Vulgar Display of Power was released on February 25, 1992. It was the sixth studio album from the American heavy metal band Pantera who were from The Lone Star State of Texas. Some would say Vulgar Display Of Power was their second release because of the change of musical direction they took when releasing Cowboys From Hell in 1990.
After the release of Vulgar Display Of Power, Pantera would soon storm the masses with their hard edge, in your face, brutal guitar driven music taking no prisoners along the way to the next show. With new songs, hitting you just as hard as the album cover image, 'Mouth For War', 'This Love', and the bone-crushing anthem 'Walk', became the favorites for many. Pantera were on top of their game and would soon dominate the world before going on hiatus in 2001, and then finally disbanding in 2003.
Whether you had heard Vulgar Display Of Power last month, last year, or even 10 years ago for the very first time, it is still one of the most influential heavy metal albums ever. It has held the test of time and will be liked and heard for the first time again for many generations of metalheads to come.
I truly believe that if Dimebag were still alive today, friendships would have eventually been mended, especially between Phil Anselmo and Vinnie Paul, and Pantera would have gotten back together by now. It would have been an amazing and huge reunion to the heavy metal gods. I’m pretty sure that after patching things up, they would have all jumped into the studio and recorded new material. It quite possibly could have blown everything else that they’ve ever done out of the water and then some. We can just now only imagine what could have been since Dimebag Darrel Abbot’s life was taken away from us. His life lived way too short, but his legacy will never be forgotten and will forever live on.
In this exclusive Metal Pulp And Paper feature, we will hear from many on how Pantera and Vulgar Display Of Power might have influenced their band or touched their lives. So pour yourself a shot of Black Tooth Grin, sling it back and hold those metal horns up high in the air and celebrate 25 years of Vulgar Display Of Power! Then take another shot for the pink beard in the sky. Dimebag, thank you for the memories, and the lives that you touched with your music. You are deeply missed.
Geoff Stephenson/
Metal Pulp And Paper
After the release of Vulgar Display Of Power, Pantera would soon storm the masses with their hard edge, in your face, brutal guitar driven music taking no prisoners along the way to the next show. With new songs, hitting you just as hard as the album cover image, 'Mouth For War', 'This Love', and the bone-crushing anthem 'Walk', became the favorites for many. Pantera were on top of their game and would soon dominate the world before going on hiatus in 2001, and then finally disbanding in 2003.
Whether you had heard Vulgar Display Of Power last month, last year, or even 10 years ago for the very first time, it is still one of the most influential heavy metal albums ever. It has held the test of time and will be liked and heard for the first time again for many generations of metalheads to come.
I truly believe that if Dimebag were still alive today, friendships would have eventually been mended, especially between Phil Anselmo and Vinnie Paul, and Pantera would have gotten back together by now. It would have been an amazing and huge reunion to the heavy metal gods. I’m pretty sure that after patching things up, they would have all jumped into the studio and recorded new material. It quite possibly could have blown everything else that they’ve ever done out of the water and then some. We can just now only imagine what could have been since Dimebag Darrel Abbot’s life was taken away from us. His life lived way too short, but his legacy will never be forgotten and will forever live on.
In this exclusive Metal Pulp And Paper feature, we will hear from many on how Pantera and Vulgar Display Of Power might have influenced their band or touched their lives. So pour yourself a shot of Black Tooth Grin, sling it back and hold those metal horns up high in the air and celebrate 25 years of Vulgar Display Of Power! Then take another shot for the pink beard in the sky. Dimebag, thank you for the memories, and the lives that you touched with your music. You are deeply missed.
Geoff Stephenson/
Metal Pulp And Paper
L to R: Rex Brown, Phil Anselmo, Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul
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Michael Hahne/
Misery Loves Co.
Vulgar Display Of Power! A punch to the face that is administered with such force that shockwaves ripple through the victim's skin. Exactly what I felt when 'Mouth For War' jumped out of the speakers. I remembered working in a studio with Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames, Misery Loves Co.), I had just bought the album, took it to the studio and our jaws dropped to floor while listening to it. I was blown away.
This Texan quartet just released an album only months after Nevermind and "Black album", not the best timing. While grunge was giving the middle finger to everything that was well played or/and "polished", Pantera was giving the same finger right back. This is an ex glam metal band I'm listening to but now they are kicking everybody's ass. Dimebag's riffs, Vinnie Paul's hammering and Phil's anger just hits you like a tsunami. It has everything, thrash, speed, groove and hardcore.....well except glam metal of course.
Vulgar Display Of Power still stands the test of time and changed the course of metal music.
Adrian Benavies/
Earthdiver
I was in second grade when Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power was released. As a young kid, I didn’t get into rock music until a few years later and by the time I was in fifth grade I had picked up learning how to play guitar and subsequently got more into Pantera as they continued to release Far Beyond Driven and then The Great Southern Trendkill.
I never actually owned a copy of Vulgar Display Of Power. I didn’t have to. I grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas where Pantera might as well have been a local band with as many times as they played shows in my hometown. Pantera singles and album cuts alike were all over the local rock radio station, KRAD, and all of my friends had Pantera tapes or CDs. Pantera’s music seemingly was even MIDI-fied in some of the original Doom game soundtracks which is likely where I first heard versions of some of their riffs since I was a nerdy kid figuring out how to enter DOS prompts to load the game.
My connection to the music of Pantera is sort of impressionistic and not particularly detailed in my memories to their specific albums. They were always one of those bands to me that was such a ubiquitous part of the metal culture among other young musicians and fans where I grew up. It was a given that pretty much everyone I knew that was remotely into hard rock or metal was at least a casual Pantera fan. There was no mistaking Dimebag Darrell’s signature guitar performances even if you didn’t quite know what song was playing. No less iconic than Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen as a guitarist with their own sound. It’s the soul of Pantera’s sound which lives on in countless other bands who have been even subconsciously influenced by their vulgar display of power.
Jeff Wojtysiak/
Cokegoat
When Vulgar Display Of Power came out, I was a sophomore in high school, which just might have been the perfect age for hearing this record for the first time. I was full of hormones, weed, alcohol and aggression. Our group of friends were into Cowboys From Hell, but it lacked something. Vulgar brought it. For guitarist, it was all about Dimebag. He was nuts. The riffs were massive. You couldn't help but get pissed when you listened to this record. We loved singing along to it. "You're writing tickets man, my mom got jumped they ran..." was one we quoted all the time, just ask Phil Taylor. 'Rise' was one of my favorites on the record. It opened that second side, of the tape, and just blasted you in the face. The intro riff chugging along at full speed, building to the break, the hat count, the slide, then into the next riff with the drums just pushing it, forcing your head to bang and fist to pump. I love when Dime would solo on record and he didn't overdub rhythm guitars. It was just drums, bass and lead guitar. 'Rise' has that. Then the chugging after the solo, fuck. So tight. What a great record. Everyone's performances are top notch. It felt like they were on your side, they were fighting for the underdog. No. More. Head. Trips.
Jordan Schultz/
Cokegoat
I met Vinny Paul for about 45 seconds at Cobra Lounge about 10 years ago. I was pretty hammered and tried to talk to him. He (from what I remember) was super cool. I tried to buy him a shot which he politely declined, and then I got bodychecked by 2 or 3 of his security guards and removed from his general vicinity. I totally deserved that shit.
