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THE REVIEW
"Cowboys from hell" is considered, along with the great "Vulgar display of power", the most important album by Pantera. The album was released in 1990 and can be considered the true first record of the American band, not counting their early glam-metal work from the eighties.
This CD achieved great success and even today is one of the most important albums in the thrash metal scene, along with Metallica's "Master of puppets", Slayer's "Reign in blood", and Megadeth's "Peace sells". Pantera presents a very aggressive, compact, and sometimes furious sound that greatly influenced various subsequent bands, including Italian ones like Extrema. The album contains many of the band's anthems, starting with the immense "Cowboys from hell" and ending with the evergreen "Cemetary gates".
The opener is indeed the title track, which begins with that famous Darrell effect and the explosion of the granite riff accompanied by Phil Anselmo's angry voice. The second track is the powerful "Primal concrete sledge" equipped with an energetic rhythmic fabric by Dimebag and Vinnie. Truly a great track!
The madness continues with the technical "Psycho holiday" and the rousing "Heresy", one of the album's fastest tracks with those heavy, boulder-like riffs. We arrive at the magnificent "Cemetary gates" which starts with the immortal initial guitar arpeggio... Phil's voice is really intense. A track that cannot be described with words!
The following "Domination", "Shattered", with the very fast start, and "Clash with reality" are thrash gems of all time, truly three old-school tracks thanks especially to Darrell's great contribution. "Medicine man", "Message in blood" and "The Sleep" follow in the footsteps of the previous ones, though less exciting, while the album's closure is entrusted to the lovely "The art of shredding". This features an excellent start, a series of tempo variations, and Darrell's Teutonic riffing.
"Cowboys from hell" is just the beginning of the great success Pantera will have in the Nineties. Albums "Vulgar display of power" and "Far beyond driven" will make them unique... too bad about the blackout with Dimebag's death..
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Summary by Bot
Cowboys From Hell is Pantera's breakthrough thrash metal album released in 1990, marking a shift from their earlier glam style. The album is celebrated for its aggressive, technical sound and includes memorable tracks like the title song and Cemetery Gates. It remains a milestone in metal, influencing many bands and standing alongside classics by Metallica and Slayer. The review praises the band's performance, particularly highlighting Dimebag Darrell’s riffs and Phil Anselmo’s vocals.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
Pantera
Pantera are an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed in 1981. Core members during their classic period were Phil Anselmo (vocals), Dimebag Darrell (guitar), Rex Brown (bass) and Vinnie Paul (drums). They rose to prominence with Cowboys From Hell (1990) and are cited for shaping 1990s groove metal with albums such as Vulgar Display Of Power and Far Beyond Driven.36 Reviews
Other reviews
By BathoryAria
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By Sin
The sound from the very first beats... presents itself as a war machine.
Dimebag Darrel shows how the hell a guitar should be played, creating solos that are complex but also capable of moving the listener.
By ChaosA.D.
A genuine and vital fury, that violently pulses in the vocal cords of a Phil Anselmo more versatile than ever.
"Cemetery Gates" becomes the poignant singing of an Anselmo so touching as to be moving: a man searching for answers to his questions.
