Pantera

LIVE SHOW REVIEW: PANTERA AT THE FORUM

The last time I saw Pantera take the stage was 2001. That alone is a crazy thought. Obviously we all know what happened after that. What came about in the past couple years is an absolute tribute to what the band created and tore through the 90’s with. People will find any reason to complain and be negative about it but, the bottom line is, Pantera lives on and we can all get to enjoy the songs again and be amongst those that love the band and what they bring. This evening at The Forum in Los Angeles was nothing short of a fantastic show and performance.

It’s funny, when it was first announced that Pantera was back in sorts, I had this crazy yet awesome idea in my mind and it actually came true. As the clock hit 9:00pm and the lights went down, a playback began and it happened to be “Suicide Note Part I” against a montage video of Dime and Vinnie moments. Then as that ended and the kabuki curtain dropped, BANG, “Suicide Note Part II” erupts to start everything off. I’ve thought about this for the past couple years and to see it happen was pretty badass. From there it was a barrage of classics, deep cuts and fan favorites like “Strength Beyond Strength,” 5 Minutes Alone,” “Hellbound,” “This Love,” “I’m Broken,” “Mouth For War,” one of my all time favorites “10’s,” and so many more bangers. For over an hour and 40 minutes, Phil, Rex, Zakk and Charlie ripped Los Angeles a new one! I’ve got to say it was great to hear and see Phil and Rex on stage together again and both sounded great. Zakk definitely does Dime justice on these songs. And he does it without stepping on what Dime did. He’s brought a little bit of a dirtier tone to the songs giving them a bit of new life and actually darker in vibes. Charlie if you don’t already know is a beast on the drums but, gee golly, was he murdering these drums. He’s another that does Vinnie justice as well as adding an extra pep to his step on the songs. You really couldn’t ask for two better guys to step into those roles.

Direct support for the evening were the Vikings, Amon Amarth. It’s been a while since I’ve seen these gents and they still put on a show. It’s definitely a fun time and musically it’s very metal. Those Norwegians and Swedes really know how to write metal riffs. They definitely had a great energy on stage and kept the crowd entertained and engaged. Amon are one of those bands though that once you’ve seen them, you’ve pretty much seen “their show.” And opening the show was King Parrot from Australia. I saw these guys years ago open for Down. They have a ton of energy and they mix punk, grind core and death metal into one hell of a buzz saw of noise. While only 25 minutes on stage they made the most out of it.

What a great night all together. Pantera sounded great and really delivered a great set and show. If they do continue on, and why wouldn’t they, I truly hope that they explore more of the catalog and play songs never played live, haven’t been played in years, and some more deep cuts. My favorite Pantera album is The Great Southern Trendkill and that album definitely needs more love live! If you get the chance to see this incarnation of Pantera, you should. It’s not only a blast, it really just feels good!

Overall Rating: A

Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy

Pantera Setlist:

Intro- Suicide Note Part I (tape)

01) Suicide Note Part II

02) Hellbound

03) 5 Minutes Alone

04) Strength Beyond Strength

05) Mouth For War

06) Goddamn Electric (w/ Phil Guitar Solo)

07) Becoming

08) I’m Broken

09) 10’s

10) I’ll Cast A Shadow

11) This Love

12) Cowboys From Hell

ENCORE

13) A New Level

14) Walk

15) Domination/Hollow

16) Fucking Hostile

THE AUDIOECLECTICA PODCAST: EPISODE 001


This has been a long time coming and it’s finally here! The All New and Revamped Audioeclectica Podcast. I’m very pleased and proud to be bringing this back. Joining me on this venture are a few people that I’d like to shout out. First being my co-host Justin Sinclair (of sinistermusicreviews.wordpress.com). Justin is a good friend of mine and we share a common interest in a lot of the same music and I’ve taken it upon myself to expand his musical horizons. And it’s definitely paid off! Look at you know! Also a shout to Diggy at Lucky Star Radio for hosting the show and for all your behind the scenes work. And finally my friend Dionne at JASI Entertainment for pushing me to get this thing going again and for the support!

