by the time you get to PANTERA's final album REINVENTING THE STEEL (EAST WEST, 2000), a transition within the band's SOUND and RELATIONSHIP to one another that had been underway since THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL (EAST WEST, 1996) had basically come to fruition and fully calcified.  namely this album was a band at the END OF THEIR ROPE CREATIVELY and INTERPERSONALLY.

in terms of their sound, the first two records COWBOYS FROM HELL (ATCO, 1990) and VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER (ATCO, 1992) were the sound of an incredibly tight BROTHERHOOD coalescing together while writing, living and struggling together to create and promote arguably some of the most COHESIVE and EXCITING METAL ever produced.  those two records represent an ascent and upward trajectory both commercially and in terms of shared VISION and FOCUS as a CREATIVE UNIT. 

once they hit FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (EAST WEST, 1994) some INTERNAL SHIFTS had occurred.  for one, having been recorded in NASHVILLE it is the only PANTERA record to not be recorded in their home studio as everything before was in PANTEGO SOUND STUDIOS (formerly owned and operated by the ABOTT BROTHERS' father for decades) in ARLINGTON and everything after was done at DIMEBAG's home studio at his DALWORTHINGTON GARDENS residence.  as such the record is ODD since it is both EXPANSIVE sonically and lyrically CLAUSTROPHOBIC with themes of DRUG ABUSE and MENTAL DEGRADATION.  shortly thereafter its release vocalist PHIL ANSELMO had a HEROIN OVERDOSE on tour which shook the band to its core since for the first time the band's seemingly UNSHAKEABLE UNITY had been COMPROMISED.  it was during this period also that ANSELMO pursued a major side project in the SLUDGE METAL supergroup DOWN, which the ABOTT BROTHERS tolerated but quietly chafed at given their allegiance and UNSPARING FOCUS to all things PANTERA.  

unfortunately, this schism was manifested in THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL being conceived and recorded in two separate studios, the band in TEXAS and ANSELMO in LOUISIANA at TRENT REZNOR's NOTHING STUDIOS in NEW ORLEANS.  this DETERIORATION continued on REINVENTING THE STEEL which to some listeners is the sound of a band in bad need of a well-deserved hiatus to recharge and regroup.  which of course never happened as their world tour was cut short abroad by 9/11 and the band proved to never play live again thereafter as ANSELMO pursued an ever-growing list of side projects (DOWN and SUPERJOINT RITUAL among numerous others) without checking in with DIMEBAG or VINNE PAUL, leaving them in perpetual limbo for a few years.

for me the experience of listening to REINVENTING THE STEEL is a bit BITTERSWEET as there are some STANDOUT tracks like "YESTERDAY DON'T MEAN SHIT," "HELLBOUND" and "REVOLUTION IS MY NAME", but overall its LACK OF COHESION and VISION makes it emerge as the LEAST IMPRESSIVE PANTERA album by far.  even sonically, at this point everything had DISINTEGRATED into PURE ATTACK and AGGRESSION, whereas before there was a PALPABLE sense of GROOVE involved, like a more TECHNICALLY ADVANCED and HARDER-HITTING ZZ TOP.  maybe, like with METALLICA or SLAYER, the standard and expectation level with PANTERA is just so ELEVATED that they were bound to misfire eventually, but the whole effort feels like a WASTED OPPORTUNITY for such an INNOVATIVE and POWERFUL band that basically kept the METAL flag going in the 1990s in the wake of the ALTERNATIVE ROCK explosion.

you also can't help but wonder what would have happened if the band just took an extended break, got some side project records out of their system and STAYED IN COMMUNICATION so that when they eventually regrouped theyd be ready to actually fire on all cylinders again having reconvened as a more MATURE and FORGIVING UNIT, both CREATIVELY and INTERPERSONALLY.  that of course never happened and the band is permanently a "WHAT IF" scenario only further solidified by the TRAGIC DEATH of DIMEBAG and the subsequent health problems of VINNIE PAUL that led to his PASSING from natural causes a decade later.  the modern iteration of the band, nobly carried on with close friends of the ABOTT BROTHERS and METAL all-star recruits in ZAKK WYLDE (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) and CHARLIE BENANTE (ANTHRAX, S.O.D.), still pales in comparison to the ENERGY, CAMARADERIE and SPIRIT of the original which sadly flamed out at the turn of the millennium with their final released effort.

i should also mention that this was the period i saw the band play OZZFEST on one proved to be one of their last national tours of the UNITED STATES.  although the band was AMAZING, you could definitely see the divide in retrospect as ANSELMO mumbled his way through his seeming CHARLES MANSON phase while DIMEBAG was in full, VIBRANT flight DAZZLING the audiences with his GUITAR HEROICS.  it definitely appeared like an odd couple but a DEGRADED PANTERA was likely better than most bands at the top of their game so INCREDIBLE was this band.

i wouldnt recommend REINVENTING THE STEEL as it is my LEAST FAVORITE PANTERA record.  for me any of the first three albums is a great starting point for this LEGENDARY and highly INFLUENTIAL METAL band, undoubtedly of the first order right alongside BLACK SABBATH, SLAYER and JUDAS PRIEST.

when i discovered SEPULTURA in sixth grade back in 1995, it was a few months after my FAMILY moved to NIGERIA from SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.  on a FAMILY trip to ITALY, between my brother and me we scored TOOL's UNDERTOW (review linked HERE), RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE'S self-titled debut (EPIC, 1992), FAITH NO MORE's ANGEL DUST (review linked HERE) and SEPULTURA's CHAOS AD (ROADRUNNER, 1993) and ROOTS (ROADRUNNER, 1996) albums.  it was one of the better and most INFLUENTIAL record hauls of my life and very much served as the SOUNDTRACK to my experience living in LAGOS during my middle school years.  i say this only to setup the fact that MAX CAVALERA's music helped CONTEXTUALIZE the rampant POLITICAL and ECONOMIC CORRUPTION and widespread HUMAN SUFFERING i witnessed of a burdened population with its neck firmly under the boot of a MERCILESS and BRUTAL MILITARY DICTATORSHIP.  i was also similarly gutted the following year when CAVALERA left SEPULTURA, effectively ending their relevance as a creative entity moving forward.

