Atlantic
No single band was more responsible for defining metal's post-thrash identity — or laid more groundwork for the nu-metal explosion — than Texan groovecore quartet Pantera. With its emphasis on rhythm over guitar virtuosity (though it had plenty of that) and attitude over vocal melody (though it had some of that, too), Cowboys from Hell threw out the epic song lengths and constantly shifting arrangements of thrash, streamlining heavy music for maximum impact. Tunes like "Primal Concrete Sledge" and "Domination" took a cue from hardcore's compact blast, but are metal through and through, thanks largely to the group's natural balance of instrumental mastery and straightforward rock-guy character. The follow-up, Vulgar Display of Power, is a better CD, but Cowboys remains the blueprint.
This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 5, 2006.