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Rating:
Here it is 3:30 in the morning. Unable to sleep, I seek relief through the expression of opinions. So, I don't know for what exact reason, I set out to review "Vulgar Display of Power" by Pantera. The album - along with Rage Against the Machine of the same year - whose sound influenced, indirectly (Sepultura) or directly (Korn - think of the similarity between the opening riff of "Good god" and those of "Mouth for War" or "Becoming" from the following album) not only the so-called nu-metal but the majority of heavy metal productions to come.
Guitars with hyper distorted and hyper compressed sound, strings tuned down a whole step, slow and groovy rhythms that at times border on funky, vocal style characterized by prolonged screams and high-pitched screams of short duration (in the accents) alternating with a clean voice in the more melodic parts. These are just some of the peculiarities represented, and the innovations brought, by their sound.
Opening track is "Mouth for war": intro with a effect of climax brought by the resolution of the dominant on the tonic, followed by a riff that includes three natural harmonics: as already mentioned an important precedent for metal riffs to come. Song recommended for those seeking energy and determination (especially in the text, deliberately dynamic). The same can be said of the following "a new level"; spectacular especially the part where Phil Anselmo screams "Don't fucking surrender! can't lose!". Thus, we come to their most famous piece, "Walk", covered by all modern Nu and Metalcore bands; a slow and groovy rhythm, blues solos played at lightning speed, screams of unprecedented forcefulness; somehow reminiscent of the intro to "Frayed ends of Sanity" by Metallica. Next track is the aggressive "Fucking hostile", with politically-oriented lyrics and a style that recalls the hardcore of the Misfits, particularly the song "Green Hell".
"This love" is the ballad of the moment, dealing with the sickest aspects of love relationships, and musically it consists of a part played in clean, perhaps influenced by grunge in its dark and decaying sounds, and a groove metal part, whose riffs feature, instead of the usual power chords, thirds intervals. The next "Rise" is an explosion of power like those seen only in "Battery" and a few other songs. Followed by "No good", "Live in a hole", "Regular people" (one of the best) and "by demons be driven", riffs with blues or funk reminiscences, often melodic singing parts, some vague rap metal experiments. Four very similar songs to each other and all equally influential for future metal bands. Finally, "Hollow", a worthy conclusion to a masterpiece, draws citations to Metallica's 3 immortal metal ballads (the clean arpeggios from "Fade to black", the groovy riff from "One", and the instrumental escape from "Sanitarium") and in my opinion surpasses them in pathos and complexity. The final part where Phil Anselmo angrily screams with God for the loss of a friend brings great emotions.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Mouth for War (03:57)
Revenge
I'm screaming revenge again
Wrong
I've been wrong for far too long
Been constantly so frustrated
I've moved mountains with less
When I channel my hate to productive
I don't find it hard to impress
(Pre) Bones in traction
Hands break to hone raw energy
Bold and disastrous
My ears can't hear what you say to me
(Chorus) Hold your mouth for the war
Use it for what it's for
Speak the truth about me
Determined
Possessed
I feel a conquering will down inside me
Strength
The strength of many to crush
Who might stop me
My strength is in number
And my soul lies in every one
The releasing of anger can better any medicine under the sun
(Pre)
(Chorus)
There comes a time within everyone to close your eyes to
what's real
No comprehension to fail
I vacuum the wind for my sail
Can't be the rest
Let others waste my time
Owning success is the bottom line.
Like a knife into flesh
After life is to death
Pulling and punching the rest of duration
No one can piss on this determination
02 A New Level (03:57)
Now a new look in my eyes my spirit rise
Forget the past
Present tense works and lasts
Got shit on
Pissed on
Spit on
Stepped on
Fucked with
Pointed at by lesser men
(Pre) New life in place of old life
Unscarred by trials
(Chorus) A new level of confidence and power
Demanding plea for unity between us all --
United stand
Death before divided fall
In mock military order
Vulgar
Power
Impatient
Because time is shorter
(Pre)
(Chorus)
No fucking surrender
Can't lose
Life kills
03 Walk (05:14)
Can't you see I'm easily bothered by persistence?
One step from lashing out at you
You want in to get under my skin and call yourself a friend
I've got more friends like you, what do I do?
Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself, by yourself, stay away from me
A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time
Re, spect, walk
What did you say?