my motivation for reading MY BLOODY ROOTS: FROM SEPULTURA TO SOULFLY AND BEYOND (JAWBONE PRESS, 2022) was to gain some INSIGHT and CONTEXT in his own words into the BELOVED BRAZILIAN METAL icon MAX CAVALERA and his ECLECTIC career that i've followed and enjoyed for most of my life.  to me the dude is a SINGULAR figure, even among the CELEBRATED greats of the genre, in that he has continued to expand both the LEXICON of the genre by incorporating new TEXTURES and INSTRUMENTS, often from INDIGENOUS world traditions, and has seemingly brought the extended FAMILY of METAL together throughout his career.  METAL can feel a bit INSULAR at times, with the never-ending patchwork of evermore OBSCURE sub-genres, but CAVALERA seemingly proves the COMMONALITY and SHARED NATURE of such ARTISTIC EXPRESSION with each DISTINCT iteration and recording by his ongoing SOULFLY project (which has touched on everything from DEATH METAL, THRASH METAL, BLACK METAL, CROSSOVER THRASH, GRINDCORE, DOOM METAL, SLUDGE METAL and even NU METAL).

in MY BLOODY ROOTS, CAVALERA presents a BRAZILIAN childhood that was marked by the death of his ITALIAN father when he was 9, effectively impoverishing his FAMILY and transitioning his life in short order from one of means and SECURITY to one of SURVIVAL.  by the time he was 13, CAVALERA decided that music was his means not only of EXPRESSION and employment, but also an IDENTITY and sense of COMMUNITY in the wake of his father's passing.  it seems obvious that CAVALERA's knack for COMMUNITY BUILDING started in that moment and has continued unabated to the present.  along with his drumming brother IGGOR, CAVALERA established SEPULTURA and gradually learned his instrument and the band made its way up the ladder in BRAZIL, each record expanding on the prior in terms of LYRICAL CONTENT, TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY and SONIC BRUTALITY.  this culminated in ROOTS, which saw the band incorporate INDIGENOUS RHYTHMS and TEXTURES into their EVER-EXPANDING SOUND, even collaborating some field recordings with the native XAVANTE tribe in the interior MASSO GRATO state in BRAZIL.  in the wake of the demise of SEPULTURA, CAVALERA through his SOULFLY has incorporated word RHYTHMS and TEXTURES from SERBIA, TURKEY, RUSSIA and EGYPT among other places to date.

SEPULTURA effectively broke up due to INTERNAL business tensions over their manager GLORIA, who in time was married to CAVALERA.  the band thought MAX was given PREFERENTIAL treatment and that they could do better as a unit with outside management.  her firing led to CAVALERA's quitting SEPULTURA, the band he started with his brother, who stayed along for another decade.  the band is still an ongoing entity today, but their influence and stature is nominal at best.  they are essentially a HOLLOWED-OUT edifice of what was a ONCE-PROMISING BAND poised to be the next METALLICA. 

the story of CAVALERA's career is one of finding COMMUNITY in the face of DISAPPOINTMENT and TRAUMA at the STAGGERING LOSS of his FATHER, his BAND and his STEPSON.  it is also the story of coming to terms with such and the DESTRUCTIVE coping mechanisms he employed surrounding the excessive use of alcohol and other chemicals.  the fact that he address such head-on with no fanfare and went to rehab with the right attitude and came out successful is a testament to his sheer will and LOVE and CONNECTION to his FAMILY, both of the blood and musical variety.  i truly feel that what separates CAVALERA is his INTENTION.  you never feel that he is going through the motions, just writing and performing music for its own sake.  there is a palpable EDGE and a real sense that this process is deeply PERSONAL and CATHARTIC for him, always.  in turn the listener buys into the SENTIMENT as well and treats him as a REVERED sage on a truly CHAOTIC but INSIGHTFUL aural journey.

i'm always interested in his work with any number of his myriad of side projects, from CAVALERA CONSPIRACY with his brother, to KILLER BE KILLED with peers from THE DILLNGER ESCAPE PLAN and MASTODON, and GO AHEAD AND DIE with his son ZYON.  not to mention the downright INCENDIARY NAILBOMB.  his memoir MY BLOODY ROOTS may be a bit STRAIGHTFORWARD and UNADORNED, but its HEARTFELT and and unassailably AUTHENTIC much like his music.  most definitely recommended.

the late PANTERA guitarist "DIMEBAG" DARRELL ABOTT was a LARGER-THAN-LIFE figure and arguably one of the most BELOVED HARD ROCK / METAL guitarists of all time, right there alongside the likes of EDDIE VAN HALEN, JIMMY PAGE, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, TONY IOMMI and RANDY RHOADS before him.  his TALENT, PASSION and DRIVE for his instrument was absolutely UNDENIABLE, but what author ZAC CRAIN insists in his recent biography BLACK TOOTH GRIN: THE HIGH LIFE, GOOD TIMES, AND TRAGIC END OF DIMEBAG DARRELL (DA CAPO, 2009) is that among his PEERS, FANS and IDOLS he was just as RENOWNED for his HUMILITY, unbridled CHARM and preternatural ability to UPLIFT anyone and everyone's spirits, famous or otherwise.  CRAIN even posits an argument that core of his DEVOTION for music and the guitar was not bred out of need to resolve a deep ANGER or FRUSTRATION with the world, rather it was a vehicle to express JOY, LOVE, AFFECTION and a shared CONNECTION with his extended COMMUNITY.  such is particularly INTRIGUING given the absolute and uncompromisingly BRUTAL sonic nature of the METAL purveyed by PANTERA throughout their existence.

this focus on DIMEBAG's HUMILITY is the stuff of LEGEND.  a childhood friend of mine who lives in MONTREAL spoke about how he ran into DIMEBAG and drummer VINNIE PAUL ABOTT while walking in a park.  they were playing that night at a local club as part of their tour pushing their post-PANTERA project DAMAGEPLAN.  my friend told them how during his middle school years in NIGERIA their music got him through a CRAZY time period in a foreign country.  the ABOTT BROTHERS asked him to write his name down and stop by the show, he was added to their guest list.  literally a guy off the street that recognized them and expressed a GENUINE CONNECTION to their music was enough for them to open their backstage for a ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME experience.  testimonials to that level of GENEROSITY are throughout BLACK TOOTH GRIN.  he in essence treated the METAL COMMUNITY as his extended FAMILY.

