Pantera: Reinventing the Steel

In 1996, Pantera released an album called The Great Southern Trendkill. As the album title suggests, the Dallas-based quartet has traditionally made a conscious effort to avoid popular trends in the music industry. Reinventing the Steel is the name of Pantera's new album, its first studio release since Trendkill. In an age when certain "heavy-metal" bands do not hesitate to collaborate with symphony orchestras, it's only natural to be frightened by the word "reinventing" in a new album title. Is the band reinventing itself? Are they still worthy of the nickname "Cowboys from Hell," or have they become victims to the trends themselves?

Title aside, a glance at the cover of Reinventing the Steel eases some tension. The familiar Pantera logo is engulfed in flames, hovering above a man clutching a bottle of booze while jumping through a raging bonfire. The image conjures up the feeling of drunken adrenaline that Pantera's music has always evoked. In the liner notes, the band gives props to the important things in life—"Wild Turkey, Zig Zag Papers, and titty bars"—proving that Pantera hasn't forgotten how to have a good time.

The most comforting part is the music itself. The first track, "Hellbound," erupts with a swift kick to the listener's head from Vinnie Paul Abbot's drum set and Rex Brown's bass. Dimebag Darrell's guitar riffs continue to be as menacing as the rattlesnake that adorns the cover of Trendkill. Lead singer Phil Anselmo's vocals still sound like Satan summoning a congregation of demons. "Goddamn Electric" is a chair-throwing, ear-bleeding ode to the heavy-metal lifestyle, thanks in part to Slayer guitarist Kerry King's masterful solo. "You've Got to Belong to it" is classic Pantera: Dimebag's fingers dance melodically across the fretboard before exploding into a chaotic death march, as Phil accompanies him with passionate tales of whiskey and dope. One after another, the songs shred any doubt that Pantera remains unscathed by the popular music scene.

On "We'll Grind that Axe for a Long Time," Phil howls, "Every fucking song remains the same/To everyone who sucks up for the fame/Out of strength you know we speak the truth/Every trend that dies is living proof." Pantera's five albums of pure, against-the-grain metal have left a permanent scar on the otherwise fair-skinned face of popular music. With Reinventing the Steel, the Cowboys from Hell have proven that success does not require conformity. (Elektra)

—Steven Barnett

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