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Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power review



Reviewer:
9.5

1654 users:
8.8
Band: Pantera
Album: Vulgar Display Of Power
Release date: February 1992


Disc I
01. Mouth For War
02. A New Level
03. Walk
04. Fucking Hostile
05. This Love
06. Rise
07. No Good (Attack The Radical)
08. Live In A Hole
09. Regular People (Conceit)
10. By Demons Be Driven
11. Hollow
12. Piss [20th anniversary edition bonus]

Disc II [Live at Monsters Of Rock, Italy, 1992 - DVD] [Rhino Entertainment reissue bonus]
01. Mouth For War
02. Domination/Hollow
03. Rise
04. This Love
05. Cowboys From Hell
+ Mouth For War [Video]
+ This Love [Video]
+ Walk [Video]

The world has gone crazy! And we thought that the world had reached the last degree of brutality with the atomic bomb... Ok the comparison is not really cool, but maybe you will change your mind when you hear this carnage called 'Vulgar Display Of Power'. Nevertheless, Pantera were not beginners anymore, as the previous album 'Cowboys From Hell' had been acclaimed by the critics.

The band already settles us down with a 'punchy' cover, a real allegory of the content of the album, which is following a certain artistic logic compared to the previous album. To be clear, the first round is already a masterstroke. 'Mouth For War' is an opening track that looks like a hook of the right in the jaws. Thus the beginning is brutal but it wins the attention, anyway the result truly has balls, and we continue our trip with a smile, but with some lacking teeth and shattered face. I want to warn you that the next rounds are as agitated, for example some not very 'intelligent' tracks like 'Fucking Hostile' or 'Rise'. Here I must salute the great talent of the band, that not only use messy low blows but also real good strikes with speed and a perfect mastery of the instruments.

Even sometimes they can show a bit of subtlety! Everybody's deceived by some elegant feints like 'This Love' and 'Hollow', denying for some time their status of inveterate punchers to adopt an efficient technicity. But no matter, these are only traps destined to introduce violent straight blows with devastating intros like 'Regular People' or splendid uppercuts like 'By Demons Be Driven'. Anyway the sweat on our painful foreheads tells us that this album is a really good heavy challenger, as the major tracks 'A New Level' and 'Walk' show us. The rounds are passing by, and we realize the game won't go to the end, as it stops at the eleventh round. This last round ends up on a KO that kills the poor listener.

As a conclusion, I must admit that Pantera has its own great album with a raw and catchy sound and perfect and never weak drums. I will distribute championship belts to Phil Anselmo, whose voice is the perfect reflection of his original personality, and above all to Dimebag Darrell, author of a good performance, as he plays all the guitar parts of the album really easily.

The ring gods are satisfied, the defaced ones salute you!

Written by Gorey | 26.11.2003




Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.


Comments

Comments: 28   [ 1 ignored ]   Visited by: 249 users
06.10.2007 - 03:26
Lowelas OF FIRE
Account deleted
Pantera's best!!!!!!! "Mouth For War", "Walk", "This Love", "By Demons Be Driven", "Hollow"......huge hilights for me! The whole thing is brilliant though! '90's Thrash at it's pinnacle
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07.10.2007 - 17:44
BloodTears
ANA-thema
It is indeed a brilliant album although "comboys from hell" is still my favourite. I think all songs are filled with potential and "hollow" is a great closing song for the album. Pantera makes u want to headbang

The ranking is a bit too high though, I think a 9 would be fair.
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Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29

Like you could kiss my ass.


My Instagram
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14.10.2007 - 02:16
Rating: 7
Olli

I agree with the rating, this album is excellent. You just can't stop yourself from head banging to this
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When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."
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05.12.2007 - 21:47
Rating: 9
Stalker
Lone wanderer
OK, this is IMO the second best Pantera's album, with many songs thatbecame classics.... But why there is no review for Cowboys From Hell That is rather strange....
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11.02.2008 - 19:03
+{Jonas}+
I R Serious Cat
This is deffinitely Pantera's best, and not only because it had so many commercial succes, but because the album as a whole is completely amazing.
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29.02.2008 - 21:34
Rating: 8
Plaguebearer

I really can't see what is so special abou this album. Yes some of the riffs are interesting, but for the most part its just the same repeating, power/thrash type riffs start to finish. I know with one guitar not much can be done, and i respect pantera as a band, but I just can't see the good in this album. I found that the riffs played over and over (some "conincidentally" similar), with solos that didn't fit the music or the theme.
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01.03.2008 - 09:58
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Plaguebearer on 29.02.2008 at 21:34

I really can't see what is so special abou this album. Yes some of the riffs are interesting, but for the most part its just the same repeating, power/thrash type riffs start to finish. I know with one guitar not much can be done, and i respect pantera as a band, but I just can't see the good in this album. I found that the riffs played over and over (some "conincidentally" similar), with solos that didn't fit the music or the theme.


