Pantera

$2008 Inductee\'s$

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Pantera's first album was actually released in 1983 and prior to the release of Cowboys From Hell in 1990 they had notched up three other albums. So, why the hell have we included them in the "1986 to 1990 Year Group"? Well, the simple answer is, the first four albums represent a totally different Pantera to the last five albums. Even the official Pantera website doesn't recognise these albums. So, if they don't, why should we?

"Power Groove" is the name Pantera used to describe their style. Essentially it was a combination of thrash metal and hardcore punk. It was not until the release of their 1992 album, A Vulgar Display Of Power, did they really nail this sound down and make it their own. A heavy amount of touring and the demise of more mainstream metal acts saw Pantera's rise in popularity accelerate in the early to mid '90s. The release of Far Beyond Driven in 1994 was the climax of Pantera's fame, with the album debuting at number one on the US Billboard Charts and the band also earning themselves their first Grammy nomination. Despite this fame (or because of it) cracks were starting to appear in the band. Lead singer Phil Anselmo was fighting his demons with a recurring back problem that lead to alcohol abuse and eventually heroin use. In 1996 he overdosed on heroin, which prompted him to apologize to bandmates. 1997 saw the band member's drift apart as they were starting to dabble in some side-projects. Some would say that even at this stage you could see the writing was on the wall for Pantera. The terrorist attacks of September 11 would all but mark the end of Pantera, as they were forced to cancel shows - from then on they never played another gig.

pantera The 1990's were a decade where the heavy metal light didn't particularly shine. And when it did it was mainly in bizarre genres such as nu-metal or the grunge movement where bands spent most of their time denying they were metal. But, Pantera were the exception to the rule. They were harder, faster and more aggressive than anything on the mainstream charts. Their music struck a chord with the working-class metalhead. They were destined to become the voice of a generation. Despite leaving us with a solid legacy of work, it is with great sadness that we will never see the band play again.