Pantera: The Demons of Metal Music

Pantera, also known as the "Metal Magi," were an American heavy metal band that emerged in the 1980s. Hailing from Texas, Pantera quickly gained a reputation for their aggressive sound, intense stage presence, and innovative approach to metal music. Formed in 1981, Pantera initially started as a glam metal band, influenced by the likes of Van Halen and Kiss. However, their sound took a drastic turn in the late 1980s when they recruited vocalist Phil Anselmo. With Anselmo's aggressive growls and screams, Pantera's music became heavier, darker, and more intense. With their new sound, Pantera released their breakthrough album "Cowboys from Hell" in 1990.

So is Metal Magic worth listening to? Well, maybe, but only as a curiosity (unless you’re a huge glam metal fan). The songs are definitely derivative of KISS and Ratt, and Glaze’s vocals are pretty generic. Even if you make it past the sex moans in “I’ll Be Alright” and the KISS-meets-KISS progressions of “Latest Lover,” the power ballad “Biggest Part of Me” is unlistenable. And the keyboards throughout are pretty horrible sounding.

Back at the start, though, Glaze, brothers Diamond Darrell Abbott guitar Vincent Vinnie Paul Abbott drums , and bassist Rex Brown were a rudderless young heavy rock band and, in many ways, were as wanting for musical direction as American heavy metal in general, which was teetering on the brink of exploding in popularity along two very distinct stylistic paths thrash and glam metal. There are two kinds of people The people who hate Metal Magic because the love Pantera, and the people who love Metal Magic because they hate Pantera.

With their new sound, Pantera released their breakthrough album "Cowboys from Hell" in 1990. The album showcased their signature blend of thrash metal and groove metal, characterized by heavy guitar riffs, thunderous drums, and powerful vocals. It established Pantera as a force to be reckoned with in the metal scene and garnered them a loyal fanbase.

Pantera
Metal Magic

Imagine a band. Imagine this band existed during the 80s. In this band are a group of teenage guys, in or fresh out of high school. They are dressed in the finest decor of glam metal, complete with long, flowing hair, and makeup most likely stolen from their mothers. Imagine these guys bought into every MTV-popularized trend that the 80s had to offer. Imagine they listened to unhealthy amounts of KISS and worshiped the ground Van Halen walked on. Finally, imagine this band attempting to fit in with the metal scene, but failing miserably at it. Now, what band are you imagining? If it was Pantera you were thinking of this whole time, you have obviously had the displeasure of listening to their 1983 debut, Metal Magic. If so, I sincerely apologize from the deepest depths of my heart.

For those fortunate few who are not already aware, Cowboys From Hell is not the first Pantera album, despite how much the band wishes it was. That's right, before they were "taking over your town" and revolutionizing thrash metal, Pantera spent an entire decade trying to be Mötley Crüe. They failed at doing so, however, and at absolute best ended up as Winger. This decade of what is now known as "Glamtera" brought us four albums, each one better than the last but none that can legitimately be considered "good." While Pantera's glam career may have unremarkable, none of their releases hold a candle to Metal Magic in terms of sheer badness. Simply put, the mere fact that Pantera were able to have such a successful career after this album is nothing short of magic.

This album fails on every conceivable level, an impressive feat for a band that would one day rule the 90s metal scene. Where the band falters most on this album is in their astoundingly bad musicianship. A common misconception is that the legendary Dimebag Darrel Abbot performed lead guitar on this album. This is entirely false, as it was in fact Diamond Darrel Abbot who played on the album. Diamond was the larva that would eventually metamorphose into the Dimebag we know and love. On Metal Magic, as is characteristic of larva, Diamond is a mere shadow of what he would become. He does show actual potential on the album, with riffs somewhat catchy and shredding guitar solos that are occasionally borderline-interesting. Nevertheless, Diamond's playing is plagued by an inscrutable sense of familiarity. This never ceases over the course of the album, and makes both his riffs and solos seem all the more lackluster. With that being said, Diamond's playing is the only element of the album that does not fall flat on its face, although it does trip every now and then.

While his lead guitar work is actually moderately enjoyable, Diamond is unable to carry the rest of the band. Vinnie Paul (the only band member who didn't alter his name to make it sound more "glam") gives an incredibly subpar performance, playing generic drum patterns that in no way reflect the skill he legitimately possessed. Bassist Rex Rocker (who would later metamorphose into the far superior Rex Brown) is never audible over the course of the album, most likely to make room for Vocalist Terry Glaze's overwhelming blandness. Glaze served as the vocalist for the first three Pantera releases, and without a doubt ranks among the worst to ever grace the stage. His vocal delivery lacks any sort of strength, confidence, or even pitch. He tends to slur words together and give only a minimal amount of effort when it comes to annunciation. The lack of energy and over the top emotion in his delivery often make certain parts of songs unintentionally hilarious, such as when he whispers “Metal magic, magic, magic. ” during the title track, or has the weakest fake orgasm in the history of music at the conclusion of the song “I'll be Alright.” Glaze's lyrics don't do his vocals any favors either. The lyrics reek of adolescent horniness and god-awful sexual innuendos, such as “Ride My Rocket” and “Biggest Part of Me” (which, funny enough, is a supposedly serious love ballad). Thankfully, Glaze's painfully weak delivery, coupled with the album's production, occasionally render his vocals unintelligible. This way, the listener only has to suffer through the lyrics he or she actually comprehends, which is a godsend considering the awfulness of the lyrics that are decipherable. The only seemingly intelligent member of Pantera was the keyboardist, who must have realized how worthless his input was and therefore left himself uncredited. We may never know the keyboardist's name as long as we live. Whatever the case may be, he was smart to have his name omitted, as being attached to Metal Magic and no other Pantera albums would have most likely been career suicide.

