Changes

==== ''Cowboys from Hell'' ====

==== ''Cowboys from Hell'' ====

After the release of ''Power Metal'', the band decided to try get signed by a major record label. Atco Records signed them.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080118035838/http://www.officialpantera.com/</ref> After that, they then developed and invented the groove metal sound on their major-label groundbreaking fifth album ''Cowboys from Hell'' (1990). It was a new subgenre of metal, they had left their glam metal influences behind for mid-tempo thrash metal dubbed "power groove" (groove metal). ''Cowboys from Hell'' is considered by fans as the band's "official debut album".  

After the release of ''Power Metal'', the band decided to try get signed by a major record label. Atco Records signed them.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20080118035838/http://www.officialpantera.com/</ref> After that, they then developed and invented the groove metal sound on their major-label groundbreaking fifth album ''Cowboys from Hell'', released on July 24, 1990. It was a new subgenre of metal, they had left their glam metal influences behind for mid-tempo thrash metal dubbed "power groove" (groove metal). It is considered to be one of the first ever groove metal albums.<ref>http://www.allmusic.com/album/cowboys-from-hell-mw0000308550</ref> It was their first album to ever chart in 1992, reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers. The album has gone on to attain Gold (500,000 units) and Platinum (1,000,000 units) certifications in the U.S.<ref>http://tsort.info/music/47erfv.htm</ref> ''Cowboys from Hell'' is often referred to by fans as the band's "official debut album".

 

 

Pantera's breakthrough album, ''Cowboys from Hell'', is largely driven by the band's powerful rhythm section and guitarist Diamond Darrell's unbelievably forceful riffing, which skittered around the downbeats to produce unexpected rhythmic phrases and accents, as well as his inventive soloing.

===== Touring =====

===== Touring =====

==== ''Vulgar Display of Power'' and ''Far Beyond Driven'' ====

==== ''Vulgar Display of Power'' and ''Far Beyond Driven'' ====

Two years later ''Cowboys from Hell'' was followed up with an even heavier album ''Vulgar Display of Power'' (1992) , which achieved more popularity for the band and cemented its reputation in the metal community, along with singles like "This Love", a haunting ballad about lust and abuse, "Walk", which would go on to be one of the band's most popular songs. The album would receive significant radio airplay. The album entered itself at the American charts at No. 44.<ref>https://allmusic.com/artist/pantera-p5099/charts-awards?table=SEARCH</ref> Pantera went on tour again, visiting Japan for the first time in July 1992 and later performing at the "Monsters of Rock" festival co-headlined by Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath in Italy. This is around the time when Darrell Abbott made his nickname "Dimebag Darrell.

Two years later ''Cowboys from Hell'' was followed up with an even heavier album ''Vulgar Display of Power'', released on February 25th, 1992. which achieved more popularity for the band and cemented its reputation in the metal community, along with singles like "This Love", a haunting ballad about lust and abuse, "Walk", which would go on to be one of the band's most popular songs. The album would receive significant radio airplay. The album entered itself at the American charts at No. 44.<ref>https://allmusic.com/artist/pantera-p5099/charts-awards?table=SEARCH</ref> The album has been very well received by fans and critics, it is Pantera's highest selling album to date, and has been certified double platinum.<ref>https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Pantera&ti=Vulgar+Display+of+Power#search_section</ref> ''Vulgar Display of Power'' has been listed as one of the ''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die''.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1001_Albums_You_Must_Hear_Before_You_Die</ref> In October 2011, the album was ranked number four on ''Guitar World'' magazine's list of "The Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1992".<ref>http://www.guitarworld.com/photo-gallery-top-10-guitar-albums-1992</ref> Pantera went on tour again, visiting Japan for the first time in July 1992 and later performing at the "Monsters of Rock" festival co-headlined by Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath in Italy. This is around the time when Darrell Abbott made his nickname "Dimebag Darrell.

Two years later, their new album ''Far Beyond Driven'' (1994) then debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.<ref>https://allmusic.com/artist/pantera-p5099/charts-awards?table=SEARCH</ref> The album's first single "I'm Broken" earned the band's first Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance.". This album was taking a more extreme direction in their groove metal sound, with having elements of thrash metal and death metal in the album. Pantera began touring again, starting in South America, along with being accepted into another "Monsters of Rock" billing.

