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Pantera - Reinventing The Steel review
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Reviewer:
9.0

754 users:
7.56
Band: Pantera
Album: Reinventing The Steel
Style: Groove metal
Release date: March 07, 2000
Guest review by: Thrash del Sur


01. Hellbound
02. Goddamn Electric
03. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit
04. You've Got To Belong To It
05. Revolution Is My Name
06. Death Rattle
07. We'll Grind That Axe For A Long Time
08. Up Lift
09. It Makes Them Disappear
10. I'll Cast A Shadow

2000 was the year when nu-metal filled the charts in US and lots of melodic-symphonic-anything-metal bands were around in Europe, times I seriously don't miss. The Pantera guys came back to basics, setting a difference with the trend of those days. With this album the southern band meant to be a leader not a follower.

Reiventing The Steel is a solid record without any ballads or acoustic songs, so if you are someone who likes songs like "This Love" this record might not be for you.

They corrected "The Great Southern Trendkill's" bass guitar saturation, Phil improved his shrieked vocals and Dime used a heavier guitar distortion and cool guitar sound effects like the "Digitech Whammy" in "Revolution is my Name" to give a few tips which makes Reinventing the Steel a better produced album than its predecessor.

Songs like "Hellbound", "You've Got To Belong To It", "Up Lift", "I'll Cast A Shadow" and the fastest song of this record "Deathrattle", are filled with lots of blastbeats mixed with off tempos and groove rhythms that shows Vinnie Paul's remarkable drumming skills and creativity. There are also songs with blues and southern rock influences besides the heavy and hardcore present in all songs. "Yesterday Don't Mean Shit" is a song about reality of the music business of this time and the impossibility to bring back the past, also including an amazing guitar solo and a killer scales executed by Rex. Another song with tons of musical complexities and the only piece which has a video on this production is "Revolution is my name". Besides the sound effect on the guitar I mentioned before, there is the use of a "CowBell" on the drums, a resource applied before in "Drag The Waters" but still a fresh and non-common rhythm device in extreme metal styles. Another highlight is "We'll Grind That Axe For A Long Time", another satirical critique towards the music industry. "Everybody changes to suit the day" is a phrase telling how many musicians and bands sell their soul to be millionaires writing poor songs and how Pantera dealt with that without giving up integrity.

Killer riffs, killer solos, complex and underestimated bass guitar work by Rex Brown, brutal but technical drumming and one the most important vocals in metal expressing lyrics about the struggle against heroin addiction, their lives as metalheads learning from the masters in order to become masters as well and picturing a decadent metal scene of the death of the 20th century.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 9
Production: 10

Written by Thrash del Sur | 11.02.2010




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


Comments

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Comments: 21   Visited by: 185 users
11.02.2010 - 20:38
Rating: 6
bodomroy
The only pantera album i dislike.....my rating is 6
great southern trendkill is far batter
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11.02.2010 - 22:44
Rating: 6
Brogkul
Been a long time Pantera fan, I must say this is the weakest album they released. Although at some times enjoyable no song really stood up for me. I gave it a 6.

I disagree with the production issue. TGST was loud and strong, this album sounds softer to me. Like the overall volume was turned down. IMO
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"The Sly One"
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12.02.2010 - 00:27
Scheff
Yes, good but not the Pantera I grew up on. The songs are filled with more talent, but the discography was heading in the wrong direction. at least this sound was not as lost as the few new songs on 101 proof. Ill appreciate this album more with time, but for now ill still love the drum tracks on TGST and the anger of Driven.
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12.02.2010 - 02:59
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
I feel like I speak for most Pantera fans when I say this is one of their weakest albums. I don't know where you found the complexity or brutality; it just came across as uninspired "groove metal" with a soft production to me. If this deserves a 9, Cowboys From Hell deserves a 20.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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22.08.2010 - 02:18
Rating: 10
hedonist
I don't understand why this album is so under rated. I am a huge Pantera fan, owning all their albums and for me this album is a classic. Ok, it's not as good as Vulgar Display or Cowboys but comes a close 3rd for me.
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22.08.2010 - 16:28
Rating: 6
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by hedonist on 22.08.2010 at 02:18

I don't understand why this album is so under rated. I am a huge Pantera fan, owning all their albums and for me this album is a classic. Ok, it's not as good as Vulgar Display or Cowboys but comes a close 3rd for me.

