Pantera

Vulgar Display Of Power

Essential thrash from an essential group.

Review Score:

(10/10)
Wow.
If you haven't heard of Pantera, and you're a "metalhead", you've been living under a rock for the last decade. They are the only metal band to reach No.1 on the mainstream album charts (Far Beyond Driven), not counting Slipknot, or Limp Bizkit, or Staind...aagh. Pantera is certaintly the greatest out of all these groups - and this is their finest 52 minutes.

This CD will wake you up anytime waking up is needed - much like any other Pantera CD, but to a even greater degree of quality music. With the opening chords of the now classic "Mouth For War", to the piledriver lead out of the still quite mellow "Hollow", all 52 minutes of this CD are worthy of your time. And while the standard of musicianship would be topped in songs that come on later in Pantera history, this is their most all rounded, and giving you a severe case of moshing while you're at it.
Tracklisting:
1. Mouth For War. Classic. Giving the US it's first metal No.1 single, and if you listen, you'll figure out why. From Dimebag's awesome solo to the throughly speed metal outro, this simply rocks. Best Pantera song ever, no contest.

2. A New Level. A particular live favourite, and though it takes a while to grow on you, believe me it will. Also, the first time that Rex Brown's bass really stands out - during the other awesome solo - Dimebag's, how convienient!

3. Walk. The only slow song on the album I dislike, and also the most radio-friendly. It's OK, for a few listens, but you'll find you'll be skipping it after a while, onto...

4.F**king Hostile. Absolutely awesome. 167 seconds of sheer speed, though quite a few songs can top this for BPM, not many can top it for sheer power. 1,2,3,4!!!!

5. This Love. The first "power-ballad" on the album, but far heavier than most. With truly dark lyrics (anti-love), which have become a Pantera staple, and again another great Dimebag solo (I don't think there is a single song on this album where he doesn't solo actually), this song was released as a single, and though you may see why, you'll change your mind.

6. Rise. ! The opening chords may pin you to the floor. Linking seamlessly with the quiet of the previous track, all the time building up to an amazing chorus, with Phil screaming, "What's wrong with your mind!!!", undercutted by Vinnie Paul's stunning drum work. Vinnie is a drum god, by the way.

7. No Good (Attack The Radical). Though the second half of the CD doesn't quite live up to the sheer brlliance of the first, and even though this track in particular ain't so good (probably because they're all the same pace, though I wouldn't complain too much), this still has some great moments, with one of the grooviest bridges on the album.

8. Live In A Hole. More of the same, yet this track has a rather abrupt tempo change twice throughout the bridge, which does throw you off some, but it's still Pantera, and there's no denying the quality of the musicians on show.

9. Regular People (Conceit). With more of that groove undercutting the entire song. It takes time going, but you may just be humming/screaming the chorus for weeks.

10. By Demons Be Driven. Another metal cliche, attacking religion. Maybe this is what is meant when people say Phil has stupid views. Yet this is a powerful song, the last relatively weak song on the CD but still containing some crushing guitar work. Signals a previous intensity not heard before on any other Pantera work.

11. Hollow. After that, the final piece of masterwork. Being careful not to put all the excellent songs at the start, they've held back this "power-ballad", again relative, for the final cut. And without it, the CD would probably only get an 8 - as it's the depth and breadth of Pantera's music that is a particular standout about the band - being able to write sweet sounding yet bitter songs and incredibly heavy MAINSTREAM metal tunes. For the first 3 minutes, a lovely little song about, well, being hollow inside, before kicking into a very catchy end part that leads out the CD in style.

There are those that say this is probably the end of the really great Pantera, as Far Beyond Driven went even heavier and alienated about half their fanbase, but I say this one was an indicator that this CD indicated that was their new direction. Songs like Rise and By Demons Be Driven show startling balls for such a mainstream group. Nowhere else would you be able to hear this stuff on daytime radio back in 1992.
And if you think this is metal, wait for The Great Southern Trendkill!

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