When the young Darrell started jamming with his brother, Vinnie, his heroes were called ace frehley, Randy Rhoads and Tomy Iommi…you got it, All Darrell wanted was to play loud, bad-assed heavy metal. Yet Pantera didn’t became huge in one day, before their first huge success (CFH), they realeased no less than four albums, the best one being “power metal” (1989) with the freshly hired phil anselmo on vocals. This period is commonly refered to as their “glam days” even though the music sounds more like traditional 80s heavy than glam.
After the realease of Cowboys from hell, Dimebag quickely became a metal guitar legend : not only did he threw some bone breaking chunky groovy riffs (clash with reality, heresy) on the table, but his talent also exploded on his lead-work. Indeed, instead of shredding for the sake of showing off – being blessed with great technical abilities, dime said that he always cared about coming up with what the song needed, and the music speaks for itself. In that sense, Dimebag managed to escape metal guitar’s main pitfall : shredding a solo without melodic plan, percussive element or original ideas. Indeed,compared to other metal solos, Dimebag’s leads can be sung and are easily remembered. In my opinion, the ability to sing a solo, the fact that it stays stuck in your head and inspires you to pickup your guitar to replicate what you heard are criterias for a great guitar lead.
Cowboys from Hell solo flows in genuinely, cleverly using the dimished 4th and harmonic minor runs. Cemetery gates’one, starting slowly and melodically before reaching a fast climax is a one way ticket to shivers. On the same album, the lead on “the sleep” is epic and an instant jaw dropper. Plus the man was also known for his ability to play after having swallowed impressive quantities of whiskey. On the furious trash anthem Domination, Darrell delivers his most technical solo, and also one of the more agressive and tough one, its a musical knock-out.
As a guitarist, Dimebag is particularly inspiring : hearing the badassness and the southern attitude that sweat from his riffs and solos really makes you want to play like him. His playing on “Cowboys do more dope” (From the Rebel Meets Rebel album, the song feels like a drunken hellraising party) is a good exemple of the attitude that oozed from his axe. Darrell shaped is own style (acid Bending, strong and expressive vibrato, fluidity & great melodic feeling and his own technique of squealing) and developed a very unique and aggressive tone, perfectly serving the brutal machine that was pantera : a talented singer who’s not afraid of pushing the limits of his voice, a bassist with a huge tone and the sense of groove and a kickass drummer who blast his double pedals as easily as one claps his fingers. With his “southern style” approach of riffing and his innovative use of the whammy bar, Dimebag Darrell pushed metal guitar to a New Level, the way Hendrix made rock guitar evolve.
What distinguished Pantera from other metal bands is their solid songwriting and their ability to draw catchy melody for the vocals, in spite of the violence and harshness of anselmo’s voice. Take a band like Exhorder for instance, they have all the features of pantera : aggressive riffing, pissed off voice, blasting drums, yet, you’re not convinced by their songs because they lack this catchiness and songwriting ability. That’s why even people who thought they didn’t like metal can like Pantera : the music makes sense. the song “walk” for instance owns its success to the simple yet heavy riff that became a classic. On this song, dime played an innovative solo, using what he calls the “fake-echo technique”. This whole album (Vulgar display of power) is a master piece that really established pantera style and trademark : heavy and powerful groove metal with that southern spice. Again, they shined in the art of dropping the decibels for a while with “This Love” and its perfect bridge riff and soulful solo, then “Hollow”, a very convincing melodic and sad piece of music. The next record is pushing that powerfull recipe even deeper : Far beyond driven must be good to box to. Pure straight up metal destruction : the anger (and booze?) fueled 5 minutes alone is one of the best track. “Hard lines, Sunken cheeks” and “Shedding Skin” are two successes thanks to the quality of the composition and the dramatic and dark atmosphere that they convey. Slaughtered and throes of rejection are brutal and rythmicaly challenging songs, with that syncopated groove that would make your grandpa headbang like crazy. Really, the intro of slaughtered is like a sledgehammer hit to the chest. Never in the album the band shows sign of weakeness : 25 years and strength beyond strength might be a bit under the lot, but the quality of the rest is so blatant, the guitar work being as astonishing as ever, that the overall good impression is not affected.
Pantera has a particularity: they never compromised their sound, and grew heavier and heavier with time. In that extend they escape the trend of charts-friendly heavy metal bands releasing power ballads. Their 1996 album is therefore genuinely called “The great Southern Trendkill”, the title track being a master piece of its kind : take-no-prisoner metal rampage. But then comes the track “floods”, pantera having a true talent for calmer yet brilliant songs such as the sleep, cemetery gates, this love, hollow. The solo on this is often present in those absurd “100 greatests guitar solos of all times” rankings. It is truly a song within the song, starting with a very inspired and tasty minor lick on the upper part of the neck, it then grow in intensity with always that vibrato and feeling, the outro is just pure and beautiful, the kind of stuff that you want to be cranked at your funerals. If not the best,this is clearly the maturity release from pantera. Then will come the honest yet disappointing reinventing the steel.
Dimebag’s also a hell of a characher. When he was shot dead during a Damageplan concert in 2004, the tragic event heavily shook the metal world and beyond. Not only was he a tremendous guitarist but he was a very down to earth and generous person, who just did what he liked : raising some hell on and off stage. Dime’s authenticity and warmth is visible on the video footage that was recorded by the band. When signing posters for his fans, the guitarist would for instance treat each one like a good friend. Because of his skills, but also given the influence that he had on so many people, I consider him to be part of top three metal guitarists, along with Randy Rhoads and Marty Friedman.
Check this out ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCzfSAf5Sp8&feature=relmfu
Decibel Thunder 