what i found INTERESTING about BLACK TOOTH GRIN was how CRAIN analyzed how music being a FAMILY BUSINESS (with his father being a former MANAGER and his only brother a BANDMATE) affected DIMEBAG's sense of FAMILY and how matters of the band, with the exception of his mother and long-time girlfriend RITA, superseded such.  his father's dismissal as band manager upon moving to a major label led to an impasse that remained simmering in place for the rest of his life.  likewise, his relationship with his brother was always colored by their shared involvement with one another in BUSINESS INTERESTS.  all major life decisions thus inevitably got processed through the lens of PANTERA and then DAMAGEPLAN, rather than as a FAMILY.  that is a terribly COMPELLING insight into DIMEBAG's relative ISOLATION at the end of his life. 

another INTERESTING wrinkle was DIMEBAG's FUNCTIONAL ALCOHOLISM and how such was enabled by his position and RABID fanbase that sought to get wasted with him as a manner of CELEBRATION.  a bit bloated and no doubt less robust as he hit his forties with DAMAGEPLAN, had he survived there no doubt would be a need for eventual moderation if not sobriety in his near future.  such was the case with his partner-in-crime ZAKK WYLDE (BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, OZZY OSBOURNE) who year later would famously veer away from the booze as a matter of self-survival.

BLACK TOOTH GRIN is a fairly PEDESTRIAN biography is REPETITIVE in places.  you can tell it was a LABOR OF LOVE and that interviews collected were almost explicitly POSITIVE by FANS, PEERS, ROADIES, SPONSORS, TOUR MANAGERS, BUSINESS PARTNERS and GUITAR IDOLS alike.  at times i feel that the book veers a little too hard into hagiography, especially given the more UNSAVORY elements of PANTERA's legacy.  this includes singer PHILIP ANSELMO's often MISOGYNISTIC lyrics and sometimes LATENTLY RACIST themes, as well as the band's penchant for CONFEDERATE FLAG-themed merchandise.  similarly CRAINE seemingly conflates the TOXIC MASCULINITY exhibited by ANSELMO with the band retaining a sense of METAL PURITY in an age of other bands (namely METALLICA) selling out to the ALTERNATIVE nation.  i think such is a particularly UNFORTUNATE supposition, as METAL has nothing to do with those DESTRUCTIVE positions and to suggest otherwise is DANGEROUS and just historically INACCURATE.  so i was disappointed by all of that.  similarly, it was also deeply troubling that CRAIN spent so much time describing DIMEBAG's deranged murderer.  the less i know, understand or think about that asshole, much like JOHN LENNON's assassin, the better.  the fact that CRAIN didnt heed such only paid off in death what that SAD, PATHETIC person arguably desired most post-mortem: attention. 

i would recommend listening to DIMEBAG's guitar playing, but not necessarily this book.  i'd instead turn to bassist REX BROWN's OFFICIAL TRUTH: 101 PROOF: THE INSIDE STORY OF PANTERA (review inked HERE) memoir, which is likewise PROBLEMATIC and anything but definitive, but at least an INTIMATE and thoroughly AUTHENTIC perspective on the career and legacy of the much universally CELEBRATED METAL band.

almost two decades after his passing, the loss of DIMEBAG is still bitterly felt.  i feel incredibly lucky to have gotten the opportunity to see him play live at OZZFEST 2000 back in the day.  he was undoubtedly the highlight of a stacked METAL tour and was undeniably SPECIAL.

RIP DIMEBAG AND VINNIE PAUL.

by the time of PANTERA's eight studio album THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL (ELEKTRA, 1996), the band was probably in desperate need of an extended hiatus.  singer PHIL ANSELMO had been dealing for years with back problems that led him down a SELF-MEDICATED SPIRAL of PAINKILLERS and ALCOHOL that would eventually culminate in a HEROIN OVERDOSE on tour not long after the release of this album. in retrospect this album is the first PANTERA effort conceived of by a splintered collective, with ANSELMO recording his VOCALS alone with producer TERRY DATE at TRENT REZNOR's NEW ORLEANS studio and the band at the ABBOTT BROTHER's home studio in TEXAS.  not surprisingly given the INTERNAL CHAOS, this would be the final DATE-produced PANTERA record, having worked on every release since their COWBOYS FROM HELL (ATCO, 1990) major label debut.

all that being said, THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL was the record i first became aware of the band through, given that it came out at the end of my sixth grade school year in NIGERIA.  i know for certain that by seventh grade i had a taped copy of the record.  being surrounded by oil brats from the AMERICAN SOUTH, most of whom were at least LATENTLY RACIST towards our WEST AFRICAN hosts, i've always had a hard time stomaching SOUTHERN PRIDE which this album has a lot of.  the concept for the record was that in the midst of ALTERNATIVE ROCK largely replacing TRADITIONAL METAL, with longstanding legacy bands like METALLICA, ANTHRAX and SLAYER all making concessions to the new format, PANTERA was standing STRONG (the unsubtle insinuation being much like their confederate forefathers of yore) and flying the freak flag of UNDILUTED, UNADULTERATED METAL for the hardcore fans. 

THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL is an UNCOMPROMISING album about STUBBORNNESS, INTRANSIGENCE and PERSEVERANCE in the face of environmental headwinds like popular opinion and cultural trends.  despite the process that birth it, the record is sonically and lyrically one of the most FOCUSED and DIRECT efforts in their catalogue.  themes include SOCIAL DEFIANCE and the VULNERABILITY and SHAME involved with ADDICTION.   AGGRESSIVE tracks like "SUICIDE NOTE, PT. 2," "WAR NERVE," "THE UNDERGROUND IN AMERICA" "THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL" and "DRAG THE WATERS" are made more impactful by their STRIPPED, BACK-TO-BASICS PRODUCTION, especially in contrast to the more THICK and LUSH, MULTI-LAYERED guitar overdubs found on their CELEBRATED previous effort, FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (ELEKTRA, 1994).  more MELLOW affairs like "SUICIDE NOTE, PT. 1" and "FLOODS" is where this album really separates itself from the pack, especially the latter and its ICONIC GUITAR SOLOS and much REVERED OUTRO.  even in the midst of a BRUTAL RECORDING, the exceptionally AFFECTING "FLOODS" outro is arguably the most beautifully MELODIC COMPOSITION DIMEBAG DARRELL ever wrote.

