Pantera reunion with Charlie Benante on drums and Zakk Wylde on guitar

[Dead1]

Pantera is reuniting for a set of gigs with Charlie Benante on drums and Zakk Wylde on guitar.  Both are talented musicians and were close to Pantera.

https://blabbermouth.net/news/its-official-zakk-wylde-and-charlie-benante-to-tour-with-panteras-surviving-members

Well I am so positively pumped about this - an opportunity to see Pantera live even without the Abbott brothers.

[AlSymerz]

Is that confirmed? Last I was reading the only confirmation was that Rex and Phil were trying to book gigs. Charlie and Zakk were far from confirmed. Rex even suggested back in January that no reunion with him involved would include Zakk. But then again Vinnie never wanted to reunite without his brother anyway so I don't suppose it matters who is in the band now that that two important members are gone.

The comments he makes about playing stadiums is a bit far fetched no matter who he gets, but the good thing about getting Benate is that it will give Anthrax another reason not to release a new album.

 

[GoatmasterGeneral]

Some friends and I were talking about this earlier via text. It's not Pantera without DIme and big Vin, more of a tribute band really. Not that I care because I'm not remotely a fan myself, but I'm just sayin'. One dude said they should just bill themseves as Primal Concrete Sledge. But a quick Google search tells me that name has already been taken.

As far as Zakk's inclusion is concerned, I suppose there are a limited number of individuals from the mainstream heavy metal world who could hope to step into the Dime slot and do it any kind of justice. I'm sure Rex probably needs the money from this tour so he's gonna have to suck it up and accept Zakk.

[Dead1]

1 hour ago, KillaKukumba said:

Is that confirmed? Last I was reading the only confirmation was that Rex and Phil were trying to book gigs. Charlie and Zakk were far from confirmed. Rex even suggested back in January that no reunion with him involved would include Zakk. But then again Vinnie never wanted to reunite without his brother anyway so I don't suppose it matters who is in the band now that that two important members are gone.

The comments he makes about playing stadiums is a bit far fetched no matter who he gets, but the good thing about getting Benate is that it will give Anthrax another reason not to release a new album.

 

According to that article it's confirmed and both the Abbott estates have endorsed it.

 

As for Anthrax,  liked their last couple of albums.  I am also a fan of Volume 8 so read into that what you will!  😜

1 hour ago, GoatmasterGeneral said:

Some friends and I were talking about this earlier via text. It's not Pantera without DIme and big Vin, more of a tribute band really. Not that I care because I'm not remotely a fan myself, but I'm just sayin'. One dude said they should just bill themseves as Primal Concrete Sledge. But a quick Google search tells me that name has already been taken.

As far as Zakk's inclusion is concerned, I suppose there are a limited number of individuals from the mainstream heavy metal world who could hope to step into the Dime slot and do it any kind of justice. I'm sure Rex probably needs the money from this tour so he's gonna have to suck it up and accept Zakk.

For us Aussies we haven't really got to experience Pantera live anyway.

 

They did only two tours in Australia - one in 1994 and a second one in 2001 which was two gigs and Phil ranted and derailed both.  The band was already imploding at this stage and they cancelled the tour.  Band went on hiatus but didn't formally breakup until 2003.

 

So sober Phil + Rex  + 2 guys that were close to Pantera (Zakk + Charlie) = a pretty good proposition for us Aussie fans.

[AlSymerz]

I don't think they should tour/gig as Pantera either. A tribute act, a bunch of guys having a good time, whatever but it's not Pantera and never will be. But as you say GG, not being a fan it doesn't worry me greatly who they get.

As good an Anthrax album may or may not be it seems like Charlie and Scott will take any excuse possible not to release the album they've been writing since 2018.

 

[Dead1]

Funny, I am a huge Pantera fan (I even have CFH logo tattooed on my right leg) and I am totally happy with this new Pantera being the official Pantera for purposes of touring.  It's still Phil and it's still Rex and Charlie and Zakk are the best possible candidates to replace the Abbott brothers in a live setting.  

I don't think they should write new music under the Pantera name though but I would be happy to check out any new stuff they do under another name.

 

Agree on new Anthrax album taking too fucking long and excuses being thrown out as to why they haven't done it.

[RelentlessOblivion]

Personally I’m far from excited about this,CFH through Trendkill where is the albums which Jackie sent me into the world of muscle in the first place. Even if I don’t play them regularly those records hold a lot of nostalgia for me and even with Phil and Rex involved in the project this won’t be Pantera. When it comes to this sort of thing I’ve always felt once the main creative influence is gone just let the dog rest, I felt the same way about those Death shows a few years back without shock.

[AlSymerz]

There is 2 or 3 incarnations of Death at the moment, and good luck to them, but at least they aren't calling themselves Death.

[Dead1]

I think you can get away with loss of main creative force if:

A.) You don't write new music.  This is main source of uniqueness these days though to be fair a lot of musos are interchangeable (Dimebag was unique whereas thrash/death guitarist #37582 offers precious little differentiation).

B.) Principal vocalist is still around.  Let's face it, you can get someone to mimick a musician but vocals are unique.

C.) Yes musicians have a style but that can be copied.  Plus musicians evolve themselves - can anyone really hear 1983-88 James Hetfield on the riffs on Hardwired or Death Magnetic?  Even Adrian Smith and Dave Murray from Maiden have strayed away from their 1980s origins (and lost some of their uniqueness since).

D.) Musicians no longer have a unique sound due to computers.  What once might have invovled a modified or custom guitar, distortion pedal etc now is a setting.

 

From a Pantera perspective I think Charlie will be able to do a good job on drums.  Zack has the harder task on guitar.

 

 

[JonoBlade]

1 hour ago, Dead1 said:

From a Pantera perspective I think Charlie will be able to do a good job on drums.  Zack has the harder task on guitar.

While they shouldn't have called it Pantera, with endorsements from the Abbott estates they obviously decided they could and as a result will sell more tickets. It makes perfect sense from a business standpoint.

I really want to see the look on the face of a toothless hick who has decided to leave his trailer park for the first time in 20 years to see this gig wonder "man, Vinnie looks in much better shape than I remember....but what is with all those pinch harmonics Darryl is doing?"

Yeehaw.

[Serpentboi1992]

makes no difference to me. tickets will probably still be too expensive for my budget

[FatherAlabaster]

Can't help that this rubs me the wrong way. Dime and Vinnie weren't on board. That should be the final word. There are a bunch of band situations where it wouldn't matter as much, but all their history and the fact that they never reconciled makes it not cool. 

[GoatmasterGeneral]

14 hours ago, Dead1 said:

For us Aussies we haven't really got to experience Pantera live anyway.

They did only two tours in Australia - one in 1994 and a second one in 2001 which was two gigs and Phil ranted and derailed both.  The band was already imploding at this stage and they cancelled the tour.  Band went on hiatus but didn't formally breakup until 2003.

So sober Phil + Rex  + 2 guys that were close to Pantera (Zakk + Charlie) = a pretty good proposition for us Aussie fans.

What makes you think they'll even come all the way down to OZ this time? I'd think that's probably a longshot. Unless you meant that and your mates have been stashing away your jolly green giants to book flights to North America?

 

[AlSymerz]

Yeah I agree. I can't see them playing here, I don't reckon there is enough money in it.

[Dead1]

A man can dream!