Pantera: Power Metal

When you think Pantera what’s the first thing that pops in your mind? Cowboys from Hell? Walk? Cemetery Gates? Obnoxious tough guy lyrics and sub par riffs with awesome solos to make it a tad bit better? Well all those things are true, but you may have also heard that Pantera were a “Glam” band in the 80s and that’s true, to an extent. I’ve never really put much time and effort into listening to their other 80s output. However, I will tell you that their 1988 album Power Metal is NOT a Glam album. Come to think of it, it’s not a power metal album either… Maybe they should of called it something else =/

Band - Pantera

Album - Power Metal

Genre - Heavy/Speed/Thrash Metal

Year - 1988

Country - USA (Arlington,Texas)

This album sounds like a lovechild of Metallica and Judas Priest! A very good sound in my book! Phil Anselmo is sounding very unlike himself. He stays in a screechy high range throughout most of the album. This is Phil’s first album with the band and in my opinion one of his best performances. This album defiantly stands out among the other Glam bands of the era and would stand up very well against speed metal bands of the era as well. Though they still have too many commercial and glam tunes to make it among thrash bands of the time.Hell, I mean look at the album cover. They look pretty damn metal to me!  You can also hear some grove riffs that wouldn’t sound out of place on some of the later albums. Lots of shredy solos and thrashy riffs, this album is probably the closest they came to being pure Thrash but they don't quite make it. The lead guitar work is amazing on this record. Dimebag is shredding it up like no ones business. His riffs are awesome as well. Far better then a lot of his awful "Famous" Riffs like Walk. Seriously, fuck that song.

The album starts off with Rock the World, a typical commercial rocker. It's, notably, a little heavier then the standard for commercial rockers. Great vocal melodies! Nothing special though. Solos are great, but it’s Dimebag so you should expect as much. The speed metal assault really kicks in once power metal gets going. The title track is the best example of what this album is. A great mix of fast, heavy riffs and plenty of melodic elements. The title Track is blazing, unapologetic, speed metal. Phil sounds awesome here, shame he doesn’t sound like that now a days. We’ll meet again is a power Balled. One again, standing out from the rest of the glam pack it’s a very good song. It’s a tad bit cheesy but it’s not a stinker like so many other ballads from the late 80s. Unlike their peers, this song still has the balls to make it scream METAL! Over and out is a thrash tune with a heavy riff. Proud to be loud is another one of the more Commercial tunes very catchy so it does its job well and as always great guitar work. Death Trap is another Thrashy tune, mid paced for the most part but a real headbanger. When Hard Ride came on I had to do a double take, I thought someone put Priest's Turbo on when I wasn’t paying attention. It’s another Commercial tune. But it’s still heavy and driving, as opposed to most of the Shitty glam bands of the era who put out fifty thousand Ballads an album. Though hard ride sounds a tad bit more commercial then the rest so hat makes it a weak point for this record. Burn eh sorry… Burnnn is another fast one; it has more of the Priest sound as opposed to the thrashy sound of a few of the other songs. As usual great shredding from Dimebag. P.S.T 88 is one of the best songs here, it’s sung by Dimebag and he sounds damn good! I hate to keep comparing this to Metallica but he sounds a bit like Hetfield and it’s basically, a Thrash song. I love the little lightning fast lead thing he’s doing around 1:30 sounds AMAZING! I know he’s just showing off, but DAMN! Oh and these Lyrics are great too, its one of those "I wanna get laid/I get more pussy then you" songs.

Overall a very good album. Very under-rated. When Pantera buried all their pre Cowboys from Hell material they really should have kept this one out in the light. This album has aged well and stands up just fine among the Heavy/Speed Metal acts of the time. Since they buried this awesome album that makes it a bit hard to find. If you dig it the whole album is up on YouTube and it shouldn’t be difficult to find a place to download it online. Some personal favorites are Power Metal, We’ll Meet Again, Death Trap and P.S.T 88

Here are four songs to check out.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, I'm not hating on Cowboys from Hell, just Most of Vulgar Display of Power and pretty much everything hat came after that. I dig Cowboys just a little less as I do this album