looking back at THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL, there are some REGRESSIVE POLITICAL  and SOCIAL ASPECTS of the lyrics i still find deep issue with, but musically this record is an absolute BEAST.  its the album in my opinion that most effectively showcases the COMPLICATED PANTERA legacy bar none.  that being said it is worthy of investigation and most definitely worth checking out.​

it is arguable that OZZY OSBOURNE will be CELEBRATED inasmuch for his years of the traveling OZZFEST summer METAL concerts as for his involvement with BLACK SABBATH in establishing the genre outright.  this is because by the 1990s and the ALTERNATIVE ROCK movement basically killed METAL in general, which quite honestly was necessary given the fact that it became a parody of itself in the 1980s.  famously OSBOURNE advocated for a slot on one of the LOLLAPALOOZA tours in the mid-1990s and was turned down, such was his CULTURAL IRRELEVANCY and that of METAL from the zeitgeist in general.  OZZFEST was his METAL version of the same concept and went on, along with the PUNK-themed WARPED TOUR, to be among the most SUCCESSFUL annual traveling summer music festivals in history.

so fast forward a few years when this OZZFEST 2001: THE SECOND MILLENNIUM (SONY, 2001) live compilation came out the SCENE had changed immeasurably.  in that time OSBOURNE, or more precisely has wife/manager SHARON, had provided countless emerging and established METAL bands of varying sub-genres with a NATIONAL PLATFORM to springboard their careers from: groups like SYSTEM OF A DOWN, NEUROSIS, INCUBUS, SLIPKNOT, TYPE O NEGATIVE, LINKIN PARK, P.O.D., MUDVAYNE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, DISTURBED, TOOL, SOULFLY, PANTERA, NONPOINT, FEAR FACTORY, TAPROOT, COAL CHAMBER, PAPA ROACH, DEFTONES, STATIC-X, LIMP BIZKIT, GODSMACK and ROB ZOMBIE among many others.  the result was that METAL became a part of the national conversation again and basically single-handedly REVITALIZED the SCENE.  many still view this as OSBOURNE's crowning cultural achievement, which is saying something given how INFLUENTIAL both BLACK SABBATH and his solo career have been.  by 2001 the festival was in full swing and well-established, and the line-up that year of BLACK SABBATH, MARILYN MANSON, SLIPKNOT, LINKIN PARK, PAPA ROACH, DISTURBED, MUDVAYNE, HATEBREED and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY showcased on the live compilation highlights such.

i was at OZZFEST 2001 at the NYC-area stop in HOLMDEL, NEW JERSEY and my recollection was how different the acts were from one another.  the polish and professional songwriting prowess of LINKIN PARK (who were blowing up at the time) and how they contrasted with the INTENSITY of the more METALCORE influenced bands like HATEBREED and the high-concept PERFORMATIVE theatrics of MARILYN MANSON.  there really was something for everyone.  OZZFEST that year presented the SCENE to a national audience as being in a particularly STRONG, DIVERSE position with acts of varying styles and levels of heaviness.

its difficult to look back and think about the fact that METAL today is a bit more listless with a KALEIDOSCOPIC variety of BRUTAL sub-genres competing for attention.  there is no more tentpole event for the COMMUNITY to rally behind and celebrate each year, as the tribes have spread out and work on a much more local and DIY level outside of national acts that largely derive their notoriety back from the time of OZZFEST.  its hard not to think about how promising bands on an upward trajectory like BRING ME THE HORIZON or ARCHITECTS are going to make that jump to SLIPKNOT-level exposure in this day and age without such a PLATFORM.

its interesting.  maybe they should bring OZZFEST back.  here is hoping.

the modern FRENCH METAL band GOJIRA is an absolutely MASSIVE band that are basically as universally celebrated as PANTERA, SLAYER, MASTODON and LAMB OF GOD at this point.  i am under no preconceived notion that they are in any need of promotion by anyone these days, much less me and this blog.  my reason for writing about them is their UNIQUENESS in the history of modern METAL and ROCK N ROLL in general.

​the whole notion of being an 'outsider' and holding some type of personal grudge against society at large, or specific groups therein, is an essential element of modern AGGRESSIVE music going back to BLACK SABBATH or even further to DELTA BLUES.  its just an ingrained part of the DNA of music.  with GOJIRA, that anger and vitriol is redirected as most of their songs deal with the UNSPEAKABLE RAVAGES against the NATURAL WORLD through CLIMATE CHANGE.  they write, by and large, from the perspective of the PLANET which is incredibly interesting when one considers how such redefines notions of in-group/out-group dynamics.  as humans we are the root of all planet DEGRADATION and INSTABILITY like a CANCER on the natural cycles and established balances that have served WILDLIFE and the seasons for literally millions of years.  we are war with the NATURAL WORLD in essence, they are the out-group.  when i listen to GOJIRA, it is essentially the figurative PRIMAL SCREAM of a world in TURMOIL. like ELIZABETH KOLBERT's THE SIXTH EXTINCTION: AN UNNATURAL HISTORY (book review linked HERE) come to fruition.  interestingly, the music videos from their most recent album FORTITUDE (ROADRUNNER, 2001) has seen them expand such to include minority societies like the TIBETANS and AMAZONIANS that live in harmony with NATURE but are victimized and put in incredible PERIL by those same INDOMITABLE forces of modern GLOBAL CAPITALISM and STATE POLITICS, whose influence have similarly DOOMED the PLANET and us all in its wake.
​
GOJIRA is basically merited FRUSTRATION and ANGER on an ELEVATED PLANETARY level.  its an INTRIGUING redeclaration of a conservative genre not known or celebrated for its INTELLECTUAL conceits.  in my opinion this perspective along with their preternaturally next-level technical rhythmic gifts has made them one of the most DYNAMIC and emotionally INTENSE METAL bands of all-time. 

