PANTERA – “Power Metal” (1988) Album Review

ALBUM SUMMARY

REVIEW

In 1988, PANTERA was a fledgling ‘glam’ metal band and still 2 years away from their breakout album, Cowboys From Hell. A lot of people assume that Cowboys From Hell was the first PANTERA album, so it comes as a surprise to find out it was actually their fifth! Leading the charge on this miss-information was the band itself who, over the years, tried to hide the first four albums or dismiss them as ‘fluffy hair metal‘.

Their fourth album, Power Metal, was the group’s first with Phil Anselmo on vocals, and showed glimpses of what was to come. Phil brought the band one step closer to the PANTERA-sound we all know and love, adding grit with his vocals and musical influences. The album is still very much hair metal crossed with JUDAS PRIEST, however. All in all, Power Metal is an interesting and transitional early effort from what would become one of the most important metal bands of the ’90s.

What stands out in Power Metal? Well, the album cover is cringe-inducing and the lyrics are as generic and cliche as they come – most of the album is spent referring to how much the band wants to “rock” and be loud. On the other hand, a benefit of re-discovering this album in 2020 is hindsight. Looking back, there are some clear indications of what PANTERA would become. Even before the band found their sound, the talent was undeniable. Rex Brown and Vinnie Paul lay down a powerful rhythm section on Power Metal and Dimebag Darrell proves throughout that he was destined to be a special guitarist. Dimebag showcases some of the distinct riff-age, tone, and guitar squeals that would go on to become synonymous with PANTERA. The solo on “We’ll Meet Again” is one example.

Tracks like “Power Metal”, “Over and Out”, and “Death Trap” sound like direct ancestors to the Cowboys from Hell record. Others, such as “Rock the World” and “Proud to Be Loud”, prove the band was slow to shed their hair metal tendencies. That said, as a PANTERA fan, I can still appreciate this album for what it was: a stepping stone. Fans of the PANTERA that “reinvented heavy metal” tend to have disdain toward the early albums; choosing to ignore the band’s less-than-heavy roots. But history should not be ignored and, in PANTERA’s case, should be celebrated. After all, without Power Metal there would be no “Cemetery Gates”, “Walk”, or “I’m Broken”.

LEGACY

32 years removed from 1988, PANTERA fans can thank two things for their shift to a heavier sound (besides the addition of Anselmo). First, was producer Terry Date. The band chose to work with Date because of his production on OVERKILL‘s The Years of Decay (1989), where Bobby Gustafson‘s guitar work had influenced Dimebag Darrell and was instrumental to the musical direction of Cowboys From Hell. The second, was the release of Power Metal. It should be remembered as the album that lead PANTERA to bigger and better things. Most PANTERA fans won’t love the album, but they should look back at it fondly. Power Metal was the bridge between hair metal-PANTERA and heavy metal-PANTERA.

Highlights: “Power Metal”, “Over and Out”