Well, the obvious has happened. Phil Anslemo and Rex Brown are coming together to try and reunite some form of Pantera. Recruiting guitar legend Zakk Wylde and drumming efficient monster Charlie Benante. The former are intending to take on the world once again. Except this time, it’s under the Pantera moniker. Combined with an announced tour, this line-up is contracting some very different opinions.
Personally, I don’t know if a ‘Pantera’ reunion is prudent. Both of the Abbott brothers are deceased. And they’re the core of the band. So having them out of the picture just seems sacrilegious. I mean, we’re talking about the band that flew the metal flag during the 90’s. Without them, metal would be almost completely dead. Dime and Vin laid down jams that would revolutionize the genre. And they did it while playing exceptionally clean. That’s what they were known for. No matter how heavy it got, there was always an accessible streamlined quality that couldn’t be found anywhere else in their category of heaviness.
So it begs the question, ‘Will the shows be as clean as Pantera?’ Conventional wisdom says close, but not quite. Zakk Wylde, while excellent, isn’t as clean of a player as Dime was. And Charlie is an amazing drummer. But still not quite as crisp as Vinnie Paul. It’s not so much a technical issue. As much as it is a feel issue. And who knows? Maybe we’ll all be surprised with how good the shows sound. It’s certainly likely.
Despite the band sounding good or not. I feel strongly that this outing should not go under the Pantera moniker. Without Dime and Vinny it just seems wrong. It’s just not Pantera. Any way you slice it. It just isn’t. Wylde will put his own spin on the songs. A subtle change. But it’s still going to have his signature style sprinkled throughout. If they went out under a ‘Cowboys From Hell’ moniker that would be much more appropriate. Because the music of Pantera should be honored. And I believe it will be on the upcoming tour.
