When Pantera released their major label debut, 'Cowboys from Hell' in 1990, it was the beginning of something new. Call it "groove metal" or whatever, it was Pantera's own sound, totally unique. Post-thrash metal sound mixed with influences from the first heavy metal band, Black Sabbath, to Judas Priest and Kiss, dipped in Texan BBQ sauce made from whiskey, beer and sweat. They managed to hone it for quite a long time, but somewhere after the mid 1990's, they were out of new ideas. They were recycling a lot their older stuff on 'The Great Southern Trendkill' (1996) already. On the band's swansong album, 'Reinventing the Steel', released in the new millennium, did not reinvent anything. It was not a new 'CfH' the band needed and it could not lift the band up from a swamp.
No matter how lame music Pantera sometimes did, the band themselves were as strong as a rock. Often dubbed as "#1 guitar player of all time", Dimebag Darrell, used to build his own effect pedals and, well, that's how he sounds; totally unique. His shredding yet groovy playing left huge mark in the history of rock. However, he went much straighter with his riffs here, which is disappointing. Vinnie Paul, Dimebag's drumming bro, is the man of huge, accurate beat. Phil Anselmo mixed heavy metal singing and the anger of hardcore vocals, although he lost his high-pitch singing during the years. Bass player Rex provided loud low frequencies. Everyone of them a talent, but not fully utilized on this album.
'Hellbound' starts with huge groove, exploding into eardrum ripping shred, and manages to be a gripping opener. 'Goddamn Electric' is a slower groover. While both are okay, it's clear that the band aren't doing anything new, but just plundering their own back catalogue. Plus, the band clearly wanted to explore more unusual rhythmic solutions, which makes the songs somewhat incoherent. 'Yesterday Don't Mean Shit' was the first song that hit me hard when I heard the album for first times. Now this is a real unstoppable roller, one that the album already needed! However, the incoherence returns faster than hoped, in shape of 'You've Got to Belong to It', where Dimebag offered some of his most twisted riffing and guitar noises. Sadly, those elements do not a song make, but it is more like an aural equivalent to being at dentist! Pantera's most annoying song, ever, that I never wanted to hear. The album's sole single cut, 'Revolution Is My Name', presents straighter songwriting.
And this is the halfway of the album. So, it's been a pretty inconsistent drive thus far, let me tell you. 'Death Rattle' and 'Uplift' are goodies, but with that familiar aura in them. They are very similar with two previous albums' stuff. Some great rhythm stuff on 'Death Rattle'! Ahhh, the waited slow song next, as it is time for 'It Makes Them Disappear'. But what? No ballad? Nope, it's more akin to 'By Demons Be Driven' than any Pantera tearjerker. Heck, the album seems to get much steadier on the other half. The final Pantera song ever, 'I'll Cast a Shadow' is another dark song, and damn me, but it has Down vibes all over it! Actually the whole album is pretty mellow at times...
Overall, there is but one bad song, namely 'You've Got to Belong to It'. However, 'Yesterday Don't Mean Shit' is the sole song I lift to the list of classic Pantera songs. The band simply haven't been able to bring off anything new. They were showing tiredness, at least in songwriting department. The band themselves sound energetic and demonstrate some impressive playing and stunts. Soundwise it's typical Pantera (the new Pantera, that is); very clear, maybe too clear for Pantera's music, covering everything between low frequencies and treble response. It could've been so much more punchy. The cover art continued in the line of crappy covers, Pantera way. The lyrics are about rockers' life and about general everyday crap the life throws your way. Sadly, their own lyrics depicts this album way too well: "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, we'll grind that axe for a long time."
Rating: 7- (out of 10) ratings explained
Reviewed by Lane
03/23/2010 11:38
