Pantera to Reunite – But Is It Really Pantera?

2022-07-14

2000 album, "Reinventing the Steel," is being reissued in honor of its 20th anniversary.

Pantera’s “Reinventing the Steel’ reissue – Story by Anne Erickson, courtesy photo

The surviving members of Pantera are reuniting for a blockbuster 2023 tour

The surviving members of Pantera are plotting a big return in 2023 for their first tour in more than 20 years. According to Billboard, vocalist Philip Anselmo and bass player Rex Brown have inked a deal with Artist Group International to book a 2023 North American tour. “We are thrilled to be working with such an iconic band and bringing their music back to the fans,” agent Peter Pappalardo said in a statement.

Of course, Anselmo and Brown are the only surviving members of the band. Guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell was tragically murdered during a concert in Columbus, Ohio, in 2004. His brother Vinnie Paul passed away in 2018 from heart disease.

Considering there are only two surviving members of Pantera, many fans are questioning whether this reunion is really, well, a reunion. My personal thought is that the chance of a Pantera reunion slipped away when Vinnie Paul passed away. Even a reunion with Paul would have been difficult, given the importance of Dimebag to the band, but with both Dimebag and Paul gone, a reunion feels empty to me.

There have been many rumors about Pantera rumors over the years. Back in 2019, Anselmo did an interview for Chile news outlet Humo Negro where he talked about the idea of a Pantera tribute tour with Brown and guitarist Zakk Wylde, known for his time in Ozzy Osbourne’s band and Black Label Society.

In the interview, he said, “Well, Zakk is a busy man … We spoke about it maybe one time. If everything was lined up, I would do it, sure. F**k yeah! Why not?” He added, “I’m open for anything. And Rex and I, we are in touch and we talk. We’re friends and everything’s cool. So, I keep an open mind, I keep an open mind. We’ll see in the future.”

So, far, there’s no word on whether Wylde will participation in the Pantera reunion. He’s busy working with Ozzy on the metal icon’s latest album and, God willing, tour, as well as with Black Label Society. More details regarding the forthcoming Pantera reunion are expected to be revealed soon.

Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Metal, Music, Rock News

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