Marcus Raferty/
Fall Of Humanity
I actually never got to see Pantera live. I was too young. But my favorite songs on it are 'Mouth For War' and 'This Love'. I love the transition between the heavy and clean in this love the whole song is a perfect combination of beautiful and disgusting! 'Mouth For War' is a straight up in your face groove! And an amazing way to start an album!
Amazing album. Inspiration at its best.
Mario Duplantier/
Gojira
One of the best bands in the world. 'Walk' is pure genius! I love Pantera.
Mike Martin/
All That Remains
I was a little late to the party on discovering Pantera honestly. I think the initial thing that got me into them was the home videos actually. I got the official live album as a gift first and that's when I realized how much I actually loved the band. Vulgar was the first album I went out and got myself then the obsession really started. 'Mouth for War', 'A New Level', and 'Regular People (Conceit)' are easily my top 3 from that album. I also thought 'Hollow' was amazing how it seemed like two different songs. Such a cool change of pace half way through that catches you by surprise. When everyone still talks about an album that's 25 years old and it's most likely in heavy rotation still for a lot of people like it's new then you know you have something special! In 2004, about two weeks before Dime passed away, we were opening for GWAR in Minneapolis and about a mile down the road Damageplan was also playing a show with Shadows Fall that night. We went to the show after our set and I remember Jon from Shadows Fall saying "hey you wanna go up and sing "Walk" with everyone?" I was too much of a puss to actually do it. I think I was still in shock that I was side stage and about 5 feet from Dime and Vinnie. I just sat there and enjoyed. I was lucky enough to see Pantera live 3 times and man when they went into 'A New Level' it was the most terrifying GA floor experience I've ever felt. So grateful I got to see that band and still grateful for all the amazing music they've released. That album and their entire catalog is just so unreal that I don't think anyone will be forgetting about Pantera's or Dimes legacy anytime soon!
Gregory Allen Coates/
Pleasure Burn
Heavy as fuck!!!!!
Sandra Araya/
Wife of Tom Araya (Slayer)
Vulgar is my absolute favorite Pantera album. My two favorite songs are 'Walk' and 'Fucking Hostile'. This record came out at a fun time in my life a young partier. My friend had the party place a small travel silver bullet R.V. We spent many hours there smoking weed and listening to this record over and over. The Pantera/Slayer tour was a blast. Everyone was super cool. We spent most of our free time hanging with Phil and Dime. Slayer played first so by the time Tom chilled we would go catch the tale end of Pantera's set...which was where they played the older stuff my favorites.
Jeanne Wawrzyniak/
Crossing Rubicon
When I first heard Vulgar Display Of Power I was blown away. At the time I've never heard anything so aggressive. And its an album that stands as one of my favorite heavy albums until this day. Its really hard to pick a favorite song, half the album is. Recently I was at a bar for a friends birthday and we were all singing karaoke. My husband Scott comes up to me saying "I just picked a song for you because I want to hear you do this, oh, and you are next", it was 'Walk'. Haha. I definitely turned heads.
Jeremy Saffer/
Profesional Photographer
Vulgar was when everything changed for Pantera. They shed their traditional metal roots and gave up most of Phil's high range/clean vocals for his more aggressive screaming and of course created their biggest hit, the iconic anthem, 'Walk'! One thing that always stood out to me about this album is how they mixed a lot of thrash, punk, and hardcore influence into this record, where as in their past 5 albums (while many ignore the first 4) they were more of a traditional metal band (or glam metal band in the earlier days) this album shed all of that for pure aggression on tracks like fucking hostile which were speed driven, a new level and mouth for war which was groove driven, pretty much putting "mosh parts" into metal unlike anyone had seen before. 'Walk' is still as iconic as ever... to this day, any concert, anywhere, if you hear "RE!.....SPECT!..... WALK!" generally the entire crowd is chanting this anthem along with the band or loud speakers. Personally I loved the duality of Phil's clean vocals and screaming, which, as of the next few albums would cease to exist, but if you''re wondering where that all started... Pantera were truly the pioneer of that scream/sing duality and really... this may be the first real "metal/hardcore" hybrid album. My favorite track is absolutely 'Hollow'... when it kicks in after the interlude at just past 3 minutes... so heavy! shows every side and sound of Pantera in one song, the most melodic and most heavy and of course the blazing guitar parts Dime came up with on this song... unmatched. 2nd favorite is probably 'This Love'. Though Cowboys will always be my favorite Pantera record but Vulgar is a VERY close second for me and this one usually stands as most peoples favorite and its easy to see why, its by far their most aggressive and genre changing and defining album they put out in their career, living up to its title and solidifying their place as legends.
Nick Quijano/
Hail Sagan
I have been a huge Pantera fan from a young age. Vulgar Display Of Power and Pantera have a soft spot in my heart because VDOP was THE album that got me into heavy music and Pantera was the first metal concert that I went to as a 16 year old kid. In my hometown there wasn't much to do except play guitar and try to find new music that wasn't top 40 or country music. I still remember the first time I heard Pantera. I was at a junior high school party and the song 'Walk' came on the CD player! It took one listen to change my life and my musical path forever. The guitar riff for Walk still to this day is one of the most heavy catchy riffs in heavy music, hands down! What I loved about Pantera is that they were super heavy and over the top but somehow they maintained a really commercial aspect to their music that all the other heavy acts at the time didn't have. They kind of blurred the lines of heavy and commercial and paved way for all the Nu Metal acts. Although 'Walk' has a soft spot in my heart for being my first intro to Pantera, once I got the album I quickly learned that there was much more to Pantera that I thought. Dimes guitar work was so original, fast and clean. Every track on the album is perfect and amazing in its own way. Some of my favorites though are 'Mouth for War', 'Hollow', and 'This Love'. You can't beat the solo work on those songs and the energy in those recordings. I have a lot of Pantera related stories from being in the music industry the past 12 years but some of my most honorable moments were playing the Al Rosa Villa club for the first time and being able to pay my respects to dime and when Vinnie Paul showed up and watched my entire set at Trees in Dallas TX, or the time I knocked on Damage Plan's bus door when I was 20years old and Dime and Vinnie told me to get lost lol, but no memory compares to the first time I saw Pantera live for the Great Southern Trendkill tour! They were so powerful live and just killed it on stage opening up with 'Suicide Note Pt. 1' and then slamming into 'Suicide Note Pt. 2', I just watched in awe and told myself that that is what I wanted to do in life. Now here I am, years and years later making my living playing metal music. Cheers to Pantera for an amazing life changing 25 years. Without Vulgar Display Of Power none of us would be where we are now in the world of metal!
Michael Del Pizzo/
Sunflower Dead
Pantera, I could give a dissertation on the band and it's greatness, let alone how much their music means to me but this is a quick note on Vulgar Display Of Power. I can't believe it's 25 Years Old!!' Still sounds as crushing as ever. I get chills whenever I hear it and 'Mouth For War' gets things going. I swear, the first half of this album is flawless. It's just one crusher after another. The day this album came out, I remember me and my friend putting This Love and Fucking Hostile on repeat and screaming those songs at the top of our lungs over and over. 'A New Level', holy shit, talk about bridging the gap between hardcore and metal. I knew this was a special record that superseded it's genre because everyone I knew, metalheads, deathmetal diehards, hardcore lovers and even regular music lovers all were talking about this record. Pantera, thank you for Vulgar Display Of Power!!!!