​it also makes them well-worth checking out.

its not a big secret that PANTERA frontman PHIL ANSELMO joined that TEXAN group with a bevy of influences that veered well past the NWOBHM, THRASH and GLAM-inspired 80s METAL that the band had been rehashing up until that point.  this included a pronounced HARDCORE AESTHETIC, not to mention a penchant for BLACK METAL, DEATH METAL and what would become SLUDGE METAL out of his hometown in NEW ORLEANS.

in-between the cycles for FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (EASTWEST, 1994) and THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL (EASTWEST, 1996), ANSELMO pursued a NOTABLE side-project in DOWN that was a veritable ALL-STAR lineup of the burgeoning NEW ORLEANS SLUDGE METAL scene that included PEPPER KEENAN of CROSSOVER HARDCORE band CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, KIRK WINDSTEIN of CROWBAR and JIMMY BOWER of EYEHATEGOD.  their debut NOLA (EASTWEST, 1995) is a watershed moment in METAL history as it is a SEAMLESS CONFLUENCE of influences from SOUTHERN ROCK to STONER ROCK and of course, SLUDGE METAL.  their sound is in a lot of ways the antithesis of PANTERA, whose records were METICULOUSLY PRODUCED with a sense of unmatched GROOVE, INTENSITY and TECHNICALITY.  DOWN had a UNIQUE SOUND and SONGWRITING AESTHETIC that was more laid back (and even loose) that really seemed to revel in the EMOTIVE power of a DISTORTED guitar through a BLOWN-OUT speaker in a manner later mined by POST METAL bands like SUN O))) and ISIS.  tracks like "BURY ME IN SMOKE," "LIFER," "STONE THE CROW," "REHAB," and "TEMPTATION'S WINGS" find ANSELMO singing in a manner somewhat devoid of the HYPER-MASCULINE posturing of his other famous outfit.

i remember in 2001 when PANTERA broke up and ANSELMO pursued a string of perceived side projects like SUPERJOINT RITUAL, VIKING CROWN, CHRIST INVERSION and so on that played up his passion for various METAL sub-genres.  the understanding by fans was that such was a temporary DISTRACTION before the next PANTERA record when inevitably come.  obviously that never happened and the communication between ANSELMO, bassist REX BROWN and the ABBOTT BROTHERS deteriorated to NOTHING.  it was a real pity because if anything NOLA provided an INTERESTING calming aside from the CAUSTIC BRUTALITY that was THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL.  felt like that debut DOWN record was a worthwhile pursuit and something he had to get out of his system, as well as shed light on a much CELEBRATED adjacent scene in LOUISIANA.  it should also be said that DIMEBAG and VINNIE PAUL were friends with all these dudes as well and understood the benefit of giving each other space.  that was hack when the band communicated.  1996 saw ANSELMO overdose on heroin after a DALLAS PANTERA show and that pretty much was the beginning of the end of that open correspondence.

when i listen to DOWN i hear an artist on a white hot streak at the pinnacle of their powers and i see a potential that never came to pass, at least with PANTERA.  DOWN would continue to make absolutely SICK SLUDGE METAL records to date, but they are cursed to being perceived publicly as a PANTERA side project even decades after that former bands IMPLOSION.

NOLA is required listening for any METAL fan.  its a VERITABLE MASTERCLASS of how much POWER there is in taking the TEMPO and pulling it way way back in the name of GROOVE.

parodies by nacrowe

the thing ive always appreciated about ROB ZOMBIE is how he takes all these DISPARATE elements (KUSTOM KULTURE, GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM, HORROR FILMS, COMIC BOOKS, MONSTER MOVIES, EXPLOITATION FILMS) and synthesizes them into an AESTHETIC that is identifiably his own.  in fact when i was in college and learning about FILM MOVEMENTS and directors it was always fun to learn about the ESOTERIC source material for much of his songs and promotional videos, i.e. auteurs like RUSS MEYER, JACK HILL, ROGER CORMAN, JAMES WHALE, GEORGE A. ROMERO, WILLIAM CASTLE, ROBERT WIENE, KUCHAR BROTHERS, HERSCHELL GORDON LEWIS and ED WOOD JR.

it has always struck me how CONSERVATIVE METAL, as with PUNK ROCK, actually is with audience expectations that are often MYOPIC and ANTAGONISTIC towards any sense of progression or INDIVIDUALITY.  they want the cheap thrills and will tolerate deviation only to a certain point.  with WHITE ZOMBIE, ROB was on a different level both in their nascent EXPERIMENTAL, noise-rock phase as well as the later full TECHNICOLOR, PHANTASMAGORICAL, all-or-nothing GROOVE METAL phase for which they are famous and of which setup and informed ROB's solo career to date.

the fact that his professional trajectory inevitably pointed towards a film directing career, and that such actually panned out is INCREDIBLE.  their is a definite sense of continuity no matter the era of his CREATIVE OUTPUT you dive into and when i feel jaded like ive heard or watched everything, i take not of what OBSCURE film or artist he's referenced in a song or video and start exploring again.  its fun and a CULTURAL EDUCATION in and of itself of which i am thankful for.  im glad he's still doing his thing.

embedded below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode from HALLOWEEN week 2021 on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC dedicated to the music of WHITE ZOMBIE / ROB ZOMBIE from throughout his extensive catalogue.  enjoy!

parodies by nacrowe

for me the experience of listening to anything MAX CAVALERA has been involved in over the years (i.e. SOULFLY, CAVALERA CONSPIRACY, NAILBOMB, KILLER BE KILLED, PROBOT and of course SEPULTURA) is akin to snuggling in a warm familiar blanket.  the minute i hear that POWERFUL SNARLING, SNEERING, VICIOUS beast of a voice, i am instantaneously transported to being a GLEEFULLY nodding-in-approval twelve year-old, when i first heard CHAOS A.D. () off a tape an older middle school friend had at the time.  CAVALERA's presence and PASSION for music was also an interesting primer for BRAZILIAN culture writ large, which interestingly is not far removed from that of the WEST AFRICAN culture i was immersed in when i first became aware of his music.

and i think it is that ENTHUSIASM and unadulterated JOY in getting lost in the music that separates him from most in his peer group, i.e. classic 80s THRASH METAL bands like SLAYER, TESTAMENT, MEGADETH, EXODUS, ANTHRAX, DEATH ANGEL and METALLICA, DEATH METAL bands like OBITUARY, DEATH and MORBID ANGEL, BOLT THROWER and NAPALM DEATH as well as GROOVE METAL bands like PANTERA, WHITE ZOMBIE and their later acolytes in MASTODON, LAMB OF GOD, GOJIRA and the like.  with the exception of maybe DIMEBAG DARRELL, CAVALERA in my opinion singularly personified the transcendent escapist ABANDON that only great METAL provided.

and did i mention that the dude is still a DIEHARD fan of the genre and, like ROB HALFORD of JUDAS PRIEST, seemingly loves paying it forward to the next generation of musicians.  CAVALERA is a veritable METAL ambassador and elder statesman at this stage in his career nearly four decades in and has yet to loose his footing in the least.  here's hoping he keeps the streak going as undoubtedly the man has given so much HAPPINESS to my life and that of my brother who is also a huge fan.

