Pantera

Pantera was a popular heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas that formed in 1981. Emerging alongside influential classic thrash metal acts such as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, Pantera was a key formulator of the groove metal (post-thrash) subgenre of heavy metal music. more...

It would not be until nine years after forming that Pantera saw their first bit of commercial success in their major label debut, Cowboys from Hell. From there, they became one of the most celebrated heavy metal bands of the '90s until their dissolution in 2003. On VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", Pantera ranked forty-fifth. Despite the generally cold reception of their first four albums, critics have lauded Pantera's style thereafter; Jason Birchmeier of the All Music Guide considers Pantera to be "arguably the greatest metal band of '90s and ... one of the greatest and most influential metal bands ever."

The word "pantera" means "panther" in a number of other languages, but the name itself is derived from the band's home town of Pantego, Texas.

Biography

Formation

Pantera formed in 1981 with its original line-up consisting of drummer Vinnie Paul, his guitarist brother Dimebag Darrell (originally referred to as Diamond Darrell), bassist Tommy Bradford, vocalist Donnie Hart, and guitarist Terry Glaze. At its birth, the members of Pantera were in high school (11th grade, specifically), and began performing in Texas nightclubs. Because the band members were influenced by contemporary acts such as KISS and Van Halen, they primarily covered songs from those bands, as well as writing their own material in the vein of the glam metal subgenre.

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