Reinventing Metal

The True Story of Pantera and the Tragically Short Life of Dimebag Darrell

Neil Daniels

• Publisher: Backbeat
• Year: 2000
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781480362734
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music Biographies

Pantera is widely regarded as one of the most influential and revered American metal bands of the past twenty years. Although the band's output was relatively modest-from 1983 to 2000, the group released only nine studio albums-Pantera's impact on the metal scene is still felt today.

Brothers Vinnie and Darrell Abbott established the roots of Pantera during their high school days, and after years of pounding the pavement in their home state of Texas, and after several lineup changes and four obscure, independent releases, Pantera broke through to a worldwide audience in 1990 with the major label release of Cowboys from Hell. With the classic Pantera lineup in place-Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown, Darrell and Vinnie Abbott-Pantera continued through the 1990s and early 2000s, leaving behind a discography, including the ever-popular album Vulgar Display of Power, that has made an indelible mark on countless genres of heavy metal and hard rock.

Pantera officially disbanded in 2003, and guitartist Dimebag Darrell was tragically killed in 2004, but his guitar-god legacy remains undiminished, and Pantera's fan base continues to grow.

Reinventing Metal is the first-ever biography of the entire band, covering the group's humble beginnings to its major success and the aftermath. Peppered with oral history from people who were along for the wild ride, and including a foreword by Jeff Waters of Annihilator, an afterword by Brian Slagel of Metal Blade Records, and rare photos from all eras of the band's career, Reinventing Metal delivers the story of one of the most pivotal metal bands ever.

Table of contents

• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. At Hell’s Gates: The Birth of the Panther
• 2. Rock Out: The Making of Metal Magic
• 3. Heavy Metal Rules: Pantera Unleashes Projects in the Jungle
• 4. Onward We Rock: The Release of I Am the Night
• 5. Rock the World: Phil Anselmo, Power Metal, and the Dawn of a New Era
• 6. At the Cemetery Gates: Finding a Label
• 7. Psychos from the South: The Release of Cowboys from Hell
• 8. Demons Be Driven: The Release of Vulgar Display of Power
• 9. Strength Beyond Strength: The Release of Far Beyond Driven
• 10. Five Minutes Alone: Communication Breakdown and Band Tension
• 11. Underground in America: The Release of The Great Southern Trendkill
• 12. Hell’s Wrath: Band Life Ain’t Easy
• 13. Southern Shredders: Ozzfest, Official Live, and Some Much-Needed Downtime
• 14. Goddamn Electric: Pantera Hit the Studio for Reinventing the Steel
• 15. Immortally Insane: Pantera on Tour
• 16. We’ll Grind That Axe for a Long Time: The Inevitable Breakup of the Band
• Epilogue
• Afterword
• Discography
• Sources
• Photo Insert