embedded below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode from late 2020 (during the pandemic) on nonprofit internet radio station MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC dedicated to the vast catalogue of MAX CAVALERA.  enjoy!

parodies by nacrowe

theres been talk of a PANTERA "reunion" as the METAL band's stature and legend has ballooned in the intervening years since guitarist DIMEBAG DARRELL's SENSELESS and SHOCKING on-stage murder in OHIO in 2004.  you look at all the major bands that have come to prominence in their wake (GOJIRA, LAMB OF GOD, AVENGED SEVENFOLD, MASTODON, POWERTRIP, etc.) and seemingly all of them have a deep sense of GROOVE at the core of their sound, which for me was DARRELL's major contribution eve given his celebrated technical lead guitar heroics.  for me PANTERA sonically was ZZ TOP on steroids.

like a lot of die-hard fans, im pretty AMBIVALENT about the upcoming "reunion" of PANTERA as a global touring entity.  PANTERA drummer (and older brother to DIMEBAG) VINNIE PAUL was against the idea wholesale during his life (he passed away in 2018 from cardiac arrest) in no small part to how the band ended in 2001.  essentially singer PHIL ANSELMO and bassist REX BROWN became incommunicado after their tour dates on behalf of REINVENTING THE STEEL (EAST WEST, 2000) stalled in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.  the pair instead focused on SLUDGE METAL supergroup DOWN's debut and in the case of ANSELMO, numerous OBSCURE side projects that allowed him to explore his passion of early BLACK METAL and DEATH METAL.   which is all well and good if they needed a break from PANTERA, but they left DIMEBAG and VINNIE PAUL absolutely hanging with no heads up whatsoever, which is pretty LAME.

and it still is.

the fact that the ABBOTT BROTHERS are no longer around to participate for what was a project that they alone SWEAT, BLED and FOUGHT for is a pretty bitter pill to swallow.  the fact that the two surviving members that effectively abandoned the project at its peak, ANSELMO and BROWN, are the ones carrying it forward just feels wrong on some level.  the saving grace is that ZAKK WYLDE of BLACK LABEL SOCIETY / OZZY OSBOURNE is set to take on guitar duties and CHARLIE BENANTE of ANTHRAX is drumming for the revamped project.  both were close friends of PANTERA and especially the ABBOTT BROTHERS.  in spite of whatever moniker this project will be billed as on global festival marquees, this "reunion" for WYLDE and BENANTE is a largely a CELEBRATION of their friends and a means of reintroducing the music of PANTERA to a new generation that was denied access to this seminal group.

and for me, despite my reservations about ANSELMO and BROWN, i believe that this outing will be a NET POSITIVE for the legacy of the band.  much as WYLDE has kept the legacy of fall guitar god RANDY RHOADS alive and relevant with his live work supporting OZZY OSBOURNE, i can only see the same being done on behalf of his former drinking buddy DIMEBAG.  almost 20 years later its really a quite touching act of LOVE and MUTUAL RESPECT that will no doubt have a new generation of musicians go back and listen to those records and wow over DIMEBAG's genius much as i did as a teenager.

it really is a gift.  that is how im choosing to see this, especially since the estates of both DIMEBAG and VINNIE PAUL have cosigned this "reunion."  if i can score tickets im there since i only got to see the band once way back on OZZFEST 2000.  much like with OASIS, i just want to hear those songs played on that scale again in a big venue.  should be AMAZING.

below is a DEER GOD RADIO episode from the summer of 2021 celebrating the music of PANTERA on nonprofit radio station MAKER PARK RADIO.  enjoy!

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the iconic independent EXTREME METAL label METAL BLADE RECORDS!
​
​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

major label debut's dont come much cooler and more fun than WHITE ZOMBIE's LA SEXORCISTO: DEVIL MUSIC VOL. 1 (GEFFEN, 1992) with all of its gloriously and unapologetically SATANIC, PHANTASMAGORICAL IMAGERY via frontman ROB ZOMBIE and the absolutely crushing musicianship via newly recruited guitarist JAY YEUNGER.  well, technically this was WHITE ZOMBIE's third record for GEFFEN, as the previous two were released via subsidiary label CAROLINE RECORDS, but in terms of overall cultural impact and popular awareness of the band, this record really is the introductory salvo in a legendary one-two punch that was closed by the celebrated follow-up ASTRO-CREEP 2000 (GEFFEN, 1995).

it was probably either through listening to 106.7 KROQ in LOS ANGELES or watching BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD on MTV at a friend's house that i first became aware of WHITE ZOMBIE via the INFECTIOUS track "THUNDER KISS '65" with its absolutely KILLER opening riff.  that song and its day-glo, EXPLOITATION FILM-themed video was instantly MEMORABLE and effortlessly cool.  like NIRVANA's "SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT" before it, the track just hooks you in for life immediately upon your first listen.  just a DEVASTATING sonic experience with a highly referential yet OPAQUE set of lyrics that dont get in the way.  other standout tracks like "WELCOM TO PLANET MOTHERFUCKER" and the IGGY POP-assisted, muscle car themed "BLACK SUNSHINE" are celebrations of EXTREME experiences, which basically summarize the band's aesthetic in general.  ROB ZOMBIE once said in an early interview that his objective in making music was to create something that he himself would be willing to pay for as a fan and that ethos seems all over this record.  there is a sense on LA SEXORCISTO that MORE IN FACT IS MORE.  MORE ART, MORE GUITARS, MORE DRUMS, MORE SATAN.  it all just adds up to a DENSE, EXTREME experience that is almost overwhelming on the initial listen.  two decades later i still find myself listening to this record routinely and i have to be careful, because if i am driving i may fine myself 10-15 miles per hour faster by song's end.

if you are a fan of artistic METAL or ALTERNATIVE ROCK from the 1990s, you really cant go wrong with either WHITE ZOMBIE's LA SEXORCISTO or ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 (review linked HERE).  along with PANTERA, those records serve as the high water-mark for what has since been deemed GROOVE METAL.  could not recommend either much more emphatically.  this is required listening in my opinion.