Re, spect, walk
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
Run your mouth when I'm not around, it's easy to achieve
You cry to weak friends that sympathize
Can you hear the violins playing your song?
Those same friends tell me your every word
Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes, who I am, where I've been, belong
You can't be something you're not
Be yourself, by yourself, stay away from me
A lesson learned in life, known from the dawn of time
Re, spect, walk
What did you say?
Re, spect, walk
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
Re, spect, walk
What did you say?
Re, spect, walk
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
No way punk!!!
Re, spect, walk
What did you say?
Re, spect, walk
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
Re, spect, walk
What did you say?
Re, spect, walk
Are you talking to me?
Are you talking to me?
Walk on home boy!!!
04 Fucking Hostile (02:48)
Almost every day, i see the same face
on broken picture tube, it fits the attitude.
If you could see yourself, you'd put you on a shelf
your verbal masturbate, promise to nauseate.
Today I'll play the part of non-parent,
not make a hundred rules for you to know about yourself.
Not lie and make you believe what's evil is making love and
making friends and meeting God your own way ...the right way.
(Chorus)
To see, to bleed cannot be taught
In turn, you're making us
Fucking Hostile
We stand alone
The truth in right and wrong, the boundaries of the law,
you seem to miss the point, arrested for a joint?
You seem to wonder why hundreds of people die,
you're writing tickets man, my mom got jumped they ran!
Now I'll play a public servant,
to serve and protect by the Law and the State.
I'd bust the punks that rape steal and murder
and leave you be, if you crossed me.
I'd shake your hand like a man ...not a God!
(Chorus)
Come meet your maker boy, somethings you can't enjoy.
Because of Heaven/Hell, a fucking wive's tale.
They put it in your head, then put you in your bed.
He's watching - say your prayers.
'cause God is everywhere.
Now I'll play a man learning priesthood,
who's about to take the ultimate test in life.
I'd question things because I am human,
and call no one my father who's no closer than a stranger.
I won't listen !!
(Chorus)
05 This Love (06:32)
If ever words were spoken,
painful and untrue.
I said I loved,
but I lied.
In my life,
All I wanted,
was the keeping (of someone like you)
As it turns out,
deeper within me,
love was twisted and pointed at you.
- Never ending pain. Quickly ending life -
(Chorus)
You keep this Love (Thing), Love (Child), Love (Toy)!
You keep this Love (Fist), Love (Scar), Love (Break)!
You keep this Love!
Love!
Love!
You keep this Love!
Love!
Love!
You keep this Love!
I'd been tempting one,
stole her from herself.
This gift in pain,
her pain was life.
And sometimes,
I feel so sorry,
I regret this (hurting of you)
But you made me...so unhappy,
I'll take my life (and leave love with you)
- I'd kill myself for you. I'd kill you for myself -
(Chorus)
You keep this Love Thing, Love Child, Love Toy!
You keep this Love Fist, Love Scar, Love Break!
You keep this Love!
Love!
Love!
You keep this Love!
Love!
Love!
You keep this Love!
No .. more .. head ..trips!!
06 Rise (04:36)
We've got no time to lose
Your news is old news
Hate this, hate me, hate this
Right approach for the wrong
It's time to spread the word
Let the voice be heard
All of us, one of us, all of us
Dominate and take the motherfucking world
[Pre-Chorus]
Mass prediction, unification
Breathing life into our lungs
EVERY creed and EVERY kind
To give us depth for strength
Taught when we're young to hate one another
It's time to have a new reign of power
Make pride universal so no one gives in
Turn our backs on those who oppose
Then when confronted we ask them the question
That's wrong with their mind?
What's wrong with your mind?
