Pantera revitalized metal

The 1990s are often regarded as the prime time for heavy metal. The formative years of the 60s and 70s found more stable footing in the 80s and came to a head in the 90s. What’s most interesting about all this is the switch in sound and attitude from the 80s into the 90s.

Where the 80s were all about theatrics, falsetto vocals and a “go big or go home” approach to visual aesthetics, the 90s had a precise focus on technique and sound, perhaps at the sacrifice of some of the stage presence of the preceding decade.

There’s no other band that embodied the transition into the 90s in sound and style as transparently as Pantera.

The story begins with an era dubbed by fans as the “Glam-tera” era, defined as the time before frontman Phil Anselmo joined the band, and the sound was quintessentially glam metal, reflective of the state of metal in the 80s.

Anselmo joined the lineup with “Dimebag” Darrell, “Vinny” Paul and Rex Brown in 1988, when the band was still in the thick of their glam phase.

It isn’t until the turn of the decade that their sound begins to metamorphize. What was essentially generic glam metal turned into the faint whisper of what would come of the new lineup further into the 90s.

Pantera released “Cowboys From Hell” in 1990. The album represents the inklings of change beginning to occur in the scene with the heavier vocals, heavier interludes, longer tracks and more satisfying subject matter. It was a step away from the focus on partying, romantic escapades, drugs and sometimes unsubstantial themes that characterized the metal of the 80s.

Anselmo was still hitting the high notes, but that was between his one-of-a-kind growls and ripping screams. Although this album still contains the swan song of a passing age, it’s remained a staple in the band’s catalogue and is considered a modern classic in metal as a whole. It’s perhaps because of its distinctive transitional sound that it has remained a favorite, and not in spite of that aspect.

In two short years, the band expanded the heavier elements of “Cowboys From Hell” on “Vulgar Display of Power.” This succeeding album still contains the essence of the band’s beginning, but it was clear it was a quality the band would not be returning to. This album featured harsher vocals and fewer operatic, falsetto screams than “Cowboys From Hell,” as well as chug-ier, choppier riffs from Dimebag and more insistent bass lines and drumming techniques. The attitude listeners tend to associate with the band begins to rear its head on this album as well. Anselmo barks and snarls profanities and orders the listener around in tracks like “Walk” and “Rise.”

“Vulgar Display of Power” bridges the gap between “Cowboys From Hell” and their most popular and seminal album, “Far Beyond Driven.”

“Far Beyond Driven” came out in 1994, when the grunge scene was already underway and booming. In the meantime, Anselmo had lived in New Orleans, Louisiana, and absorbed the crushing, southern filth of the sludge scene happening independently from the west and east coasts’ rivalry at the time.

It was this sludge influence that converted Pantera from heavy metal to the powerhouse of 90s groove metal they became. “Far Beyond Driven” teems with hostility, aggression and blistering riffs. It’s a concise 12 tracks, ending on an honorific cover of “Planet Caravan” by Black Sabbath.

Listening to these three albums back-to-back, the evolution of their sound is as clear as the sky is blue. Their catalogue is an auditory record keeping of how sound and style in music can change is just a matter of a few years.

Most will agree that no band defines the 90s quite like Pantera or “Far Beyond Driven,” especially when people feared for the fate of metal as grunge and alternative rock took precedence over metal and hard rock.

Pantera’s unwillingness to compromise on their sound and energy revitalized metal for the modern audience and took a sample of the underground scenes still bubbling to the mainstream. Pantera’s commitment to heaviness in the face of a cultural shift speaks to their lasting presence and influence in metal music to this day.