i remember obtaining PANTERA's FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (EAST WEST, 1994) album on a school trip in HEATHROW AIRPORT en route to a SEA CAMP trip in the FLORIDA KEYS.  the international school i attended in NIGERIA had these foreign trips they sent the middle school kids on each year (6th grade was SPACE CAMP in FLORIDA, 7th grade was the aforementioned SEA CAMP and 8th grade was a FRENCH TRIP to SWITZERLAND and FRANCE).  it was that kind of school.

the whole experience was pretty GNARLY as it took over 24 hours to reach the FLORIDA KEYS after two international flights and a long drive south from MIAMI.  i mention this because i will always associate the SLUDGY, ANGULAR, almost SERPENTINE RIFFAGE of DIMEBAG DARRELL and the overall aqueous production of FAR BEYOND DRIVEN with that long bus ride over those tiny two-lane bridges looking over the ATLANTIC OCEAN from my window from key to key.  tracks like "SHEDDING SKIN," "HARD LINES SUNKEN CHEEKS," "SLAUGHTERED" and "25 YEARS" had such GROOVE and SONIC DIMENSION that it very much felt empowering and all-encompassing.  especially for a teenager intimidated by life itself having witnessed from a distance the cruelties of life abroad in a third world country with all the political corruption and economic dilapidation on daily display.  listening to FAR BEYOND DRIVEN always gave me a false sense of control, which is probably the highest compliment i ever give a record.  to my ears it is the heaviest PANTERA record bar none, especially when considering the staggering aural BRUTALITY of "STRENGTH BEYOND STRENGTH," "THROES OF REJECTION," "5 MINUTES ALONE," "I'M BROKEN" and especially "BECOMING."

that is not to say this record is perfect.  there are cringe-worthy lyrics to songs like "USE MY THIRD ARM" and "GOOD FRIENDS AND A BOTTLE OF PILLS" that probably should have been edited out on the cutting room floor.  they just come of PETTY and MISOGYNISTIC, which is probably where singer PHIL ANSELMO was mentally at the time.  and it is that tension between the SUBLIME MUSICALITY of DARRELL and VINNIE PAUL and production of TERRY DATE with the uncompromising yet uneven lyrical contributions of ANSELMO that defined the band. 

more than 20 years after their breakup i still have a complicated appreciation for PANTERA since some of their antics have not aged well (the CONFEDERATE ICONOGRAPHY, the quasi-EXTREME RIGHT PROVOCATIONS and FALSE SELF-IDENTIFYING VICTIMHOOD, the blatant, unapologetic MISOGYNY).  like most people i lay all that negative energy at the hands of ANSELMO, whose more caustic and morally depraved contributions came during periods of DRUG ABUSE and DIVORCE.  what people choose to celebrate is the work of DARRELL, who on every PANTERA record and especially FAR BEYOND DRIVEN was an immaculately tight and divinely inspired guitar player.

this record is most definitely worth checking out but be aware going into it that some of the lyrical content is MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE, something of which other surviving band members have conceded over the years (like bassist REX famously in his tell all book).  dont say i didnt warn you.

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the artistic multi-media madness of ROB ZOMBIE and his former band WHITE ZOMBIE!

​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

parodies by nacrowe

check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the legendary 90s METAL band PANTERA!

​​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

join us TONIGHT at 8PM EST for an all new episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist celebrating DIMEBAG DARRELL and the legendary METAL band PANTERA!
​
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives.

and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!

the genius of WHITE ZOMBIE was their ability to create a cohesive, all-consuming visual and aural world that made constant references to obscure corners of culture from KUSTOM KAR CULTURE and COMIC BOOKS to classic SCI-FI and MONSTER MOVIES to independent HORROR / SLASHER FILMS.  basically diving into their world, and by that i mean mastermind ROB ZOMBIE, was an education into an appreciation of UNDERGROUND ART and the COUNTER CULTURE where GEORGE ROMERO, RIDLEY SCOTT, JAMES WHALE, KENNETH ANGER, THE KUCHAR BROTHERS, JOHN WATERS, STANLEY KUBRICK all preside and are repeatedly celebrated.

part of me wonders allowed how ROB's time as a production assistant on the likewise eclectic PEE-WEE's PLAYHOUSE: which had NICK PARK (WALLACE & GROMIT), DANNY ELFMAN, THE RESIDENTS, GARY PANTER (JIMBO'S INFERNO), VAN DYKE PARKS, TIM BURTON, CRAIG BARTLETT (HEY ARNOLD!) and MARK MOTHERSBAUGH (DEVO) among many others working in collaboration.

in my opinion ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 - SONGS OF LOVE, DESTRUCTION AND SYNTHETIC DELUSIONS OF THE ELECTRIC HEAD (GEFFEN, 1995) is the zenith of ROB ZOMBIE's career and artistically his most successful artistic achievement to date.  his later celebrated filmography and string of solo records all seem to point back to this record and the one before it, LA SEXORCISTO: DEVIL MUSIC VOLUME ONE (GEFFEN, 1992).

for me growing up, this was a huge record.  just visually i remember being amazed by the artwork which was defiantly not kid friendly.  i recall having to sneak in copies borrowed from friends past my parents.  so right off the bat listening to this record was almost an act of defiance as a kid.  i mean now i totally understand why it is entirely responsible to shield an 11 year-old from adult themes, but such was the era i grew up in.  with the internet and conduits like YOUTUBE and SPOTIFY, i don't know how you could possible do such as a parent now but that is another discussion entirely.

the music itself is what people now refer to as GROOVE METAL, a fairly riff-based extremely heavy that is not that dissimilar from that of peers in PRONG and PANTERA.  sonically what separated them was their cut-up aesthetic for utilizing snippets from films and odd instruments to create a vibe.  unlike their peers, WHITE ZOMBIE and specifically their guitarist JAY YUENGER, were the masters of setting up songs almost like little films.  there is a cinematic structure to the songs where an atmosphere is introduced and establishes a setting where the chorus or a big-riff delivers the payoff.  tracks like "I, ZOMBIE," "ELECTRIC HEAD, PART 1 (THE AGONY)," "GREASE PAINT AND MONKEY BRAINS," "CREATURE OF THE WHEEL," "SUPER CHARGER HEAVEN" and, of course "MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN" did this in spades.  those songs absolutely crush because of that cinematic buildup and payoff.  i would argue that this element is what has been missing from ROB's solo efforts, as those structures seem clipped and abbreviated whereas on ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 and LA SEXORCISTO they breathe and seemingly come about organically to great effect.  i may be naive, but i attribute that lost element to the dismissal of YUENGER when ROB forged his solo career shortly thereafter.