I see you probably weren't even born yet when this album was released. Lemme guarantee you that when you were around at the time of its release and into metal you will really respect this album for what it did back then. This album more or less solely saw to it that tradtional thrash/power metal would not die. Remember this was in 1992 when all things true metal was frowned upon to say the least.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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02.03.2008 - 21:04
Rating: 9
SlaytallicA
Lycanthropy
Definitely Pantera's best album! Great Review!!
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One Pound Of Flesh, No More No Less, No Cartilage, No Bones, But Only Flesh...
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04.03.2008 - 18:52
Rating: 8
Plaguebearer

Quote:
I see you probably weren't even born yet when this album was released. Lemme guarantee you that when you were around at the time of its release and into metal you will really respect this album for what it did back then. This album more or less solely saw to it that tradtional thrash/power metal would not die. Remember this was in 1992 when all things true metal was frowned upon to say the least.


Woah, calm down man. I didn't say that this album wasn't signiicant at the time of its release, or that it was bad. How could I say that Pantera is bad when virtually every metalhead appreciates their music? I'm only voicing my personal opinion, that I am not a fan of the album. I can't judge Pantera as a band since I havn't listened to their other work, but I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. I think some of the songs are decent, its just not my thing.
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23.04.2009 - 21:08
Rating: 10
Thrash666

Quote:
Written by Plaguebearer on 04.03.2008 at 18:52

I see you probably weren't even born yet when this album was released. Lemme guarantee you that when you were around at the time of its release and into metal you will really respect this album for what it did back then. This album more or less solely saw to it that tradtional thrash/power metal would not die. Remember this was in 1992 when all things true metal was frowned upon to say the least.


Woah, calm down man. I didn't say that this album wasn't signiicant at the time of its release, or that it was bad. How could I say that Pantera is bad when virtually every metalhead appreciates their music? I'm only voicing my personal opinion, that I am not a fan of the album. I can't judge Pantera as a band since I havn't listened to their other work, but I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. I think some of the songs are decent, its just not my thing.


First, i would like to say that "Vuglar Display of Power" is hands down the reason that i am who i am today. This album is unFUCKINbelieveble!!!!! Every track off this album is awesome, never gets old, and everytime you listen to it, you feel like you are gettin the shit kicked out of you!!!! I FUCKIN LOVE PANTERA!!!!!!! AND THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!! R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell

Secondly, i hate to be a dick, but if you dont fuckin love this album, and "claim" to be a metalhead, there is something wrong with you. even if you arent a huge Pantera fan, this album did soooooo much for the metal world and no one can go against that. Thats just the way it is. People who dont agree with that statment, need to get there shit together and except the truth. And yes, i have spoken.

P.S. if you like that Job For A Cowboy stuff, you AREN'T a metalhead and have absoutely NO OPINION when it comes to talkin about true HEAVY METAL.
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LONG LIVE THASH!!!!!!!!!
R.I.P. "Dimebag" Darrell Abott
Drink a "blacktooth" for Dimebag
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19.10.2009 - 02:44
AndreOliveira

One of my favorite albums of all-time....a new level,walk,this love and hollow...fucking great..
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10.12.2009 - 17:40
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
Written by Stalker on 05.12.2007 at 21:47

OK, this is IMO the second best Pantera's album, with many songs thatbecame classics.... But why there is no review for Cowboys From Hell That is rather strange....

yeAH THAT IS??????
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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10.12.2009 - 17:41
Boxcar Willy
yr a kook
CFH is pretty good but this album just has too many good songs!!
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14:22 - Marcel Hubregtse
I do your mum

DESTROY DRUM TRIGGERS
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17.10.2010 - 05:50
Salbitani

This album should be in the top 50 all time
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17.10.2010 - 12:28
Valentin B
Iconoclast
I find it funny how Pantera is (and i share this opinion) worshipped here but universally whacked on metal-archives.
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17.10.2010 - 12:55
Rating: 7
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Valentin B on 17.10.2010 at 12:28

I find it funny how Pantera is (and i share this opinion) worshipped here but universally whacked on metal-archives.