Jaime Teissere/
Sunflower Dead
My favorite song off Vulgar Display Of Power is 'Walk', I feel like that guitar groove changed metal and rock music and is completely undeniable!
My gnarliest concert for me growing up was Pantera and White Zombie back in 1996, I went to the show to check out these 2 bands and I had no idea what was in store! I worked my way to the front of the amphitheater and spent the entire evening in the pit. At this time in my young life I wasn't as familiar with Pantera as I was White Zombie, non the less White Zombie's set ended and here came mother fucking Pantera! Holy shit! I got real familiar real fucking quick! I went home that night and my mind was fucking blown! I ended up seeing them on this same tour 3 times and if I could have made more of the shows I would have! These were special times in my life that I'll never forget. A little over a decade later I had the privilege to tour with Vinnie Paul when Hellyeah was just getting started with my former band Droid, I shared the stage with him in 2007 on the "Family Values" tour alongside with Korn and again on the "Bitch we have a problem" tour! After Droid broke up in 2010 I didn't know if I'd ever tour again, well long story short I helped develop my current band Sunflower Dead and in 2013 here I was again opening up for Hellyeah and hanging out with VP once again. Since then I've shared the stage with him on 3 other tours during 2015 and 2016! I have so much love for music and can not express my feelings enough on how blessed my musical career has been and the cool shit I've experienced! If you had asked me at that show in 1996 if I thought I'd ever share the stage with Vinnie Paul I would have just laughed my ass off and said shit the fuck up, lol...
Cody Perez/
Amerakin Overdose
Vulgar Display Of Power was the very first CD I bought with my own money. It was like nothing I had ever heard or felt before from any band. Front to back hands down still one of the greatest albums of all time. 'Mouth For War' is my favorite because it gets you amped up and with it being the opening it sets the mood for the journey the album puts you on.
Katy Irizarry/
Revolver Magazine Editor
Freeman Promotions Publicist
When I was a wee one in middle school who was just discovering metal, 'Walk' was the first Pantera song I'd ever heard, and one of the first metal songs I'd heard in general, if you could imagine that. Through and through, the song was raw power - the music, the lyrics, the vocals - it was unlike anything I'd ever heard prior to that. The song ultimately led me to discover Vulgar Display Of Power in full, which projected an unrefined tone of sheer brutality from cover to cover. As I said, it was unlike anything I had heard by the age of 12, but more importantly, it's still unlike anything I've ever heard to this day. Pantera stand alone.
Amy Sciarretto
Atom Splitter Publicist
My favorite Pantera song of all time is 'Mouth for War'. When I went through my WORST breakup ever, I used to listen to that song on my iPod on repeat, during my commute to work in NYC everyday, and it gave me strength to face the bullshit and not give up, despite being emotionally sucker punched. The lyrics, "I've moved mountains with less" and "When I channel my hate to productive, I don't find it hard to impress" are very motivational. There is true power in taking the power back from pain. I also named my dog after Phil because he is my fave metal singer — Higgins Hansen Anselmo-Sciarretto.
Juliana Novo/
Crucifixtion BR
When I first heard some of their songs on the radio from the albums Cowboys From Hell and Vulgar Display Of Power, it was surprising to me in that time, cause I was starting to discover heavy/thrash metal music, then later I heard the whole VDoP with a friend. Powerful songs, perfectly heavy, with rhythms that get stuck in your head, and still with ballads that manage to be beautiful and aggressive at the same time, and powerful vocals. When I had guitar lessons (before being a drummer I was a guitarist) I studied this song and a few others from that album. My favorite track is 'By Demons Be Driven', followed by 'Mouth For War'.
Marcio Guterres/
Crucifixion BR
After copying VDoP with a tape-recorder, when I started listening, I was surprised by the heavy and insane 'Mouth For War', I thought what the fuck is that, this is Pantera yes, Pantera's insane evolution, even sharper and heavier guitars. Philip Anselmo's vocals going guttural. I loved this change in the sound, like in all albums that came after, each new album became more insane, heavy and rotten... They revolutionized the music and metal market. Back to the album, there were only classics such as 'A New Level', 'Fucking Hostile' mixing thrash metal with hardcore, 'This Love' similar to 'Cemetary Gates' but more robust... This album is perfect to hear from beginning to end... I used to watch the 'Mouth For War' video then my mother caught me watching it, then asked: is that what you want for your life? Crazy hairy drunken junkies etc. I briefly explained the meaning of extreme music to me, she understood. Great album, go listen at full volume with lots of beer, Rip Dimebag Darrell. Pantera left a legacy.
Brian "Big Boy" Carter/
Dead Horse Trauma
'Hollow' is one of my favorite songs from VDOP. The guitars on 'Hollow' are so beautiful but brutal! The Spector bass tones used by Rex Brown are really what sold me and we're a huge inspiration to the bass sound that I use today. Vulgar Display of Power; let's just say if this album didn't make you bang your head or change your opinions on Texas or Metal you weren't raised right! It was ear piercing Perfection! On the road I have had the pleasure of paying respect to the man him self! Visiting his grave, place of death, and gathering my own stories of a guy I have never met; yet respect so much. I've met many people affected by The Pantera family and their life changing music! Had the pleasure of meeting Vinnie Paul and some Crew at Reno's Chop Shop In Dallas TX. Toured with a very few close friends to the Abbott family and anyone who had the pleasure of being around this music has had many great Good and Bad Stories to tell. All in all VDOP was Introduced to me by My older Brother and helped inspired me to make The music we play for our own crowds today!
Dreamer/
Kissing Candice
Vulgar Display Of Power is an absolute classic release in almost every way, anyway you look at it. It was a game changer and set the blue print for many things to come. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that doesn't at the very LEAST, respect that record and what it did on so many levels. It's pretty close to perfect. The first time I heard that record, I was a kid and bought it at the now defunct record store, Coconuts (rip). I remember I loved the cover and knew it was going to be insane. It's so hard to choose a favorite song off it, because they truly are all equally amazing in their own right. If I had to actually pick, it would be either 'A New Level' or 'Mouth for War'. There are so few bands that just drip with attitude like Pantera did, especially during this time. There is such an attitude and swagger that so many bands to this day try to emulate. The intensity is relentless and truly changed the way I looked at music. Being a guitarist, Dimebag obviously hit me where it counts. To this day, no one plays like him. His unique style, his attitude and charisma. It's all there. I still try to channel Dime when I solo or really try to rip. His huge bends and dives, mixed with his Stevie Ray Vaughn on steroids vibe really resonated with me. There's a reason walk is still played in arenas to this very day. Often imitated, but never duplicated. They were the real deal. They talked the talk and walked the walk. I was lucky enough to see Pantera at Ozzfest, and as a budding guitarist...it was surreal. They were even more intense live. Of course Phil is undoubtedly one of the greatest metal frontmen of all time. He's so fucking intense and just oozes attitude and confidence. I met him when I saw Down about 2002 or whenever Down 2 came out and I chatted with him and told him he was "like God to me growing up" . He responded with the sickest response ever :" I ammmm God" and shook my hand. I'll never forget that. Pantera can't be praised enough for their contributions, and Vulgar Display of Power alone helped cement that and made it a timeless record.
