Artist: Pantera
Label: Elektra
Release Date: 3/14/00
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Title: Reinventing the Steel Artist: Pantera Label: Elektra Release Date: 3/14/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
About four years have passed since the last studio effort from our favorite southern boys, but it's almost like they never left us, what with all of the tours (Ozzfest, Sabbath, etc.), a live disc, and a new DVD. Was Trendkill really four years ago? Yep, and that means that there are a ton of Pantera fans that are frothing at the mouth for this release. The question is, will they be disappointed? Well, probably not. Our friends from down south have emerged with an album pretty much as you'd expect it. It's full of the quality guitar riffs, an awesome rhythm section, and Mr. Anselmo's soulful-as-screams-can-get vocals, so basically what I'm saying is that if you're looking for this band to be growing in leaps and bounds… well it just ain't happening. Conversely, I don't know of any Pantera fans that are really looking for this band to progress, so I don't think anyone will mind much.
" I don't think the title of this album is accurate because I don't think that they're reinventing anything, it's more just like par for the course." For the past few years Pantera has had to live up to the label of being the biggest metal band out there that is still actually playing metal. And if you've seen this band live or do interviews it becomes obvious that they take this label seriously, as it often seems that they are actually apologizing for their popularity, and are constantly trying to prove how underground they still are. Well, rest assured they are still heavy, and should make no apologies. Of course, I don't think the title of this album is accurate because I don't think that they're reinventing anything, it's more just like par for the course.
They've kept up with that bluesy (dare I say Down sounding?) approach they characterized the last album, most easily evidenced in the new track, "Goddamn Electric," which I actually think is the most successful track on the album. It's easy to sing along to, and has an underlying heaviness that makes you forget that it's one of the mellower songs you've heard from this band. The other songs on this album are also quite good, but I can't help but get the feeling that many songs are trying real hard to be future albums, and just fall slightly short of "Fucking Hostile," "Cowboys From Hell," "Walk," and "This Love." Songs like "Revolution is My Name," "Yesterday Don't Mean Shit," "Hellbound," and "Uplift" all seem to strive for this formula, and are generally successful, but can't make me believe that this album is as good as its recent predecessors. And that's the bottom line, this is a cool album that I definitely recommend, but it is my least favorite Pantera album (the newer Pantera, that is). But it can stand on its own among those other releases too, so that's pretty impressive company to be amongst.
"This is a cool album that I definitely recommend, but it is my least favorite Pantera album (the newer Pantera, that is). "
Rating Revised for Metal Judgment Anniversary
Death's Review:
Forget, if you will, the following three facts for the duration of this review: (1) Pantera reinvented itself mid-career, and is reluctant to acknowledge their pre-Cowboys catalogue; (2) that jocks and meatheads have adopted Pantera as their metal of choice; and (3) the members of Pantera can easily be reduced to southern-fried cartoon caricatures of themselves. Wipe those thoughts from your mind, and consider, for a moment, Pantera on the sheer merits of the music. Still with me? Good.
What are we left with? The fact that Pantera fuckin’ rocks, that’s what. Album after album, Pantera delivers uncompromising metal. No Risk or Load here. These guys wave the metal banner high, and continue to do so on Reinventing the Steel. Name drops to Sabbath and Slayer and the inevitable band photo on the inside cover featuring Phil sporting a full-on Venom Black Metal T-shirt (does Phil even have any other shirt these days?) are only drops in the bucket -- the music itself is undeniably metal in the truest sense of the word.
"What are we left with? The fact that Pantera fuckin' rocks, that's what. Album after album, Pantera delivers uncompromising metal." The thing that gets most overlooked by most Pantera critics is what great musicians they really are. Particularly Dimebag Darrell. Like I said, forget about the goofy image. Dimebag is one of the best metal guitarists of all time. Inventive riffs, sick bends, divebomb tremolo attacks, heavy doses of both artificial and natural harmonics, cool effects like wah-pedals, etc. -- this list only begins to describe the creative blistering that he generates. His riffs incorporate some of the most interesting guitar sounds this side of Trey Azagoth of Morbid Angel or Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine. But the absolute genius of Dimebag is the fact that, as creative and adventurous as his playing is, it always remains undeniably metal through and through. He pushes the boundaries while keeping it simple -- as neat as all his acrobatics are, the solos remain rooted in pentatonic blues. Dimebag rules.
Vinnie Paul’s no slouch, either. He pounds hard -- with machine-like double-bass precision, yet always managing to still sound organic. Vinnie is the kind of drummer that if he showed up to audition for your garage band you’d quit your day job on the spot. Together, brothers Dimebag and Vinnie have delivered some of the best metallic riffage of the nineties and beyond. When they lock in, you can lean back, roll your eyes back into your head, and just plain thrash. Nothing else matters.
"The thing that gets most overlooked by most Pantera critics is what great musicians they really are." With that said, here’s a quick track-by-track dissection of Pantera’s new album, Reinventing the Steel:
"Hellbound" reminds me a lot of "Cowboys From Hell," at least in the guitar effect and Phil’s background low voices. This thing gets quite heavy in the chorus and post-chorus into the "solo," but overall I can’t help but think of it as sounding like something John Bush-era Anthrax might do.
"Goddamn Electric" rules. Referencing Sabbath and Slayer is very cool. Otherwise, we have an extremely bluesey riff giving way to a more uptempo, thrashier series of riffs and a cool Dimebag solo. Fairly straightforward overall, I suppose, but a cool tune.
"Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit" is definitely heavy, but at the same time fairly original. Cool old-school uptempo riffs kick things off. Neat V. Paul Lombardo-ish drumbeats behind the chorus and bridge. Topped off by the awesome rapidly-picked descending triplets which ease us into the wild Dimebag solo (this part rules even more when recycled as the outro riff). Get it? Rex even struts some bass guitar virtuosity under the solo passages.
"You’ve Gotta Belong To It" is almost progressive, at least to begin with. Weird riffing, but totally metal. Darrell makes his guitar talk. Phil lays out a decent performance here as well, especially on the breakdown. The middle riff that follows is almost as cool as the ending to "Hollow," my favorite Pantera riff.
"I am so glad a band that can sound like this can sell a decent amount of records in the United States. Perhaps there's hope yet." "Revolution is My Name" is the "catchiest" tune on the album, and is one of the few that instantly stick in your head. But I mostly love it for the musicianship. Starts off a bit doomy, with some noise from Dimebag quickly giving us an old-school non-melodic power metal type riff. Killer rhythm guitar playing here for sure, surrounding what otherwise is another heavy blues-based song. Whatever you think of the rest of the track, listen long enough to check out the AWESOME cowbell part which I totally love.
"Death Rattle" is a cool, dark Pantera-style thrasher. One of the heavier tunes on the album. A neck-snapping good time.
"We’ll Grind That Axe For a Long Time" has the feel of something like "I’m Broken." A little boring I suppose. Perhaps venturing a bit toward the hardcore sound toward the end. They’ll probably play this one live. Vinnie Paul’s drumming is great, as always.
"Uplift" rules. Just a total pigheaded rant with Paul’s trademark bounce behind it. The chorus riff, as you might expect, also rules, even if the chromatic thing reminds me of "This Love" at the part right before Phil screams "No more head trips!" "Uplift!" "Uplifting!" Headbanging mania at its most fun.
"It Makes Them Disappear" is very reminiscent of Down, both musically and vocally. The album’s high point for Phil (wish he’d given us some of that Cowboys power-metal range), he gets to scream and emote. One word: Downtuned. Very, very cool song. Darrell’s guitar musings over the clean sections and ensuing solo are amazing. His guitar tone even seems finely tuned to accentuate the bends. I am so glad a band that can sound like this can sell a decent amount of records in the United States. Perhaps there’s hope yet.
"Congratulations to Pantera, for giving birth to another classic." "I’ll Cast A Shadow" is perhaps the best song on the album. Nothing you’ve heard thus far can prepare you for the Down meets Nevermore vibe of this killer closer. Phil goes pretty sick. And everything comes together on the killer riff that follows the spacey middle bridges. This is what I’m talking about when I refer to Vinnie and Dimebag "locking in." Do I even hear some faint, almost black metal screams from Phil here, or am I just getting carried away? The outro solo-bed riff reminds me of Overkill’s "Spiritual Void." Then the album ends abruptly, leaving me instantly wanting more.
Congratulations to Pantera, for giving birth to another classic. Thanks to Pantera, for taking the responsibility that goes with being metal’s current entrant in the grand competition for mainstream attention and embracing it. Keep wearing Venom shirts, playing in Necrophagia and singing about Slayer while you headline Ozzfest and run spots on MTV. More importantly, keep releasing killer albums such as this one. Metal thanks you.
Hel's Review:
Perhaps it’s a good thing that a tried and true metal institution is up against newcomers Shadows Fall in album reviews this week. On the other hand, it could be a very bad thing. After listening to the newbies, Pantera seems a little stale.
However, it couldn’t possibly be fair to call Pantera stale. Just because their new album sounds mostly like their last 3 albums tossed in a blender, that doesn’t mean it’s stale. What it truly is: exactly what you expected the new Pantera album to be. No new ground is broken, yet none is given.
"What it truly is: exactly what you expected the new Pantera album to be. No new ground is broken, yet none is given." These metal legends are standing firm and churning out more of their brutal southern-tinged sound. There’s nothing shocking here that will scare away the rednecks and jocks who have claimed them as their drinking and smoking mascot. There is also nothing shocking here for the metalhead looking for a straightforward metal album of the likes at which Pantera excels.
So your appraisal of this album will depend a great deal on your expectations and your standards. You will love this if you were simply looking for new songs of the same ilk. If you happen to be looking for a total 180, like we saw from their glam days (which, by the way, they totally pretend didn’t happen, judging by their official websites) to Cowboys, you just won’t find it here.
The new revolution on this disc is an all new, very cool solo on "Goddamn Electric" by none other than the great Kerry King. That alone may just prompt you to slap down your cash. Other than that, there’s nothing truly revolutionary here. Reinventing the Steel holds up the former Pantera standard and does an amazing job of that.
"I can't say I'm awed and amazed by this disc at the end of the day." Say what you will about this release, the fact that remains at the end of the day is that Pantera did not sell out the moment after they tasted commercial success. The best-selling metal band in the U.S. is still a metal band. Regardless of your personal tastes, I hope you can all join me in rejoicing this fact.
Personally, I’m a little bored with the regurgitation of the same handful of riffs they’ve been using recently. Additionally, I’m disappointed by Phil’s lack of vocal experimentation or even diversification. He’s settled on the straightforward growl and doesn’t show evidence of budging. Regardless, I enjoyed their prior releases and, on that level, I enjoy this one just the same.
Realistically, I can’t say I’m awed and amazed by this disc at the end of the day. I didn’t know I was expecting anything from this release but apparently I was to be let down if I was to have any feelings at all. However, based strictly on the merits of being new Pantera material, it is great. It’s a solid record, and if what you wanted is what I’ve described to you, consider your money well spent. If that doesn’t sound interesting to you, you might consider going over to your friend’s and listening to their copy first.
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