Other members include guitarists Andrew Innes and Robert 'Throb' Young, former Felt keyboardist Martin Duffy, former Stone Roses bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield, and touring guitarist and producer Kevin Shields, formerly of My Bloody Valentine. Far Beyond Driven - (1994). Primal Scream is a rock band from Scotland and headed by former Jesus & Mary Chain drummer Bobby Gillespie.

Vulgar Display Of Power - (1992). 2002 "Miss Lucifer" #25. Cowboys from Hell - (1990). 2000 "Accelerator" #34. Power Metal - (1988). 2000 "Kill All Hippies" #24. I Am The Night - (1985). 1999 "Swastika Eyes" #22.

Projects In The Jungle - (1984). 1997 "Burning Wheel" #17. Metal Magic - (1983). 1997 "Star" #16. Rex Brown (aka, Rexx Rocker) - Bass. 1997 "Kowalski" #8. Vinnie Paul (Vincent Abott) - Drums. 1996 "The Big Man and the Scream Team Meet the Barmy Army Uptown" (with Irvine Welsh and On-U Sound) #17.

Dimebag Darrell (Darrell Abott aka, Diamond Darrell) - Guitars. 1994 "Jailbird" #29. Phil Anselmo - Vocals. 1994 "Rocks/Funky Jam" #7. 1992 "Dixie-Narco EP/Movin' on Up" #11. 1991 "Higher Than the Sun" #40.

1990 "Come Together" #26. 1990 "Loaded" #16. Dirty Hits (2003) ("Greatest Hits" compilation); #25. Evil Heat (2002); #9.

XTRMNTR (2000); #3. Echo Dek (1997). Vanishing Point (1997); #2. Give Out But Don't Give Up (1994, featuring George Clinton); #2.

Screamadelica (1991); #8. Primal Scream (1989). Sonic Flower Groove (1987).