Because the M-A ideology is "groove killed thrash", not to mention "the groove", "groove virus" or variants of the term are often used in negative reviews of post-thrash albums, as groove metal is a generally frowned upon genre there, "watered down thrash".
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17.10.2010 - 13:13
Rating: 10
Angelic Storm
Melodious
^^ Any metal band that is really popular, especially if "scene kids" also like them, will be universally panned on MA.

Vulgar is the most consistent Pantera album IMO. There's not a single song on it I dont like. xD I still prefer Cowboys slightly more though, because it has more of a wide range of different sounding songs. A classic album though!
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17.10.2010 - 13:43
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by vezzy on 17.10.2010 at 12:55

Written by Valentin B on 17.10.2010 at 12:28

I find it funny how Pantera is (and i share this opinion) worshipped here but universally whacked on metal-archives.


Because the M-A ideology is "groove killed thrash", not to mention "the groove", "groove virus" or variants of the term are often used in negative reviews of post-thrash albums, as groove metal is a generally frowned upon genre there, "watered down thrash".


what they tend to forget there is that so-called groove, which is of course just a normal thrash subgenre, just like Bay Area or Teutonic tharsh are (but that aside) kept metal alive in the Nineties.
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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13.08.2011 - 01:12
Void Eater
Account deleted
Calling groove metal a subgenre of thrash is like calling death metal or black metal a subgenre of thrash.
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13.08.2011 - 14:45
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Guest on 13.08.2011 at 01:12

Calling groove metal a subgenre of thrash is like calling death metal or black metal a subgenre of thrash.


groove metal is a subgenre of thrash and is a lot closer to thrash than black and death metal which both more or less came out of thrash.
It seems like you'd better do your homework properly (i.e. stay off Metal Archives' forum and off ANUS)
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Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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13.08.2011 - 15:03
Rating: 7
R'Vannith
ghedengi
Some would consider it a sub-genre, while some perhaps more a bastardization. I don't care either way, some groove metal sounds good to me, Annihilator does a good job of it for instance.
This album in particular I find overrated, there is some great tracks here no doubt but also some filler.
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08.03.2012 - 20:44
Maco
Pvt Funderground
I love ALLL the songs are epic fucking epic, RIP dimebag the master of the riffs
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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21.02.2014 - 20:33
Rating: 8
pkillerjp

Written by Valentin B on 17.10.2010 at 12:28

I find it funny how Pantera is (and i share this opinion) worshipped here but universally whacked on metal-archives.


As discussed briefly in the Cowboys comment section, Metal-archives reviewers and metal heads of the same train of thought, are psychotic, pretty much. If a band gets too popular or an album is too hyped and goes "mainstream" they turn against it and betray their original thoughts on the said band and album. For an even better example, check out the Master of Puppets reviews on metal archives, one of their top reviewers gives the album a 0, and then goes on and on in the review with the most hollow and contrived explanation- it's almost embarrassing to read. I believe he goes by the name of Boris, and has many other thrash reviews- giving 2nd and 3rd tier thrash albums 90s and 100s, but giving a 0 to the most critically acclaimed, well received, and popular thrash album of all time- Master of Puppets. It's trolling at it's worst.
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21.02.2014 - 22:45
Rating: 10
Daniell
_爱情_
Still a masterpiece, fantastic from start to finish. The production is utterly brilliant too. A true classic.
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30.11.2016 - 02:23
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Written by Maco on 08.03.2012 at 20:44

I love ALLL the songs are epic fucking epic, RIP dimebag the master of the riffs


I agree, allll the songs are epic fucking epic.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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19.04.2020 - 21:29
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by Maco on 08.03.2012 at 20:44

I love ALLL the songs are epic fucking epic, RIP dimebag the master of the riffs

\m/
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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19.04.2020 - 21:31
Maco
Pvt Funderground
Written by RaduP on 19.04.2020 at 21:29

\m/


They're le epic
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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09.10.2020 - 20:09
Rating: 10
BlankFile

On par with "Cowboys From Hell", it´s the best Pantera record and of the most iconic records ever, with lots of memorable songs. Almost all of them to be honest! This was the one that consolidated the status of the band, as one of the most powerfull, fast, heavy and brutal Metal bands in the 90´s and in general. They started a movement for sure.
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