Nick Bielser/
The Desolate
Well just to give this some perspective I'm 30 years old. So I was very young when this record was first released.That being said it's been with me a very long time. We all know the early 90's was great for underground metal. Death metal was carving out a scene and some very great records came out of this era. Most of this would fly under the radar for casual metal fans. The 80s were over and allot of people considered metal a dead genre. Even thrash bands were struggling to maintain a large audience. Seemingly outta nowhere this metal band from Texas put out this amazing record and knocked the metal community on its ass. These guys were powerful and groovy and captured what was a completely unique style and sound at the time. Loads of fans then and now loved CFH, but this was clearly a creative departure from that record. No more falsetto style vocals and the guitars became more groove and feeling based. Not as much about speed. Like I said I was very young, but I grew up at band practice so to speak. I heard most of these songs at the age of 6 for the first time. To say the least it blew my mind. My uncle played in various bands at the time and I got to hear what the first reactions to the record was. I remember a group of guys huddled in a basement just listening in silence trying to absorb every single note. In the end one thing was easily agreed upon this was seriously a game changer and it was heavy as hell. So yeah from the beginning to end this is a solid release. Opening with a song called mouth for war makes a huge statement I think. Sets the tone for what's to come and wins you over with how powerful the overall message they're conveying throughout this album is. It's about being strong,but also overcoming your own problems. I feel like this record speaks to so many on a personal level. It's over all very positive. Titles like 'A New Level' says it all. So everyone knows 'Walk' and this is easily Pantera's most recognized song. This is partially because the main riffage is simple and easy to learn. So a multitude of guitarists learned this riff. It's also very memorable and it's simplicity adds to this. All guitar players will tell you it's hard to make something so simple that memorable. Plus the vocal melodies and lines draw you in and make you listen. Fallow that up with 'Fucking Hostile'! Enough said. Hahaha. 'Live In A Hole' probably my favorite on the whole record. Almost a hidden gem. Only because they had so many great songs on this one. The riffs on this song get me every time. Ending with 'Hallow' and having that haunting melody kick in. This song at least to start with kind of feels like a throw back to 'Cemetery Gates' in a way. It's got a ton of feeling to it. I feel like this record leaves you on a very thoughtful note. It's fantastic that they offer so much within there own style. To wrap it up I'd just like to say the significance of this record for metal music should not be underestimated. This was a defining record for them and brought allot of stylistic changes to the genre as a whole. I think most guitarists would agree with that. I feel like Pantera had to put this record out. They needed to because metal needed it to survive in the mainstream. The truth is we needed it too. This band kept us afloat when there wasn't even a boat under us. The 90's wasn't exactly the golden age for metal,but they showed us we were strong and still viable. So in the end we all owe Pantera and this record so much. Truly an instant classic.
Greg Kubacki/
Carbomb
The first show I ever went to as a kid was Pantera at the Roseland for the Far Beyond Driven tour. I was only 15 years old, so I had to sneak out of my parents house on Long Island and hop on the train to get to Manhattan. I'd never seen so many metal heads (who were all older than me btw) in one place so I was a little scared walking through the venue. Timidly my buddy and I worked our way to the front row for Crowbar and I remember them being sludgy as fuck. The whole audience was bobbing their heads to their music and I thought "ok, I guess this isn't so scary after all." But of course I had no idea what was coming. Pantera opened with "Use My Third Arm" (arguably their heaviest track) and people just started flying everywhere from all directions. Everyone was smashing into each other, jumping from the stage, and fucking going insane. I immediately panicked and pushed my way to the side wall, where the Roseland had a line of benches that you could stand on to see the show. Kids were still beating the shit out of each other all the way to the side, but as I was defending myself from flying limbs on higher ground I watched Dimebag rip through riff after riff and was the happiest kid alive.
Tim Vester/
Scary Busey
While I was busy exploring the weird and wacky world of 90’s alternative music, being carried away by the Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth, the Nirvana’s and many others- my friend was being heavily influenced by his older brother. His older brother lived in a garage, he would have been a referred to as a “stoner”, and loved metal. This guy was into Megadeth, early Metallica and heavy shit of that ilk. I clearly remember a period in time when us little dorks were treated to the funny, harsh phrase whenever we would ask him something that he deemed “stupid” or just unworthy of a real answer. He would say, “You can lick my sack”, and cackle away over his remark. One day, when we were apparently deemed especially cool, (or he was really bored), he let us in the joke. This joke ended up being only a splinter in the doors that Pantera blew open for us. Soon after, we were bonafide fans. We moved on to Vulgar Display of Power (as well as the forthcoming albums) after that, and were eager to hear what kind of rip-shit songs were coming at us. With my personal heavy, aggressive favorites like 'Walk', 'A New Level',and 'By Demons Be Driven', as well as elegantly crafted songs like 'This Love'. Vulgar became an instant favorite for us, as well as an instant classic. I feel that Vulgar was the album that opened me up to so much more than just the weird alternative music I was immersing myself in at the time. I am grateful that we were turned on to such a mind-blowing band, and grateful for everything that the boys in Tampora created for us to enjoy.
Jay Walker/
Alien Death Church
I saw them on that tour. It was definitely the heaviest most progressive album from them and also was a perfect platform for Dimebags incredible lead and rhythm ability. One of the few albums I bought that year. Many of the greatest guitarist are taken far too soon. But I'm thankful for what they gave us.
Luke Valley/
My New Vice
From the thundering opening riff on 'Mouth for War', the break neck pace in 'Fucking Hostile' and 'Rise', mix that with the mind melting solos and addictive rhythms, Vulgar Display Of Power changed my life as a young musician. The originality of their material and Pantera's drunken antics onstage helped fuel my desire and hit the road and not look back. This album was in heavy, heavy rotation when I first bought it in the early 90's as it still is today. Fucking classic!
Tavis Stanley/
Art Of Dying
When I first heard Pantera as a kid I was instantly hooked on the guitar playing. I would eagerly buy my Guitar World magazine every month and instantly flip to the middle section and read Dimebag's lesson article. These guys were the perfect example of A ROCK BAND living life to the fullest and still playing music at a very high technical level.
Brandon Dorman/
A World Without
Pantera's one of those bands who have elevated to a legendary status. Several of us got our start in metal through bands like Pantera, Slipknot, and Lamb of God. They had a particularly big impact on me, personally- the way they craft drum parts around the grooves and fills. It's hard to deny that the iconic 'Walk' was something special in the metal scene. Not only was it simplistic in nature, but it got the job done so well with its weight. I feel it really showed people that you don't need a ton of speed or crazy action to be metal; and whether you like them or not, their influence has reached across the spectrum to make a lasting impact in the metal world.
