In a contemporary interview with Brazilian tune journalist Igor Miranda, Zakk Wylde shared his openness to liberating a are living album from the present lineup of PANTERA. The BLACK LABEL SOCIETY frontman, along ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, has joined forces with surviving PANTERA contributors Rex Brown (bass) and Philip Anselmo (vocals) to deliver the mythical band’s tune again to the level. Wylde commented at the concept of a are living album, announcing, “Yeah, regardless of the fellas wanna do, we knock it out. Let’s be actual — it is a are living album each evening. Folks with their telephones and the entirety are recording it anyway, so it does not [matter] to me. You move up there and also you play to win each evening.”
Alternatively, the opportunity of new songs from the reformed PANTERA lineup turns out not likely at this level. Wylde famous, “No, we have not sat and mentioned, like, ‘Oh, guys, let’s get in combination and write songs,’ or whatnot; there hasn’t been anything else like that. I imply, the one discussions we will have is solely what different new songs we wanna put within the setlist. Like after we put ‘Floods’ in after which we were given in combination at rehearsals, were given in combination over at Phil’s space, we simply rehearsed the entirety. However no, not anything like… We’ve not been sitting round writing riffs and such things as that.”
When requested whether or not he perspectives the present PANTERA lineup as a tribute or one thing else, Wylde emphasised that this can be a party: “Yeah, that is what I believe it’s. It isn’t even a tribute. It is extra only a PANTERA party. Like every time we move out and do the ‘Enjoy Hendrix’ [tours], which I all the time have a blast after I do this, it is all people going out and celebrating Jimi’s greatness. To me, that is [a] PANTERA party. We are celebrating the entire mountains that PANTERA conquered. So that is what that is.”
Wylde additionally addressed the truth that he does not precisely reproduce the portions firstly written and recorded through the overdue PANTERA guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. He defined, “Oh, yeah, although Dime used to be up there enjoying the solo to ‘No Extra Tears’ or ‘Mama I am Coming House’, it is gonna sound like Dime enjoying the solo to ‘No Extra Tears’. ‘Motive he has his contact and his feels. Like when Randy Rhoads used to be enjoying BLACK SABBATH songs, it appears like Randy Rhoads enjoying BLACK SABBATH songs. You concentrate to the ‘Tribute’ album [from Ozzy Osbourne], when Saint Rhoads used to be enjoying ‘Iron Guy’ and he used to be enjoying ‘Paranoid’ and ‘Kids Of The Grave’, it appears like Randy enjoying BLACK SABBATH songs. It is Randy’s guitar tone and Randy’s contact and Randy’s enjoying. However that is what makes it cool. Yeah, to me, it is simply commonplace sense. Dime simply appears like Dime it doesn’t matter what he is enjoying.”
The reformed PANTERA lineup is lately headlining primary gala’s throughout North The us, South The us, and Europe, in addition to supporting METALLICA on a large stadium excursion in 2024. The collaboration between Wylde, Benante, Brown, and Anselmo used to be first reported in July 2022 and has been met with enthusiasm from lovers and the estates of PANTERA’s founders, drummer Vincent “Vinnie Paul” Abbott and guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott.
Reflecting at the choice to excursion with the reformed PANTERA, Wylde shared with Final Guitar 3 months in the past that he feels Dimebag’s presence within the adventure. He recounted circumstances the place indicators, such because the quantity “333” (Dimebag’s favourite quantity), perceived to verify Dimebag’s religious involvement of their enterprise. “After we had been in New York, identical to indicators, after we simply did [a headlining show at] the [Madison Square] Lawn [in February 2024], my spouse Barbaranne used to be, like, Test this out.’ One thing got here up and it simply reminded us of Dime, and I used to be like, ‘Wow, that is loopy.’ Or we might glance on our telephone and it could be ‘333’. It is simply those indicators in all places. And I may just see Dime simply doing it, going, ‘I am hoping those idiots are aware of it’s me sending those indicators.’ [Laughs]”
Rex Brown echoed equivalent sentiments about feeling the presence in their fallen bandmates. He described an eerie, chilly sensation all through rehearsals that he interpreted because the spirits of Dimebag and Vinnie Paul looking at over them. “To me, they are angels. And I feel you already know who they’re. The ones guys, I feel they are taking a look down, or they are taking a look round us, with us, and I feel they are digging what they are seeing, guy. I truly do. And that’s the reason the one roughly method I will be able to take a look at it, and get as shut as we will with Charlie and Zakk. And God, it is getting truly, truly just right. And there is so a lot more attainable to get even tighter.”
Acting PANTERA’s tune to new generations of lovers has been a formidable revel in for Brown. He shared with Rolling Stone Australia the emotional affect of seeing lovers’ reactions at their displays: “There may be numerous reminiscences on this band which can be laborious to position down. And dropping the brothers, I simply by no means in one million years concept that one thing like that may occur. Right here we’re 22 years later, and to peer those new lovers’ faces. You have got one child sitting there, or guy, girl or kid crying, and you’ve got this different man simply going, ‘You probably did it proper.’ It is simply superb.”
Brown emphasised that the present PANTERA lineup isn’t a tribute band however a continuation of the band’s legacy: “That is no tribute band — Philip and I am getting to play those songs of ours that we have not performed in 23 years. And as a way to do this and hook up with the enormity of what is came about is solely extremely fucking insane, you already know?”
The reformed PANTERA has certainly confronted some grievance for traveling underneath the PANTERA title with out Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. Brown addressed those issues through pointing out, “I do not name it anything else. I name it PANTERA. The display itself is a party of the lives of all 4 people. Two are unfortunately now not with us, and we can’t deliver them again. God, do I need them again. However that is simply now not imaginable. So we are doing the most productive factor that we will to stay our tune alive. And I feel they are smiling down and announcing, ‘You guys are doing all proper, guy.’ And they are with us. And I am not shittin’ you.”
Reflecting at the preliminary choice to reform PANTERA, Brown recalled, “Philip and I talked for a number of months ahead of. He were given at the telephone and stated, ‘Hiya, guy, you wanna do it? I did not have — possibly a six-second… now not a hesitation, however simply to wrap my head across the complete gravity of the enormity of it. I went, ‘Ok, I have were given a few questions.’ And, guy, ever since that decision now we have labored truly, truly laborious to get this factor going. And now we have jumped over numerous mountains.”
PANTERA’s legacy has been marked through tragedy, together with the tragic demise of Dimebag Darrell in 2004 and Vinnie Paul’s passing in 2018. Regardless of those losses, the reformed lineup continues to honor their reminiscence and produce PANTERA’s tune to lovers outdated and new. As they excursion the arena, they now not most effective have a good time the band’s storied previous but in addition sit up for growing new reminiscences with audiences all over the world.