The first episode is all about reunions, bands that have stuck it out, best reunions, cash grab bands/tours, reunions we wish would happen and more. Plus some really great tidbits of information about the bands, tours, shows, and then some. This is the first of many episodes to come. Lots of different topics will be discussed and opinions shared. So come along for this ride and join the fun!

If there is a topic on your mind you’d like us to discuss, leave us a comment and we will add it to the list.

Thank you all for your support throughout the years! Audioeclectica is on its way to bigger and better things and this is just the start! Stay Tuned and remember to always Listen Eclectically!

Best,

Brian

Listen On Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/5G5FiGzUixo5sy4QiL1cQA?utm_source=generator&theme=0

Listen On Apple:

https://embed.music.apple.com/us/album/audioeclectica-episode-001/1810149934

Listen On YouTube:

Track One: Down- Temptation’s Wings

I thought I’d start off the new year with a great song and a killer track one to boot. I will never forget the first time I heard this song. I was 13 years old and I was chatting with one of the guys who worked at the Tower Records in my town. I recall our conversation swinging toward Pantera as I was also looking to get their live album that was out. The guy said instead of getting the 101 Proof album I should check out this other album which had Philip in it as well. The guy even went and put the CD on in the store and then a couple moments later, the CD was in my hand and in my discman back in the car on the way home. From that point on I’ve been a huge Down fan. So much so that I prefer listening to Down over Pantera. Yes it’s true but, that’s for a whole other topic for another day. The first song, “Temptation’s Wings” is one of those track one’s that the moment you first hear it, you already know you’re going to like what’s to come and the want for more just grows and grows. Interestingly, this song dates back to about 1990/1991 when Down first came to fruition. It’s got this great Sabbath meets Zeppelin vibe with a great bit of Southern Rock charm. Put it this way, I would put this song in my top 25 favorite track one’s! Looking forward to seeing Down in 2025 and having a new album out later this year. If you aren’t familiar with Down, you should rectify that and quick!

Down- Temptation’s Wings:

Down- Down I- NOLA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG82oeXCclA&list=OLAK5uy_kj_nOYGgi9xj7tZ-yxXZ6pWH90CL_sw3o

Classic Soundtracks: Dee Snider’s Strangeland

Back in 1998 Twisted Sister frontman, Dee Snider’s horror film Strangeland was released. I don’t remember much about the movie but, I do remember the soundtrack quite well. The soundtrack features songs from Sevendust, Megadeth, Pantera, Anthrax, Coal Chamber, Marilyn Manson, Soulfly, System Of A Down and Snot! That’s quite a banging collection of bands and songs. The song that I will always remember most from this soundtrack is “Absent” by Snot. This would be the last recorded song by the band before singer Lynn Strait’s tragic car accident. There is a different version of “Absent” found on the Strait Up tribute album. This soundtrack is one of those that came out at a time when soundtracks still meant something. If you haven’t heard this soundtrack before, it’s definitely worth your time!

Strangeland Soundtrack:

Title Tracks: Pantera- The Great Southern Trendkill
Pantera – The Great Southern Trendkill (2012, 180, Vinyl) - Discogs

I’m probably in a very small minority with what I’m about to say. To me, the best Pantera album is, The Great Southern Trendkill. This album emits a level of heavy that I think even surprised everyone involved in the making of it. I’ve always been very fond of the vocal production on this one too (courtesy of the masterful Sean Beavan working out of Trent Reznor’s studio in New Orleans). There’s something a bit more powerful and in your face about Philip’s delivery on this album. One thing is for certain, the first song on the album, the title track, “The Great Southern Trendkill” is one of the best title tracks. Everything about this song is badass. This is one of those title tracks that stands out amongst them all!