Two years later, their new album ''Far Beyond Driven'' released on March 22nd 1994, then peaked at number one on the Billboard 200.<ref>https://allmusic.com/artist/pantera-p5099/charts-awards?table=SEARCH</ref> The album's first single "I'm Broken" earned the band's first Grammy nomination for "Best Metal Performance.". This album was taking a more extreme direction in their groove metal sound, with having elements of thrash metal and death metal in the album. Rolling Stone would eventually rank Far Beyond Driven #39 on their list of The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.<ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-100-greatest-metal-albums-of-all-time-113614/pantera-far-beyond-driven-1994-3-195056/</ref> Pantera began touring again, starting in South America, along with being accepted into another "Monsters of Rock" billing. ''Far Beyond Driven'' is the first album where the band's guitarist Darrell Abbott is credited as "Dimebag Darrell" having changed his nickname from "Diamond Darrell" soon after ''Vulgar Display of Power'' was released.

==== Tensions and final years ====

==== Tensions and final years ====

The band faced tensions with one another when the vocalist Phil Anselmo got addicted to heroin to relieve back pain in 1995, he nearly died from an overdose on stage a year later.<ref>http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/ST/lib00155,0EAF9099EDD696F6.html</ref> During these times the band only put out two albums ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' (1996) and ''Reinventing the Steel'' (2000). ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' is considered the bands heaviest and most overlooked album, with elements of death metal and grindcore in some of the songs. ''Reinventing the Steel'' was considered a generic groove metal album. After that the band went on hiatus in 2001, and disbanded in 2003.<ref>https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dimebag-darrell-pantera-is-officially-over/</ref>

The band faced tensions with one another when the vocalist Phil Anselmo got addicted to heroin to relieve back pain in 1995, he nearly died from an overdose on stage a year later.<ref>http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/ST/lib00155,0EAF9099EDD696F6.html</ref> During these times the band only put out two albums ''The Great Southern Trendkill'', released on May 7th, 1996 and ''Reinventing the Steel'', released on March 21st, 2000.<ref>http://pantera.com/reinventingthesteel/</ref> ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' is considered the bands heaviest and most overlooked album, with elements of death metal and grindcore in some of the songs. ''Reinventing the Steel'' was considered a generic groove metal album. After that the band went on hiatus in 2001, and disbanded in 2003.<ref>https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dimebag-darrell-pantera-is-officially-over/</ref>

==== Death of Abbott brothers ====

==== Death of Abbott brothers ====

Shortly after Pantera disbanded, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul formed a new band named Damageplan, with vocalist Pat Lachman and bassist Bob Zilla. Damageplan released their first and only album ''New Found Power'' in 2004. 44,000 copies were sold in its first week.

Shortly after Pantera disbanded, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul formed a new band named Damageplan, with vocalist Pat Lachman and bassist Bob Zilla. Damageplan released their first and only album ''New Found Power'' in 2004. 44,000 copies were sold in its first week.

On December 8, 2004, the guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed while performing onstage with his band Damageplan.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1494653/20041209/damageplan.jhtml?headlines=true</ref> The other Abbott brother, Vinnie Paul, would go on to form the band Hellyeah after Dimebag's death. However, Vinnie Paul died of heart failure in 2018, and Hellyeah would go on an hiatus after that.<ref>https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/8462386/vinnie-paul-dead-pantera-damageplan-hellyeah</ref>

On December 8, 2004, less than a minute into the first song of a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, [[Ohio]], a 25 year-old man named Nathan Gale walked onstage with a gun, shooting and killing the guitarist Dimebag Darrell.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1494653/20041209/damageplan.jhtml?headlines=true</ref> Gale would kill three other people before being shot dead by Columbus police office officer James Niggemeyer.<ref>http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1494653/20041209/damageplan.jhtml?headlines=true</ref>  

 

The other Abbott brother, Vinnie Paul, would go on to form the band Hellyeah after Dimebag's death. However, Vinnie Paul died of heart failure in 2018, and Hellyeah would go on an hiatus after that.<ref>https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/obituary/8462386/vinnie-paul-dead-pantera-damageplan-hellyeah</ref>

=== Reunion ===

=== Reunion ===