[Chorus]
It's time to RISE, RISE, RISE
It's time to RISE
We've lived with past mistakes
And we've lived with our own
Forgive, forget forgive
Be a man, not a child
There are to tears for peace
Of the common sympathies
Educate, reinstate, educate
A thing of past
The trouble in the states
[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]
(Guitar Solo)
[Pre-Chorus]
[Chorus]
07 No Good (Attack the Radical) (04:49)
In the states
There's a problem with race
Because of ignorant past burned fires
From evolution
We've been killing each other
I figure man should have it down to a science
No chance
Not for a minute
Not for a second
I won't be defensive
I'm straight out in my opinion
You'd better listen to a man who knows what he is saying
I've seen your side
You run and hide for the mere fact that you feel inferior
Be superior
And know your interior
Race, pride, prejudice
Black man, white man
No stand
Live in the past
We make it last
A hated mass
No solution
Mind pollution
For revolution
So low behold my eyes
This land of fools will rise
No good
For no one
You blame oppression and play the role of criminals
To rape and burn show progress is minimal
White hoods and militants you know it's such a pity
Living, breathing
Violence in your city
If one man
Had one home
In one world
He'd live alone without variety
Full of anxiety
No one to point at, question
Or even talk to -- in his private grave
No matter what color
He wouldn't be saved from hell
He dwells
A closed mind playing the part of prison cells
Race, pride, prejudice
Black man, white man
No stand
Live in the past
We make it last
A hated mass
No solution
Mind pollution
For revolution
So low behold my eyes
This land of fools will rise
No good
For no one
09 Regular People (Conceit) (05:27)
I've trampled on that road
That you think you own
You had that smartass attitude
It's time to stop the fiction
I live it every day
While your mind's far away
I'm out here putting pride on the line
And you case on me with pure respect
One change
At one thing
Hard time is coming
My time, your pain
I reign on you
(pre-chorus)
You think you own
I take away
Take it with me
You think you own
I take away
Make it my own
(chorus)x2
Most regular people would say, "It's hard!'
And any streetwise son of a bitch knows
Don't fuck with this!
Then so many times
You practiced in the mirror
To be just like me
but you just can't see
(you ain't got the balls, son)
I fight for love of brother
Your friends fight one another
You can't see because your head's up your ass
And just in case you think your bad
I crush your rush
I rule, you fool
I'm immovable stone in your world of weak--
I speak!
(pre chorus)x2
(chorus)x2
(solo)
(chorus)x2
Don't fuck with this!
10 By Demons Be Driven (04:40)
Serving the faith
Abduction the oath
It lie in wait for the offering
Religion is old
For drawing the young
Purity withers and dies
Never return to the ones that provided
Children draining parents of will
I hold out my hand to bloodless child
I'm taken by the one I was saving
From death
(Chorus)
By demons be driven x2
Beckon the call x8
With decline in mind
End not far
We're left hanging alone here
He pulls us from nails
Shatters our bones
Leaving us crippled and strewn
Boiling my corpse in the blood of his children
Praying for his god to prevail
Burying us with loved ones
To sleep with shelled children of the sixth dimension
(Chorus)
11 Hollow (05:48)
What's left inside him?
Don't he remember us?
Can't he believe me?
We seemed like brothers
Talked for hours last month
About what we wanna be
I sit now with his hand in mine
But I know he can't feel...
No one knows
What's done is done
It's as if he were dead
I'm close with his mother
And she cries endlessly
Lord how we miss him
At least what's remembered
It's so important to make best friends in life
But it's hard when my friend sits with blank expressions
No one knows
What's done is done
It's as if he were dead
He as hollow as I alone now
He as hollow as I alone
A shell of my friend
Just flesh and bone
There's no soul
He sees no love
I shake my fists at skies above
Mad at God
He as hollow as I converse
I wish he'd waken from this curse
Hear my words before it's through
I want to come in after you
My best friend
He as hollow as I alone
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Other reviews
By cliffburton86
Anselmo's voice, unique in the world, makes the tracks truly devastating.
After listening to 'Fucking Hostile,' you'll feel the urge to destroy everything around you!
By Vinsex
“FUKIN’ HOSTILEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE”; the apotheosis of the feral stadium rendered into music.
In the music there is you, with your sweetness in that claustrophobic arpeggio, which after a while explodes in violence, violence, and VIOLENCE...
By jackpizzello
By thetrooper
"Pantera's was a unique and unrepeatable formula today... a warm metal, sharp riffs, a form of thrash different from the canonical style."
"'Vulgar Display Of Power' is one of the fundamental albums of the metal genre and is recommended to all human beings who love music."
By TheBoss
This album definitely becomes worthy of being bought by lovers of Good Metal.
"Walk" and "Regular People" are perfect for MetalHeads who want to engage in devastating mosh pits and show off their HeadBanging skills.