Mischa Kianne/
Witchburn
I was asked if I wanted to do this thing, and the only answer could be, YES! Yes, I do want to say a few things about Vulgar Display Of Power, that record changed my life. Ok, so did Cowboys From Hell and Far Beyond Driven... but Vulgar Display Of Power did too! Now, as we approach the 25th anniversary of the release of this groundbreaking masterpiece into the world of metal in 1992, to forever change it, I think back to that time... I was 14 years old, living in a small town in the high desert of Southern California. I played guitar in a band, I listened to a lot of Black Sabbath, a lot of the time... and Kyuss. I liked riffs. A lot. I had always been into a lot of different types of metal... I loved the shreddery in everything Randy Rhoads did, and I loved every other guitar player who played with Ozzy, especially Jake E. Lee. I loved Metallica, loved Testament, Prong, Corrosion of Conformity... all the good metal with all the good riffs and shred. The Cowboys From Hell video started showing up on Headbanger's Ball, the one with all the footage from their live shows, with the crowd going nuts and all that stage diving... Seeing that this was the kind of electricity going off like lightning striking black powder at their live shows told me that the world of metal was never going to be the same after that. This was going to change everything. Even my little brothers hair. Phil Anselmo's influence lead to my shaving his head, in the bathroom, at home, turning his bowl cut into a long mohawk, like Phil has in that video. I knew this band had something special that was going to make a bigger impression, on generations worth of musicians to come, than any metal band had in a very long time... then I heard their next album... holy hell! This was by far both the heaviest and the shreddinest guitar work I'd ever heard. The riffs had a lot of really cool, really unique syncopation going on, and the drums played off of that with such interesting syncopation, too. These were probably the coolest, heaviest drum beats I had ever heard, or even conceived of, in my entire life of listening to lots and lots of good, heavy, metal. What I loved (and still love) about it most tho, is THE RIFFS! RIFFS!! My GAWD, the RIFFS!!! They're so incredibly heavy and still have this killer groove to 'em. So heavy, they're like riffs of steel, and the way they were used to construct these crushing songs said that these guys were just metal masters. I knew right away when I heard it that I was gonna be listening to this record for a lot of years to come, and I was right... it did change everything in metal. It was a huge influence on my song writing for years to come, and even still. It changed the way so many musicians wrote songs, from my generation, and the one to come after. And yeah, I'm still listening to that record, I still crank it up loud when I do, like I am right now, as I cruise down the highway in a van, on tour with my band, heading into Texas tonight... I don't plan to stop any time soon.
Misery Loves Co.
Vulgar Display Of Power! A punch to the face that is administered with such force that shockwaves ripple through the victim's skin. Exactly what I felt when 'Mouth For War' jumped out of the speakers. I remembered working in a studio with Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, In Flames, Misery Loves Co.), I had just bought the album, took it to the studio and our jaws dropped to floor while listening to it. I was blown away.
This Texan quartet just released an album only months after Nevermind and "Black album", not the best timing. While grunge was giving the middle finger to everything that was well played or/and "polished", Pantera was giving the same finger right back. This is an ex glam metal band I'm listening to but now they are kicking everybody's ass. Dimebag's riffs, Vinnie Paul's hammering and Phil's anger just hits you like a tsunami. It has everything, thrash, speed, groove and hardcore.....well except glam metal of course.
Vulgar Display Of Power still stands the test of time and changed the course of metal music.
Adrian Benavies/
Earthdiver
I was in second grade when Pantera’s Vulgar Display Of Power was released. As a young kid, I didn’t get into rock music until a few years later and by the time I was in fifth grade I had picked up learning how to play guitar and subsequently got more into Pantera as they continued to release Far Beyond Driven and then The Great Southern Trendkill.
I never actually owned a copy of Vulgar Display Of Power. I didn’t have to. I grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas where Pantera might as well have been a local band with as many times as they played shows in my hometown. Pantera singles and album cuts alike were all over the local rock radio station, KRAD, and all of my friends had Pantera tapes or CDs. Pantera’s music seemingly was even MIDI-fied in some of the original Doom game soundtracks which is likely where I first heard versions of some of their riffs since I was a nerdy kid figuring out how to enter DOS prompts to load the game.
My connection to the music of Pantera is sort of impressionistic and not particularly detailed in my memories to their specific albums. They were always one of those bands to me that was such a ubiquitous part of the metal culture among other young musicians and fans where I grew up. It was a given that pretty much everyone I knew that was remotely into hard rock or metal was at least a casual Pantera fan. There was no mistaking Dimebag Darrell’s signature guitar performances even if you didn’t quite know what song was playing. No less iconic than Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen as a guitarist with their own sound. It’s the soul of Pantera’s sound which lives on in countless other bands who have been even subconsciously influenced by their vulgar display of power.
Jeff Wojtysiak/
Cokegoat
When Vulgar Display Of Power came out, I was a sophomore in high school, which just might have been the perfect age for hearing this record for the first time. I was full of hormones, weed, alcohol and aggression. Our group of friends were into Cowboys From Hell, but it lacked something. Vulgar brought it. For guitarist, it was all about Dimebag. He was nuts. The riffs were massive. You couldn't help but get pissed when you listened to this record. We loved singing along to it. "You're writing tickets man, my mom got jumped they ran..." was one we quoted all the time, just ask Phil Taylor. 'Rise' was one of my favorites on the record. It opened that second side, of the tape, and just blasted you in the face. The intro riff chugging along at full speed, building to the break, the hat count, the slide, then into the next riff with the drums just pushing it, forcing your head to bang and fist to pump. I love when Dime would solo on record and he didn't overdub rhythm guitars. It was just drums, bass and lead guitar. 'Rise' has that. Then the chugging after the solo, fuck. So tight. What a great record. Everyone's performances are top notch. It felt like they were on your side, they were fighting for the underdog. No. More. Head. Trips.
Jordan Schultz/
Cokegoat
I met Vinny Paul for about 45 seconds at Cobra Lounge about 10 years ago. I was pretty hammered and tried to talk to him. He (from what I remember) was super cool. I tried to buy him a shot which he politely declined, and then I got bodychecked by 2 or 3 of his security guards and removed from his general vicinity. I totally deserved that shit.
Marcus Raferty/
Fall Of Humanity
I actually never got to see Pantera live. I was too young. But my favorite songs on it are 'Mouth For War' and 'This Love'. I love the transition between the heavy and clean in this love the whole song is a perfect combination of beautiful and disgusting! 'Mouth For War' is a straight up in your face groove! And an amazing way to start an album!
Amazing album. Inspiration at its best.
Mario Duplantier/
Gojira
One of the best bands in the world. 'Walk' is pure genius! I love Pantera.
Mike Martin/
All That Remains
I was a little late to the party on discovering Pantera honestly. I think the initial thing that got me into them was the home videos actually. I got the official live album as a gift first and that's when I realized how much I actually loved the band. Vulgar was the first album I went out and got myself then the obsession really started. 'Mouth for War', 'A New Level', and 'Regular People (Conceit)' are easily my top 3 from that album. I also thought 'Hollow' was amazing how it seemed like two different songs. Such a cool change of pace half way through that catches you by surprise. When everyone still talks about an album that's 25 years old and it's most likely in heavy rotation still for a lot of people like it's new then you know you have something special! In 2004, about two weeks before Dime passed away, we were opening for GWAR in Minneapolis and about a mile down the road Damageplan was also playing a show with Shadows Fall that night. We went to the show after our set and I remember Jon from Shadows Fall saying "hey you wanna go up and sing "Walk" with everyone?" I was too much of a puss to actually do it. I think I was still in shock that I was side stage and about 5 feet from Dime and Vinnie. I just sat there and enjoyed. I was lucky enough to see Pantera live 3 times and man when they went into 'A New Level' it was the most terrifying GA floor experience I've ever felt. So grateful I got to see that band and still grateful for all the amazing music they've released. That album and their entire catalog is just so unreal that I don't think anyone will be forgetting about Pantera's or Dimes legacy anytime soon!
