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Rating: We all (or almost all) know who Pantera are, and they certainly need no introduction, but if one day by chance you happen to stumble upon a good (and sly) piece of hard rock with a mixed flavor, let's say a poorly executed crossover between Dokken, Ratt, and Van Halen, without any particular markings and without excessive virtuosity that makes you think: "nice, but nothing special," then you might discover it was indeed them playing it.
Clearly, you all know this too, which is the "mysterious" glam past of Pantera, which modern metalheads often looked at with indignation and surprise for what they did before their worldwide success when they had teased hair and tight leotards. Let's be clear, the hard rock genre is respectable; what surprises is how the same people could later create completely different music and mark the history of metal with well-different offerings. But let's stop comparing with the past, which, by the way, is not denied ("Yesterday don't mean shit...") and let's move on to the album, which represents the band's recording debut.
As I was saying, it's purely and simply hard rock with neither shame nor praise, very melodic, with catchy guitar riffs combined with the singer's voice (Terence Lee) trying in every way to win the listener's heart with simple and direct refrains carried by the rhythm. The standard of the songs is this, with the typical ballad placed mid-album ("Biggest part of me"), which said like this will make you think of a predictable and banal record. In reality, to be honest, if I didn't know that three-quarters of this group (drums, bass, and guitar) correspond to the names Vinnie, Rex, and Darrell, I would think exactly like that without giving the album another glance. Everything sounds disarmingly flat and no member excels in what they do. However, considering it is them, considering "Cowboys From Hell" has always been one of my favorite bands and considering it's their debut, I take it into consideration from another perspective but still with objectivity.
The most interesting song of all is, in my opinion, the title track, very heavy in its stride with a tough and compelling initial riff, halfway through the song a synth creates a darker atmosphere followed immediately by a decent guitar solo. Speaking of the guitar, it must be said that in every track you can really feel Darrell's Dean guitar, which sounds very raw but shows a great desire to stand out. Clearly, we are far from that characteristic unique distortion tone that will crush the eardrums of all metal kids in the following years and will be copied by many post-thrash, nu-metal, and crossover bands, and let's say that, more generally, in this album, there is not an element that can remotely hint at the glory that the future holds for them.
Nothing else to add about this album with the horrendous cover that runs out quickly (a little over half an hour), except that I would recommend it only to lovers of the most predictable hard rock or Pantera fans interested in their roots, but just out of curiosity.
The rating would be a 2.5, but I rounded up.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Tell Me If You Want It (03:44)
I know you need it baby
You know you're what i've been lookin' for
sometimes it don't seem right
you're all alone
you need someone to hold you tight
call me i can make it right
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
Late at night
in my dreams
we're makin' love
laid back in my limousine
ohhh
your touch, it feels so right
i'm all alone
i need someone to hold me tight
call me, i can make it right
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
if you want it girl
you need it so bad
i'll give it to you like you've never had
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
ohhhhh
tell me if you want it
09 Sad Lover (03:24)
Alright
Yeah
Whoa
if you want love
don't come to me
i'll be the last to give you sympathy
i've got my ways
under the covers
i'll be the last to be your back door lover
don't you cry now
not around me
baby i don't need that kinda company
sad lover
Queen of hearts misery
sad lover
you just ain't what i need
You got your ways
and i've got mine
i tell the truth
but you're out there lyin'
face it girl
white ain't black
this time it's over
don't come back
*?something?* as the years go by
don't be a ghost when you finally die.
Sad lover
Queen of hearts misery
Sad lover
you just ain't what i need
*guitar solo*
sad lover
queen of hearts misery
sad lover
you just ain't what i need
sad lover
queen of hearts misery
sad lover
you just ain't what i need
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By ELECTRIC EYE
This album, in my opinion, is one of my favorites by Pantera even if the recording is not the best.
Listen to this record for those who don’t know it, and also for those Pantera fans rightly obsessed with the Anselmo era.
