Cowboys from Hell (CD - 1990)

Engineers include: Pantera, Terry Date, Matt Lane.

Recorded at Pantego Sound Studio, Pantego, Texas.

Personnel: Phil Anselmo (vocals); Diamond Darrell (guitar); Vinnie Paul (drums).

Recording information: Pantego Sound Studio, Pantego, TX.

Pantera's breakthrough album, Cowboys from Hell, is largely driven by the band's powerful rhythm section and guitarist Diamond Darrell (as he was then known)'s unbelievably forceful riffing, which skittered around the downbeats to produce unexpected rhythmic phrases and accents, as well as his inventive soloing. Phil Anselmo displayed a vocal range that could switch from a growling shout to a high falsetto -- listen to him match Darrell's harmonic squeals at the end of "Cemetery Gates." The album gradually becomes more same-sounding as it goes on, but the first half, featuring such brutal slices of thrash as "Psycho Holiday," "Primal Concrete Sledge," and the title track, pretty much carries its momentum all the way through. ~ Steve Huey

In the tradition of bands such as Metallica and Judas Priest, Pantera put themselves on the map with supercharged blues-based metal riffs and screaming/singing vocals. Adding groove to their artistic aggression made COWBOYS FROM HELL a landmark for the band.

With the relentless "Primal Concrete Sledge," Pantera take a chance and incorporate industrial elements into their style, a risky move for a metal band in 1990. "Psycho Holiday" showcases machine-gun syncopation while "Heresy" matches thrash riffs with double bass drumming dexterity. The haunting and dramatic "Cemetery Gates" features soulful vocals and was responsible for thrusting Pantera in the metal mainstream. The outro to "Domination" makes use of an infectiously mosh-worthy progression, while a call-and-answer metal/blues riff comprises the hook in "Shattered." Drummer Vinnie Paul has a drum sound that's comparable to that of Lars Ulrich (of Metallica); both of them were heavily imitated in the early '90s. "Clash With Reality" and "Medicine Man" are studies in incorporating progressive elements into thrash structures. COWBOYS FROM HELL stood at the forefront of a new phase in heavy music; Pantera are now recognized for contributing to the development of '90s metal in the same way that Metallica did in the '80s. minimize