Gregory Allen Coates/
Pleasure Burn
Heavy as fuck!!!!!
Sandra Araya/
Wife of Tom Araya (Slayer)
Vulgar is my absolute favorite Pantera album. My two favorite songs are 'Walk' and 'Fucking Hostile'. This record came out at a fun time in my life a young partier. My friend had the party place a small travel silver bullet R.V. We spent many hours there smoking weed and listening to this record over and over. The Pantera/Slayer tour was a blast. Everyone was super cool. We spent most of our free time hanging with Phil and Dime. Slayer played first so by the time Tom chilled we would go catch the tale end of Pantera's set...which was where they played the older stuff my favorites.
Jeanne Wawrzyniak/
Crossing Rubicon
When I first heard Vulgar Display Of Power I was blown away. At the time I've never heard anything so aggressive. And its an album that stands as one of my favorite heavy albums until this day. Its really hard to pick a favorite song, half the album is. Recently I was at a bar for a friends birthday and we were all singing karaoke. My husband Scott comes up to me saying "I just picked a song for you because I want to hear you do this, oh, and you are next", it was 'Walk'. Haha. I definitely turned heads.
Jeremy Saffer/
Profesional Photographer
Vulgar was when everything changed for Pantera. They shed their traditional metal roots and gave up most of Phil's high range/clean vocals for his more aggressive screaming and of course created their biggest hit, the iconic anthem, 'Walk'! One thing that always stood out to me about this album is how they mixed a lot of thrash, punk, and hardcore influence into this record, where as in their past 5 albums (while many ignore the first 4) they were more of a traditional metal band (or glam metal band in the earlier days) this album shed all of that for pure aggression on tracks like fucking hostile which were speed driven, a new level and mouth for war which was groove driven, pretty much putting "mosh parts" into metal unlike anyone had seen before. 'Walk' is still as iconic as ever... to this day, any concert, anywhere, if you hear "RE!.....SPECT!..... WALK!" generally the entire crowd is chanting this anthem along with the band or loud speakers. Personally I loved the duality of Phil's clean vocals and screaming, which, as of the next few albums would cease to exist, but if you''re wondering where that all started... Pantera were truly the pioneer of that scream/sing duality and really... this may be the first real "metal/hardcore" hybrid album. My favorite track is absolutely 'Hollow'... when it kicks in after the interlude at just past 3 minutes... so heavy! shows every side and sound of Pantera in one song, the most melodic and most heavy and of course the blazing guitar parts Dime came up with on this song... unmatched. 2nd favorite is probably 'This Love'. Though Cowboys will always be my favorite Pantera record but Vulgar is a VERY close second for me and this one usually stands as most peoples favorite and its easy to see why, its by far their most aggressive and genre changing and defining album they put out in their career, living up to its title and solidifying their place as legends.
Nick Quijano/
Hail Sagan
I have been a huge Pantera fan from a young age. Vulgar Display Of Power and Pantera have a soft spot in my heart because VDOP was THE album that got me into heavy music and Pantera was the first metal concert that I went to as a 16 year old kid. In my hometown there wasn't much to do except play guitar and try to find new music that wasn't top 40 or country music. I still remember the first time I heard Pantera. I was at a junior high school party and the song 'Walk' came on the CD player! It took one listen to change my life and my musical path forever. The guitar riff for Walk still to this day is one of the most heavy catchy riffs in heavy music, hands down! What I loved about Pantera is that they were super heavy and over the top but somehow they maintained a really commercial aspect to their music that all the other heavy acts at the time didn't have. They kind of blurred the lines of heavy and commercial and paved way for all the Nu Metal acts. Although 'Walk' has a soft spot in my heart for being my first intro to Pantera, once I got the album I quickly learned that there was much more to Pantera that I thought. Dimes guitar work was so original, fast and clean. Every track on the album is perfect and amazing in its own way. Some of my favorites though are 'Mouth for War', 'Hollow', and 'This Love'. You can't beat the solo work on those songs and the energy in those recordings. I have a lot of Pantera related stories from being in the music industry the past 12 years but some of my most honorable moments were playing the Al Rosa Villa club for the first time and being able to pay my respects to dime and when Vinnie Paul showed up and watched my entire set at Trees in Dallas TX, or the time I knocked on Damage Plan's bus door when I was 20years old and Dime and Vinnie told me to get lost lol, but no memory compares to the first time I saw Pantera live for the Great Southern Trendkill tour! They were so powerful live and just killed it on stage opening up with 'Suicide Note Pt. 1' and then slamming into 'Suicide Note Pt. 2', I just watched in awe and told myself that that is what I wanted to do in life. Now here I am, years and years later making my living playing metal music. Cheers to Pantera for an amazing life changing 25 years. Without Vulgar Display Of Power none of us would be where we are now in the world of metal!
Michael Del Pizzo/
Sunflower Dead
Pantera, I could give a dissertation on the band and it's greatness, let alone how much their music means to me but this is a quick note on Vulgar Display Of Power. I can't believe it's 25 Years Old!!' Still sounds as crushing as ever. I get chills whenever I hear it and 'Mouth For War' gets things going. I swear, the first half of this album is flawless. It's just one crusher after another. The day this album came out, I remember me and my friend putting This Love and Fucking Hostile on repeat and screaming those songs at the top of our lungs over and over. 'A New Level', holy shit, talk about bridging the gap between hardcore and metal. I knew this was a special record that superseded it's genre because everyone I knew, metalheads, deathmetal diehards, hardcore lovers and even regular music lovers all were talking about this record. Pantera, thank you for Vulgar Display Of Power!!!!
Jaime Teissere/
Sunflower Dead
My favorite song off Vulgar Display Of Power is 'Walk', I feel like that guitar groove changed metal and rock music and is completely undeniable!
My gnarliest concert for me growing up was Pantera and White Zombie back in 1996, I went to the show to check out these 2 bands and I had no idea what was in store! I worked my way to the front of the amphitheater and spent the entire evening in the pit. At this time in my young life I wasn't as familiar with Pantera as I was White Zombie, non the less White Zombie's set ended and here came mother fucking Pantera! Holy shit! I got real familiar real fucking quick! I went home that night and my mind was fucking blown! I ended up seeing them on this same tour 3 times and if I could have made more of the shows I would have! These were special times in my life that I'll never forget. A little over a decade later I had the privilege to tour with Vinnie Paul when Hellyeah was just getting started with my former band Droid, I shared the stage with him in 2007 on the "Family Values" tour alongside with Korn and again on the "Bitch we have a problem" tour! After Droid broke up in 2010 I didn't know if I'd ever tour again, well long story short I helped develop my current band Sunflower Dead and in 2013 here I was again opening up for Hellyeah and hanging out with VP once again. Since then I've shared the stage with him on 3 other tours during 2015 and 2016! I have so much love for music and can not express my feelings enough on how blessed my musical career has been and the cool shit I've experienced! If you had asked me at that show in 1996 if I thought I'd ever share the stage with Vinnie Paul I would have just laughed my ass off and said shit the fuck up, lol...
Cody Perez/
Amerakin Overdose
Vulgar Display Of Power was the very first CD I bought with my own money. It was like nothing I had ever heard or felt before from any band. Front to back hands down still one of the greatest albums of all time. 'Mouth For War' is my favorite because it gets you amped up and with it being the opening it sets the mood for the journey the album puts you on.
