Some of the staff here at HEAVY are absolutely gagging for a Pantera reunion and claim that seeing Pantera play Vulgar Display of Power in its entirety should be a basic human right, so every time we see a tiny shred of evidence that there may be a Pantera reunion looming on the horizon and that Zakk Wylde might be Dimebag’s replacement, we get excited like little schoolgirls. When you compile all of the favourable evidence together, and then ignore all of the evidence that doesn’t lead to the conclusion you want (just like a good scientist would), it really looks like a Pantera reunion with Zakk Wylde is on the cards.
So, here it is… irrefutable evidence (not really, it’s pretty shabby evidence at best) that a Pantera reunion might just happen.
1. DOWN PERFORM COVER OF ‘WALK’
Pantera front-man Phil Anselmo’s current band, Down, have performed a cover of Pantera’s ‘Walk’ a whole bunch of times, so it looks like Anselmo might be just about as into the Pantera reunion as we are.
2. PHIL ANSELMO JOINS KILL DEVIL HILL ON STAGE FOR COVER OF ‘MOUTH FOR WAR’
Phil Anselmo joins Pantera bassist Rex Brown’s current band, Kill Devil Hill, on stage to perform a cover of Pantera’s ‘Mouth For War’ at Rock on the Range 2014.
3. THIS INTERVIEW WITH PHIL ANSELMO AT ROCK ON THE RANGE 2014
When Fan Pass’ journo Matt Pinfield asks Anselmo about a Pantera reunion, Anselmo is keen. Anselmo also agrees that Zakk would be the perfect Dimebag v2.0. So maybe Anselmo makes it seem as if Pantera drummer and Dimebag’s brother, Vinnie Paul, isn’t down for any sort of reunion, but let’s just skip over that part and focus on the parts where Anselmo says that Brown and Wylde are totes up for it. Let’s forget that in 2010 Brown told Ultimate Guitar that a reunion “would be great in one factor… but… I just don’t think it would be right without Dime”, but that was way back in 2010 when Brown was still in Down and now we’re in 2014 with Anselmo calling Brown a “smart man” implying that things have changed and that Brown would be up for it now (or that at least realises the benefits that might come with the reunion). That last sentence somehow goes toward the argument that a Pantera reunion is on the cards, I’m not sure exactly how, but it does.
4. ZAKK WYLDE IS SUPER KEEN
In an interview with Artisan News in 2013, when asked if he’d fill in for Dimebag if there was ever a Pantera reunion Wylde said “Of course, I was a pallbearer for him — I laid him to rest — so, of course, I’d say, it would be a beautiful way to honor him and stuff like that. And to celebrate all things Pantera and what they achieved.”
5. VINNIE PAUL THINKS THAT ZAKK WYLDE IS “THE GUY” TO REPLACE DIMEBAG
Vinnie Paul told Texas radio station 97.1 The Eagle Rocks in March 2012 that “If [a Pantera reunion] ever were to happen, [Wylde] would be the guy [to fill in for Dimebag].” He may have also said that he thinks that they should just leave things be, out of respect for Dimebag, but let’s put our fingers in our ears and yell “la la la la” for that part. And in other interviews Vinnie may have also said that he indirectly blames Anselmo for Dimebag’s death and he may have also told Metal Hammer that he’s not interested in a reunion because if there’s no Dimebag there’s no Pantera, but let’s go ahead and erase those things from our memory like we’re Jim Carey in ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and completely ignore any evidence we don’t like when considering the viability of a Pantera reunion.
6. PHIL ANSELMO AND REX BROWN JOIN BLACK LABEL SOCIETY ON STAGE FOR COVER OF ‘I’M BROKEN’
Just one teenie, tiny step away from Pantera + Zakk Wylde reunion glory, in May 2014 Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown joined Zakk Wylde’s band, Black Label Society, on stage to perform a cover of Pantera’s ‘I’m Broken’.
So with all of that sweet, sweet evidence, you may as well pencil ‘Pantera reunion concert’ into your diary. Want more Pantera? In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the release of Pantera’s legendary album Far Beyond Driven, issue 10 of HEAVY Magazine features a Pantera quiz, a 1994 in metal crossword and guitar, bass and drum lessons based around the songs and techniques on Far Beyond Driven.
To get your hands on a copy of issue 10 of HEAVY, follow these links:
CLICK HERE TO BUY A PRINT COPY IN A REAL LIFE SHOP
CLICK HERE TO BUY A PRINT COPY ONLINE
CLICK HERE TO BUY THE E-MAG AND SAVE MONEY
– Photo by John Raptis