Aside from the band's individual performances, Metal Magic makes for an extremely unpleasant listening experience. The album lacks any sort of production quality, as one might expect from a young group’s first outing. Due to this, the bass has been entirely mixed out and Glaze's already weak vocals are usually shoved into the background. The fuzzy guitar overpowers everything else on the album and blares, often painfully, into the listener's ears if the songs are played at even a moderate volume. Keyboard melodies are made louder than necessary, turning high-pitched notes into the most annoying sound fathomable. During “Tell Me If You Like It,” the keyboard obnoxiously rings over the rest of the band, akin to what one might hear during a medical hearing exam. More than anything else, the abysmal production makes Metal Magic nearly impossible to get through in one sitting without the fear of permanent injury to one's eardrums. After listening to Glaze's vocals for five minutes, however, you may welcome hearing loss with open arms.

One afternoon not too long ago, I saw the cover of Metal Magic for the first time and laughed so hard and for so long that I began to feel sharp pains throughout my entire body and I lost all feelings in my lungs. I fell on the ground gasping for air, coughing uncontrollably as my body violently convulsed. My eyes began to burn from all the tears and I lost control of my bowels. Forcing myself to hold back vomit, I crawled across the floor and stared a picture of Vulgar Display of Power until I became so intimidated, my laughing ceased. Death was so close, mere seconds away perhaps, and having now listened all the way through this album I sincerely wish I died of laughter that day. That way, I would have never listened to this album in the first place. Metal Magic is the great southern failure, due to a vulgar display of musicianship and songs that are so far beyond uninteresting that they practically reinvent the word “bland.” Although I cannot recommend this album to anyone based off its music, I strongly encourage anyone who enjoys Pantera to check Metal Magic out for themselves and experience the hilarity. After all, you can't truly call yourself a Pantera fan until you've listened to the first sixty seconds of “Ride My Rocket.” When doing so, just be sure to monitor your breathing rate every twenty seconds to avoid laughing to death.

Imagine a band. Imagine this band existed during the 80s. In this band are a group of teenage guys, in or fresh out of high school. They are dressed in the finest decor of glam metal, complete with long, flowing hair, and makeup most likely stolen from their mothers. Imagine these guys bought into every MTV-popularized trend that the 80s had to offer. Imagine they listened to unhealthy amounts of KISS and worshiped the ground Van Halen walked on. Finally, imagine this band attempting to fit in with the metal scene, but failing miserably at it. Now, what band are you imagining? If it was Pantera you were thinking of this whole time, you have obviously had the displeasure of listening to their 1983 debut, Metal Magic. If so, I sincerely apologize from the deepest depths of my heart.

Pantera continued their success with subsequent albums like "Vulgar Display of Power" (1992) and "Far Beyond Driven" (1994). These albums were praised for their aggression, technical prowess, and social commentary. Pantera's lyrics often tackled themes of alienation, personal struggle, and societal issues, resonating with their audience. However, behind the scenes, tensions started to rise within the band. Infighting and conflicts between band members began to affect their music and performances. Despite these internal struggles, Pantera managed to release their final studio album "Reinventing the Steel" in 2000. Tragically, Pantera's journey was cut short in 2003 when guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed during a performance with his new band Damageplan. This shocking event sent shockwaves through the metal community, as Dimebag Darrell was revered as one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. Pantera's influence on metal cannot be overstated. They are credited with popularizing groove metal and influencing countless bands that followed in their footsteps. Their music continues to resonate with fans, and their legacy as metal magi remains intact. Pantera will always be remembered as one of the most influential and powerful metal bands in history..

Reviews for "The Giant Cowboys from Hell: Pantera's Live Performances"

1. John D. - 1 star

I found "Pantera metal magi" to be extremely underwhelming. The songs lacked any sort of originality and seemed to blend into one another, making it difficult to distinguish between tracks. The vocals were monotonous and lacked the power and range I expect from a metal band. Overall, I was thoroughly disappointed and would not recommend this album to any metal fans seeking something fresh and exciting.

2. Emily S. - 2 stars

While I appreciate the effort put into "Pantera metal magi," I couldn't connect with the music on a deeper level. The lyrics felt generic and lacked depth, failing to evoke any emotional response. Additionally, the guitar solos seemed forced and lacked creativity. Overall, I was left bored and uninterested throughout the album.

3. David M. - 2 stars

"Pantera metal magi" failed to live up to my expectations as a metal fan. The songs lacked the aggression and raw energy that I typically enjoy in metal music. The production quality also felt lackluster, with the instruments sounding muddy and poorly mixed. I was hoping for a more powerful and impactful album, but unfortunately, this fell short for me.

4. Sarah B. - 1.5 stars

I found "Pantera metal magi" to be repetitive and unoriginal. The band seemed to rely on tired and overused metal tropes without bringing anything new to the table. The vocals felt uninspired and lacked the power and intensity that I associate with the genre. It's disappointing, as I was hoping for something more exciting and innovative.

5. Mark W. - 1 star

I regret purchasing "Pantera metal magi." The songs lacked any memorable hooks or catchy melodies, making them forgettable and easily dismissed. The band's attempt at incorporating different elements into their music felt forced and unnatural, resulting in a disjointed listening experience. Overall, I was left unimpressed and would not recommend this album to others who enjoy quality metal music.

Power and Aggression: Pantera's Impact on Modern Metal