Katy Irizarry/
Revolver Magazine Editor
Freeman Promotions Publicist
When I was a wee one in middle school who was just discovering metal, 'Walk' was the first Pantera song I'd ever heard, and one of the first metal songs I'd heard in general, if you could imagine that. Through and through, the song was raw power - the music, the lyrics, the vocals - it was unlike anything I'd ever heard prior to that. The song ultimately led me to discover Vulgar Display Of Power in full, which projected an unrefined tone of sheer brutality from cover to cover. As I said, it was unlike anything I had heard by the age of 12, but more importantly, it's still unlike anything I've ever heard to this day. Pantera stand alone.
Amy Sciarretto
Atom Splitter Publicist
My favorite Pantera song of all time is 'Mouth for War'. When I went through my WORST breakup ever, I used to listen to that song on my iPod on repeat, during my commute to work in NYC everyday, and it gave me strength to face the bullshit and not give up, despite being emotionally sucker punched. The lyrics, "I've moved mountains with less" and "When I channel my hate to productive, I don't find it hard to impress" are very motivational. There is true power in taking the power back from pain. I also named my dog after Phil because he is my fave metal singer — Higgins Hansen Anselmo-Sciarretto.
Juliana Novo/
Crucifixtion BR
When I first heard some of their songs on the radio from the albums Cowboys From Hell and Vulgar Display Of Power, it was surprising to me in that time, cause I was starting to discover heavy/thrash metal music, then later I heard the whole VDoP with a friend. Powerful songs, perfectly heavy, with rhythms that get stuck in your head, and still with ballads that manage to be beautiful and aggressive at the same time, and powerful vocals. When I had guitar lessons (before being a drummer I was a guitarist) I studied this song and a few others from that album. My favorite track is 'By Demons Be Driven', followed by 'Mouth For War'.
Marcio Guterres/
Crucifixion BR
After copying VDoP with a tape-recorder, when I started listening, I was surprised by the heavy and insane 'Mouth For War', I thought what the fuck is that, this is Pantera yes, Pantera's insane evolution, even sharper and heavier guitars. Philip Anselmo's vocals going guttural. I loved this change in the sound, like in all albums that came after, each new album became more insane, heavy and rotten... They revolutionized the music and metal market. Back to the album, there were only classics such as 'A New Level', 'Fucking Hostile' mixing thrash metal with hardcore, 'This Love' similar to 'Cemetary Gates' but more robust... This album is perfect to hear from beginning to end... I used to watch the 'Mouth For War' video then my mother caught me watching it, then asked: is that what you want for your life? Crazy hairy drunken junkies etc. I briefly explained the meaning of extreme music to me, she understood. Great album, go listen at full volume with lots of beer, Rip Dimebag Darrell. Pantera left a legacy.
Brian "Big Boy" Carter/
Dead Horse Trauma
'Hollow' is one of my favorite songs from VDOP. The guitars on 'Hollow' are so beautiful but brutal! The Spector bass tones used by Rex Brown are really what sold me and we're a huge inspiration to the bass sound that I use today. Vulgar Display of Power; let's just say if this album didn't make you bang your head or change your opinions on Texas or Metal you weren't raised right! It was ear piercing Perfection! On the road I have had the pleasure of paying respect to the man him self! Visiting his grave, place of death, and gathering my own stories of a guy I have never met; yet respect so much. I've met many people affected by The Pantera family and their life changing music! Had the pleasure of meeting Vinnie Paul and some Crew at Reno's Chop Shop In Dallas TX. Toured with a very few close friends to the Abbott family and anyone who had the pleasure of being around this music has had many great Good and Bad Stories to tell. All in all VDOP was Introduced to me by My older Brother and helped inspired me to make The music we play for our own crowds today!
Dreamer/
Kissing Candice
Vulgar Display Of Power is an absolute classic release in almost every way, anyway you look at it. It was a game changer and set the blue print for many things to come. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that doesn't at the very LEAST, respect that record and what it did on so many levels. It's pretty close to perfect. The first time I heard that record, I was a kid and bought it at the now defunct record store, Coconuts (rip). I remember I loved the cover and knew it was going to be insane. It's so hard to choose a favorite song off it, because they truly are all equally amazing in their own right. If I had to actually pick, it would be either 'A New Level' or 'Mouth for War'. There are so few bands that just drip with attitude like Pantera did, especially during this time. There is such an attitude and swagger that so many bands to this day try to emulate. The intensity is relentless and truly changed the way I looked at music. Being a guitarist, Dimebag obviously hit me where it counts. To this day, no one plays like him. His unique style, his attitude and charisma. It's all there. I still try to channel Dime when I solo or really try to rip. His huge bends and dives, mixed with his Stevie Ray Vaughn on steroids vibe really resonated with me. There's a reason walk is still played in arenas to this very day. Often imitated, but never duplicated. They were the real deal. They talked the talk and walked the walk. I was lucky enough to see Pantera at Ozzfest, and as a budding guitarist...it was surreal. They were even more intense live. Of course Phil is undoubtedly one of the greatest metal frontmen of all time. He's so fucking intense and just oozes attitude and confidence. I met him when I saw Down about 2002 or whenever Down 2 came out and I chatted with him and told him he was "like God to me growing up" . He responded with the sickest response ever :" I ammmm God" and shook my hand. I'll never forget that. Pantera can't be praised enough for their contributions, and Vulgar Display of Power alone helped cement that and made it a timeless record.
Nick Bielser/
The Desolate
Well just to give this some perspective I'm 30 years old. So I was very young when this record was first released.That being said it's been with me a very long time. We all know the early 90's was great for underground metal. Death metal was carving out a scene and some very great records came out of this era. Most of this would fly under the radar for casual metal fans. The 80s were over and allot of people considered metal a dead genre. Even thrash bands were struggling to maintain a large audience. Seemingly outta nowhere this metal band from Texas put out this amazing record and knocked the metal community on its ass. These guys were powerful and groovy and captured what was a completely unique style and sound at the time. Loads of fans then and now loved CFH, but this was clearly a creative departure from that record. No more falsetto style vocals and the guitars became more groove and feeling based. Not as much about speed. Like I said I was very young, but I grew up at band practice so to speak. I heard most of these songs at the age of 6 for the first time. To say the least it blew my mind. My uncle played in various bands at the time and I got to hear what the first reactions to the record was. I remember a group of guys huddled in a basement just listening in silence trying to absorb every single note. In the end one thing was easily agreed upon this was seriously a game changer and it was heavy as hell. So yeah from the beginning to end this is a solid release. Opening with a song called mouth for war makes a huge statement I think. Sets the tone for what's to come and wins you over with how powerful the overall message they're conveying throughout this album is. It's about being strong,but also overcoming your own problems. I feel like this record speaks to so many on a personal level. It's over all very positive. Titles like 'A New Level' says it all. So everyone knows 'Walk' and this is easily Pantera's most recognized song. This is partially because the main riffage is simple and easy to learn. So a multitude of guitarists learned this riff. It's also very memorable and it's simplicity adds to this. All guitar players will tell you it's hard to make something so simple that memorable. Plus the vocal melodies and lines draw you in and make you listen. Fallow that up with 'Fucking Hostile'! Enough said. Hahaha. 'Live In A Hole' probably my favorite on the whole record. Almost a hidden gem. Only because they had so many great songs on this one. The riffs on this song get me every time. Ending with 'Hallow' and having that haunting melody kick in. This song at least to start with kind of feels like a throw back to 'Cemetery Gates' in a way. It's got a ton of feeling to it. I feel like this record leaves you on a very thoughtful note. It's fantastic that they offer so much within there own style. To wrap it up I'd just like to say the significance of this record for metal music should not be underestimated. This was a defining record for them and brought allot of stylistic changes to the genre as a whole. I think most guitarists would agree with that. I feel like Pantera had to put this record out. They needed to because metal needed it to survive in the mainstream. The truth is we needed it too. This band kept us afloat when there wasn't even a boat under us. The 90's wasn't exactly the golden age for metal,but they showed us we were strong and still viable. So in the end we all owe Pantera and this record so much. Truly an instant classic.