Pantera- The Great Southern Trendkill:

Soundtrack Only Songs: Pantera & Rob Halford- Light Comes Out Of Black

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Let’s travel back to 1992 and revisit the soundtrack for the Buffy The Vampire Slayer. While the movie has achieved some cult status over the years, and the TV show has been hailed, the soundtrack has become a bit of an after thought. When you look at the soundtrack though, you can see why it would be. Though there has always been one song on it that has been intriguing. That song is “Light Comes Out Of Black” by Pantera featuring Rob Halford. In an interview some years ago, Rob Halford commented on how this came to be. “I was away from Priest. Sony were working on the soundtrack. They wanted Sony artists and asked me to write a song. I hadn’t written as a solo writer for years and years and years. But it’s one of those things where you don’t know what you can do until you put your nose to the grindstone. So I wrote “Light Comes Out of Black,” and I was stuck. And I got Dime’s number, and I called him up and I said, “Here’s the deal.” And he goes, “Let’s do it. Just get in the plane and come down to Dallas.” So that’s what I did the next day, went to the studio, laid the track down in a very short space of time. Phil wandered by, said “Oh, how’s it going, ‘metal god’?” So I told him and he said, “You got a spot for me?” I said, “Pfft, here’s the mic.” So Phil joins me on the back end of the song. And it turned out really good. It’s amazing to think that that’s a Pantera song really. It is Pantera with me on lead vocals, and Phil obviously doing the outro sections. But it’s a Pantera song really.

So without anymore delay, here’s the song!
Pantera with Rob Halford- Light Comes Out Of Black:

 

 

Live Review: Slayer, Primus, Ministry, Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals at The Forum

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This past weekend were the “Final” Slayer shows. It was very appropriate that they close it out in Los Angeles, seeing as though they are from the great LA area. What was originally going to be one show, turned to two after the first night sold out immediately. Then they announced the lineup of the show. Slayer would be joined by one of the most diverse lineups they’ve played in years. Primus was direct support along with Ministry and Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals performing nothing but Pantera songs.

 

The night began with a ferocious set by Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals. Their short but sweet set was the highlight of the night (other than Slayer of course). For 30 minutes, they really delivered the goods as they ran through their Pantera set. Starting with “Mouth For War” was a great idea as it really got the crowd pumped. “Becoming,” “I’m Broken,” and “Strength Beyond Strength” were absolutely killer as well. During “Fucking Hostile” Anthrax’s Charlie Benante joined the band on the drums and that one just about crushed the pit. “This Love” was a great choice to play as well, with actor Jason Momoa running out on stage with his kids to sing along. Closing out their set was “A New Level” and they really knocked it out of the park with this one. Phil was absolutely on and sounded terrific. The guys in The Illegals really did a stellar job with these songs. Having Phil and The Illegals open up this show was the perfect choice.

 

Ministry was up next and they were pretty solid. Though they played the same exact set as the did the night before. It had been a minute since I last saw Ministry live and with an entirely different lineup. One of the best parts of seeing Ministry this go round was that on bass they have Paul D’Amor, who you might recognize as the original bassist for Tool. Watching him onstage going all out was pretty great. The band’s set was all classic songs like “Stigmata,” “Just One Fix,” “Thieves,” The Missing” and “Jesus Built My Hotrod,” so that made this pretty cool. It was just lacking something that I can’t quite put the right words to.

Primus was right before Slayer. It was definitely an interesting choice. Throughout their set, you could sense that something was a bit off. The crowd was losing interest and the energy was sort of being sucked out of the room the longer they played. I even fell asleep for a good 10-15 minutes during their set. Primus are a good band and great musicians. I can also see why they were asked to be a part of this tour due to the long history they have with the guys in Slayer but, they really really zapped the room almost out of the show.

