Pantera

Far Beyond Driven

Gradually getting heavier.

Review Score:

(8/10)
So, the Pantera wagon rumbles on. Vulgar Display Of Power has become a huge hit, with it's flagship single, the unstoppable "Mouth For War" hitting No.1, the first metal song to do so.
How do they follow that up?
Go HEAVIER....
Tracklisting:

1. Strength Beyond Strength. This CD takes exactly 1 second to kick your ass. I mean that. The opening riff will floor you to the ground, it's so strong. In essence, a wake-up call to those who were expecting another VDOP: No way people. Pantera do what they wanna do.
As for the music, this displays some of Dimebag Darrell's new tricks - the increased distortion, and the deeper riffs. Very nice. And Vinnie Paul's drums have a strong showing as well...the pounding of the opening drum rolls do a very good job of leaving your jaw on the floor. And the speed of this song impresses too - the fastest Pantera song since Rise.

2. Becoming. With a now classic riff permeating the introduction, this has a few more classic moments, namely Dimebag's truly eyepopping solo, one of his best EVER. Even though it sounds like Kerry King.

3. 5 Minutes Alone. One of the huge singles from the album. The first time you hear this song, it's actually quite terrifying. You probably won't have heard anything quite as heavy as the verses, and probably will hear nothing of the standard of Rex Brown's bass solo, during the bridge. Excellent...again.

4. I'm Broken. Catchy describes this song best. It's this album's "Walk", only better than that over-rated song.
One for the head-bangers for sure, nice and crunchy. Like biscuits. Only not very chocolately.

5. Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills.
Thus comes the first stumbling block on this CD. What was Phil thinking when writing this lyrics? I know, I'll include random swearing into a song that's about getting off with another person's girlfriend, that's supposed to sound dark and evil but comes off on repeated listening as completely dumb?!?!?!??" All respect to Phil, but this is one of the songs the album could have done without. It doesn't really fit in, even in this bleak album. When Dimebag said that Reinventing The Steel only had 10 tracks because it was better to have 10 good cuts, rather than 15 tracks and only 3 of them are any good (Limp Bizkit?), yet this track and 25 Years let the CD down. So that's 10 good tracks on this one, and only 2 are bad. Good batting average, nonetheless.

6. Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks. The main issue with this track, at 7 minutes long, it drags on for a while. The other issue is that it changes tempo quite drastically. Still, this song becomes good thanks to an excellent solo from Dimebag in the bridge.

7. Slaughtered. Very very heavy. Like a certain 5 Minutes Alone and Use My Third Arm. With nothing but screams and grunts consisting as vocals for this track, this one nearly hits death metal standards it's so extreme. Not very fast, just heavy, and with a memorable chorus and end too.

8. 25 Years. The other bodge up on the CD. Overlong at 6 and a half minutes, this track just seems to be very repetitive, and when you think you're going to hear a memorable chorus, it just doesn't materialise. Yet, the catchy finish, with a pummel from Vinnie Paul accompaning Phil's shouts of, "We're f**king you back" makes for a very cool, if somewhat profane ending to an otherwise dull song.

9. Shredding Skin. Another "change in tempo" song, but it works, thanks to the good guitar links from part to part. The solo is reminiscent of the tons of groove Pantera have, and the ending lures you into a false sense of security. You think it's going to go all mellow...wrong. You should know by now!

10. Use My Third Arm. Whenever this is played live, Phil yells out, "We wrote this when everyone was trying to sound like f**king Nirvana". And all you mall-core sheep: take a quick listen to this anti-cop song (boring topic? Think again), and your perceptions about heavy will be redefined. Easily the heaviest track on the album, and considering what's come before, that's an incredible achievement. Like Domination and By Demons Be Driven before it, this song gives an indication of the next album, The Great Southern Trendkill, which is heavier and darker still. And you think this is extreme. AHAHHAHA!!! You wait for Trendkill people. The best bit? The stunning lead in to the chorus. HEAVY.

11. Throes Of Rejection. Also very heavy, with depressing angry lyrics, about, well, rejection. Some good musicianship on show: the Dimebag riff just before the bit which is just before the verse, which is good and clever too (try understanding that), and the excellent leadout, which, while being tuneless, illustrates the album's dark feel well.

12. Planet Caravan. The final song on the album. A cover of a Black Sabbath song off the classic album Paranoid, and while the hardcore slagged Pantera for doing this, everyone else loved it. I loved it. A nice twist on the extremely heavy album stereotype, with all involved showing they can do mellow beautifully. But after songs like Hollow, This Love, and Cemetery Gates, you should already know that.

That's the way the CD leaves you...very shaken, and maybe that little bit stirred. The brain-bashing...no, BLUDGEONING, assault of tracks like 5 Minutes Alone, and Use My Third Arm especially, comes as a shock to the un-initated. Those who already are will still be surprised. And while the album earns it's advisory sticker (Good Friends..., 25 Years, and Use My Third Arm all have at least 10 "f" words, to be really coy), most of you won't give a flying *!*!. Hahahaha. Shame that only Use My Third Arm is the only one out of those three that's worthwhile, which bumps the CD down to an 8.
And by the way, this CD went straight to No.1 in the album charts. See, extreme metal can make it big. Ask Slipknot.

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