Greg Kubacki/
Carbomb
The first show I ever went to as a kid was Pantera at the Roseland for the Far Beyond Driven tour. I was only 15 years old, so I had to sneak out of my parents house on Long Island and hop on the train to get to Manhattan. I'd never seen so many metal heads (who were all older than me btw) in one place so I was a little scared walking through the venue. Timidly my buddy and I worked our way to the front row for Crowbar and I remember them being sludgy as fuck. The whole audience was bobbing their heads to their music and I thought "ok, I guess this isn't so scary after all." But of course I had no idea what was coming. Pantera opened with "Use My Third Arm" (arguably their heaviest track) and people just started flying everywhere from all directions. Everyone was smashing into each other, jumping from the stage, and fucking going insane. I immediately panicked and pushed my way to the side wall, where the Roseland had a line of benches that you could stand on to see the show. Kids were still beating the shit out of each other all the way to the side, but as I was defending myself from flying limbs on higher ground I watched Dimebag rip through riff after riff and was the happiest kid alive.
Tim Vester/
Scary Busey
While I was busy exploring the weird and wacky world of 90’s alternative music, being carried away by the Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth, the Nirvana’s and many others- my friend was being heavily influenced by his older brother. His older brother lived in a garage, he would have been a referred to as a “stoner”, and loved metal. This guy was into Megadeth, early Metallica and heavy shit of that ilk. I clearly remember a period in time when us little dorks were treated to the funny, harsh phrase whenever we would ask him something that he deemed “stupid” or just unworthy of a real answer. He would say, “You can lick my sack”, and cackle away over his remark. One day, when we were apparently deemed especially cool, (or he was really bored), he let us in the joke. This joke ended up being only a splinter in the doors that Pantera blew open for us. Soon after, we were bonafide fans. We moved on to Vulgar Display of Power (as well as the forthcoming albums) after that, and were eager to hear what kind of rip-shit songs were coming at us. With my personal heavy, aggressive favorites like 'Walk', 'A New Level',and 'By Demons Be Driven', as well as elegantly crafted songs like 'This Love'. Vulgar became an instant favorite for us, as well as an instant classic. I feel that Vulgar was the album that opened me up to so much more than just the weird alternative music I was immersing myself in at the time. I am grateful that we were turned on to such a mind-blowing band, and grateful for everything that the boys in Tampora created for us to enjoy.
Jay Walker/
Alien Death Church
I saw them on that tour. It was definitely the heaviest most progressive album from them and also was a perfect platform for Dimebags incredible lead and rhythm ability. One of the few albums I bought that year. Many of the greatest guitarist are taken far too soon. But I'm thankful for what they gave us.
Luke Valley/
My New Vice
From the thundering opening riff on 'Mouth for War', the break neck pace in 'Fucking Hostile' and 'Rise', mix that with the mind melting solos and addictive rhythms, Vulgar Display Of Power changed my life as a young musician. The originality of their material and Pantera's drunken antics onstage helped fuel my desire and hit the road and not look back. This album was in heavy, heavy rotation when I first bought it in the early 90's as it still is today. Fucking classic!
Tavis Stanley/
Art Of Dying
When I first heard Pantera as a kid I was instantly hooked on the guitar playing. I would eagerly buy my Guitar World magazine every month and instantly flip to the middle section and read Dimebag's lesson article. These guys were the perfect example of A ROCK BAND living life to the fullest and still playing music at a very high technical level.
Brandon Dorman/
A World Without
Pantera's one of those bands who have elevated to a legendary status. Several of us got our start in metal through bands like Pantera, Slipknot, and Lamb of God. They had a particularly big impact on me, personally- the way they craft drum parts around the grooves and fills. It's hard to deny that the iconic 'Walk' was something special in the metal scene. Not only was it simplistic in nature, but it got the job done so well with its weight. I feel it really showed people that you don't need a ton of speed or crazy action to be metal; and whether you like them or not, their influence has reached across the spectrum to make a lasting impact in the metal world.
Mischa Kianne/
Witchburn
I was asked if I wanted to do this thing, and the only answer could be, YES! Yes, I do want to say a few things about Vulgar Display Of Power, that record changed my life. Ok, so did Cowboys From Hell and Far Beyond Driven... but Vulgar Display Of Power did too! Now, as we approach the 25th anniversary of the release of this groundbreaking masterpiece into the world of metal in 1992, to forever change it, I think back to that time... I was 14 years old, living in a small town in the high desert of Southern California. I played guitar in a band, I listened to a lot of Black Sabbath, a lot of the time... and Kyuss. I liked riffs. A lot. I had always been into a lot of different types of metal... I loved the shreddery in everything Randy Rhoads did, and I loved every other guitar player who played with Ozzy, especially Jake E. Lee. I loved Metallica, loved Testament, Prong, Corrosion of Conformity... all the good metal with all the good riffs and shred. The Cowboys From Hell video started showing up on Headbanger's Ball, the one with all the footage from their live shows, with the crowd going nuts and all that stage diving... Seeing that this was the kind of electricity going off like lightning striking black powder at their live shows told me that the world of metal was never going to be the same after that. This was going to change everything. Even my little brothers hair. Phil Anselmo's influence lead to my shaving his head, in the bathroom, at home, turning his bowl cut into a long mohawk, like Phil has in that video. I knew this band had something special that was going to make a bigger impression, on generations worth of musicians to come, than any metal band had in a very long time... then I heard their next album... holy hell! This was by far both the heaviest and the shreddinest guitar work I'd ever heard. The riffs had a lot of really cool, really unique syncopation going on, and the drums played off of that with such interesting syncopation, too. These were probably the coolest, heaviest drum beats I had ever heard, or even conceived of, in my entire life of listening to lots and lots of good, heavy, metal. What I loved (and still love) about it most tho, is THE RIFFS! RIFFS!! My GAWD, the RIFFS!!! They're so incredibly heavy and still have this killer groove to 'em. So heavy, they're like riffs of steel, and the way they were used to construct these crushing songs said that these guys were just metal masters. I knew right away when I heard it that I was gonna be listening to this record for a lot of years to come, and I was right... it did change everything in metal. It was a huge influence on my song writing for years to come, and even still. It changed the way so many musicians wrote songs, from my generation, and the one to come after. And yeah, I'm still listening to that record, I still crank it up loud when I do, like I am right now, as I cruise down the highway in a van, on tour with my band, heading into Texas tonight... I don't plan to stop any time soon.
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