when i think about ASTRO-CREEP: 2000 i cant help but feel that it is the true embodiment of the "more is more" mantra of songwriting.  same with the visuals and the stagecraft.  i would describe it as what ALICE COOPER would want to see if ALICE COOPER grew up listening to ALICE COOPER.  its complete sensory overload.  and that is essentially why i love this record.  its almost too much.  you really have to just submit and be taken for the ride.  case in point is my favorite song on the record "BLOOD, MILK AND SKY" which takes you on a journey deep into the heart of a depraved psyche im not sure i want to visit.  its an ambitious record during a time when the stakes seemed to have been lowered and ROCK AND ROLL became more pedestrian and approachable.  this stuff wasnt tangible.  this was some MT. OLYMPUS music.

stil a favorite to this day that i highly recommend.  well worth the effort.

its funny now, but i remember that summer in 1996 when METALLICA's LOAD (ELEKTRA, 1996) was released.  people forget now, but those five years between THE BLACK ALBUM (ELEKTRA, 1991) and LOAD were fairly consequential.  NIRVANA and ALTERNATIVE ROCK in general had exploded and METAL was feeling a bit tired and antiquated in comparison.  forget HAIR METAL, which was effectively exterminated post-1991, for it seemed like huge METAL bands of the past either followed suit and limited their guitar solos and dressed differently (cough, cough, cut their hair) or just broke up altogether.  there was just one band it seemed that was flying the flag for METAL at the time: PANTERA.

in NIGERIA when i was in middle school there were a fair amount of older METAL heads from basically everywhere.  places like VENEZUELA, LEBANON, GHANA, UNITED KINGDOM, SOUTH AFRICA, etc.  it felt like pre-LOAD everyone was split down the middle between PANTERA and METALLICA being the best METAL band on the planet.  post-LOAD everyone conceded that METALLICA were effectively over and PANTERA was it by default.

just compare LOAD and THE GREAT SOUTHERN TRENDKILL (EAST WEST, 1996), or rather there is no comparison.  it is almost embarrassing.

arguably that claim to being a heavyweight first started with PANTERA's major-label debut album COWBOYS FROM HELL (ATCO, 1990).  yes, i know about the self-releases and nobody cares about them.  PANTERA effectively began as a cultural entity in 1990 when COWBOYS came out.  at the time singer PHIL ANSELMO was very much in his ROB HALFORD phase with the screaming falsetto's on songs like "SHATTERED" and the "THE ART OF SHREDDING."  he had yet to discover his the lower octaves of his voice and his own inner HENRY ROLLINS/MIKE MUIR which became his persona and sound thereafter.  "CEMETERY GATES" is an orchestrated, epic multi-part standout ballad (and a sly reference to the similarly titled SMITHS song).  who knew that ANSELMO was a closet admirer of MORRISSEY?  i sure didn't at the time.

the real star of the show however is DIMEBAG DARRELL, or rather DIAMOND DARRELL as he was known then, and his insane guitar work and solos which were both technically proficient and had feel for days.  to my ears his grooves are like ZZ TOP on methamphetamines.  listening to this album just induces headbanging.  it could even be described as danceable.  its addictive, contagious and really creeps up on you.  case in point are my two favorite tracks "DOMINATION" and "PRIMAL CONCRETE SLEDGE."  it absolutely crushes, even by today's standards.

i remember when LOAD came out just how much of a let down it was.  what i dont get is how anyone compared THE BLACK ALBUM favorably with COWBOYS FROM HELL, which came out within a year of each other (PANTERA coming out first).  in my mind, METALLICA backed out long before 1996.  but hope springs eternal i guess.

if you arent familiar with PANTERA, COWBOYS is a great starting point.  i'd also point you to VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER (ATCO, 1992) and FAR BEYOND DRIVEN (EAST WEST, 1993) which took their sound to even more extreme heights.  seminal records by a seminal band.  rest in peace brothers in METAL, DIMEBAG and VINNIE PAUL. 

​getcha pull.

genius name.  genius band.

seriously just watch.  this is why i love METAL.  IRON REAGAN are the HARDCORE alter egos of THRASH METAL group MUNICIPAL WASTE, but honestly it's all fuckin' ace.

you're welcome.

somewhere along the way, legendary guitar player SCOTT IAN of THRASH METAL icons ANTHRAX learned he had a real gift for storytelling.  his obvious mentor in this regard was HARDCORE frontman HENRY ROLLINS of BLACK FLAG/ROLLINS BAND fame who has maintained a longstanding second career as an in-demand spoken-word artist.

given his stature, IAN has seen things over his 30+ year career and his second memoir ACCESS ALL AREAS: STORIES FROM A HARD ROCK LIFE (DA CAPO PRESS 2017), which he penned himself, maintains his acerbic wit, cadence and voice.  reading through this it is not hard to imagine him standing beside you performing each narrative as a spoken-word routine, which is definitely a compliment.  there is a reason why most musicians don't write their own memoirs, and IAN proves himself a highly capable narrator.  his style is very much utilitarian in that he doesn't get too wordy or overly clever with descriptions, which in a way describes his iconic no-sense rhythm guitar work and that of his musical idol, MALCOLM YOUNG of AC/DC.

obviously i don't want to give away any of the stories, but i will say that they deal with his outside pursuits regarding professional poker, moonlighting in tv shows like THE WALKING DEAD and GAME OF THRONES, relationships and of course touring.  highlights include stories that include the pranks of legendary PANTERA guitarist DIMEBAG DARRELL (R.I.P.), hanging out with MADONNA and the wardrobe choices of the immortal LEMMY KILMISTER (R.I.P.) of the almighty MOTÖRHEAD.

IAN comes off as a hardworking musician more than aware of how fortunate he is to have his career and the respect of his peers and this book, along with the previous I AM THE MAN: THE STORY OF THAT GUY FROM ANTHRAX (DA CAPO PRESS 2014), seem to be a celebration of that community of musicians.  a celebration of how they touched his life, so in that regard i hope he keeps writing.

also keep a look out for the dude in concert.  just learned he's touring with MR. BUNGLE in 2020.  MIKE PATTON and SCOTT IAN sharing a stage.  man, life certainly does not suck.