Thankfully it wasn’t long until Slayer took the stage and the place went ape shit. A short video preceded the band coming on stage. The video featured fans thanking the band for all the years of music and blah blah blah… FUCKING SLAYER!!! Then, the lights came down and the visuals started and bang, right into “South Of Heaven.” For the next almost 2 hours, Slayer ripped through songs like “Repentless,” Postmortem,” “War Ensemble,” “Stain of Mind” Disciple,” “Seasons In The Abyss,” “Hell Awaits,” “Dead Skin Mask” and “Chemical Warfare.” Gary Holt was absolutely ripping it up on his leads and seemed to be having one hell of a great time playing. Tom Araya seemed to be very contemplative as his sang and played. Throughout the set, he couldn’t help but smile as he took it all in. Paul Bostaph was straight up killing it on the drums. And Kerry King was very locked into his playing but, even he seemed to be enjoying the moment a bit too. Ending their set with the trifecta of “Raining Blood,” “Mandatory Suicide” and “Angel Of Death” was pretty awesome

 

It was a very somber yet exciting night. If this is truly Slayer’s last show, they went out with quite a bang. For a band that’s been at it this hard for over 30 plus years, it’s never easy but, when you have a fan base as dedicated and die hard as Slayer fans are, it makes it all worth while. Sure I would have liked to hear a few other songs other than some of what they picked to play but, that’s ok, I got the favorites I wanted. I’ve seen Slayer many times over the years and this was one hell of a show. The Forum was a great place to see them close it out. Thank you Slayer for all the years of heavy tunes and inspiration! You will be missed

 

Slayer Set List:

01) South Of Heaven
02) Repentless
03) Postmortem
04) World Painted Blood
05) Hate Worldwide
06) War Ensemble
07) Stain Of Mind
08) Disciple
09) When The Stillness Comes
10) Born Of Fire
11) Payback
12) Seasons In The Abyss
13) Jesus Saves
14) Chemical Warfare
15) Hell Awaits
16) Dead Skin Mask
17) Show No Mercy
18) Raining Blood
19) Mandatory Suicide
20 ) Angel Of Death

Primus Set List:
01) Those Damned Blue Collar Tweekers
02) Too Many Puppies
03) Sgt. Baker
04) The Seven
05) Cygnus X-1
06) Southbound Pachyderm
07) Mr. Krinkle
08) Welcome To This World
09) Professor Nutbutter’s House Of Treats
10) My Name Is Mud
11) Jerry Was A Race Car Driver

 

Ministry Set List:

01) The Missing
02) Deity
03) Stigmata
04) Supernaut (Black Sabbath Cover)
05) Just One Fix
06) N.W.O.
07) Thieves
08) Jesus Built My Hotrod

Philip H. Anselmo and The Illegals Set List:
01) Mouth For War
02) Becoming
03) I’m Broken
04) Goddamn Electric
05) Strength Beyond Strength
06) Fucking Hostile (with Charlie Benante)
07) This Love
08) A New Level

Classic Soundtracks: Demon Knight

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Remember way back, when Tales From The Crypt was on? I know I do. It was such a fun show full of humor, horror and violence. The show was a pretty big success and of course out of that came a couple Tales From The Crypt movies. The first (and best one) was Demon Knight. The movie starred Billy Zane, William Sadler, Jada Pinkett and Thomas Haden Church. The real gem of the movie though was the soundtrack, which consisted of bands like Pantera, Machine Head, Megadeth, Rollins Band, Filter, Ministry and The Melvins to name a few. The choice to make the soundtrack mostly heavy music really gave the movie the right mood. Plus a soundtrack and movie like this in 1995, you knew you were gonna get something worthwhile.

 

Demon Knight Soundtrack:

Song Battle: Nine Inch Nails vs Pantera- Heresy

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I really enjoy doing these song battles. Getting to hear what song you think is best is always intriguing to me. Today I have a rather interesting song battle for you all. Both Nine Inch Nails and Pantera have songs called “Heresy” and both are extremely different. Personally I know which song I’d choose (I pick Nine Inch Nails) but, both are very good. Which one do you favor?

 

Nine Inch Nails- Heresy:

 

Pantera- Heresy:

 

 

Great B-Sides: Pantera

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I’ve been in a Pantera mood the last couple days. I’ve mainly been listening to The Great Southern Trendkill (as it’s my favorite album of theirs). While I was going through all their albums I forgot about a few b-sides and covers that they did throughout their career. So here they are. The few b-sides they have and covers. Enjoy!

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