Definitely not a classic by any means. It's a lackluster groove metal album that tries to sound bombastic and aggressive, but ends up being rather stale.
Try Exhorder's "The Law".
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Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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22.08.2010 - 21:58
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Elite
This is certainly underrated and easily beats Exhorder's The Law on all fronts. exhorder is actually overrated nowadays.. slaughter In The V@tican was and is a seconnd rate Slayer rip off and The Law is just BAD all round.
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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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22.08.2010 - 23:39
Rating: 6
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.08.2010 at 21:58

This is certainly underrated and easily beats Exhorder's The Law on all fronts. exhorder is actually overrated nowadays.. slaughter In The V@tican was and is a seconnd rate Slayer rip off and The Law is just BAD all round.

I don't know, I'd take The Law over VDoP, FDB or RtS (although maybe not CFH, and I have to think on TGSTK).
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Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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23.08.2010 - 00:26
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by vezzy on 22.08.2010 at 23:39

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.08.2010 at 21:58

This is certainly underrated and easily beats Exhorder's The Law on all fronts. exhorder is actually overrated nowadays.. slaughter In The V@tican was and is a seconnd rate Slayer rip off and The Law is just BAD all round.

I don't know, I'd take The Law over VDoP, FDB or RtS (although maybe not CFH, and I have to think on TGSTK).

FYI I have a sudden urge for KFC down near the DMV ASAP or I'll be DOA. BRB ROFL.
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23.08.2010 - 00:34
Introspekrieg
Totemic Lust
Elite
Written by [user id=4365] on 23.08.2010 at 00:26

Written by vezzy on 22.08.2010 at 23:39

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 22.08.2010 at 21:58

This is certainly underrated and easily beats Exhorder's The Law on all fronts. exhorder is actually overrated nowadays.. slaughter In The V@tican was and is a seconnd rate Slayer rip off and The Law is just BAD all round.

I don't know, I'd take The Law over VDoP, FDB or RtS (although maybe not CFH, and I have to think on TGSTK).

FYI I have a sudden urge for KFC down near the DMV ASAP or I'll be DOA. BRB ROFL.

TMI FTW ROFL FML BRB
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23.08.2010 - 00:36
Rating: 6
vezzy
Stallmanite
Written by [user id=4365] on 23.08.2010 at 00:26

FYI I have a sudden urge for KFC down near the DMV ASAP or I'll be DOA. BRB ROFL.

Understood it all immediately.

No, I'm not gonna bother typing out what the abbreviations mean.
----
Licensed under the GPLv3.
Relinquish proprietary software for a greater GNU/America.
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24.08.2010 - 21:00
Rating: 10
hedonist
Written by vezzy on 22.08.2010 at 16:28

Written by hedonist on 22.08.2010 at 02:18

I don't understand why this album is so under rated. I am a huge Pantera fan, owning all their albums and for me this album is a classic. Ok, it's not as good as Vulgar Display or Cowboys but comes a close 3rd for me.

Definitely not a classic by any means. It's a lackluster groove metal album that tries to sound bombastic and aggressive, but ends up being rather stale.
Try Exhorder's "The Law".

We all have our own opinions so I'm not going to argue with you but I do enjoy this album a lot. I have never heard of Exhorder so I will check out that album you suggested.

ps. You guys give me a fookin headache with all these abreviations, speak english!!
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22.10.2010 - 18:54
Judas The Priest
This is the heaviest shit i've ever listened to, theres no lackluster here, all headbangin metal
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22.10.2010 - 23:10
Rating: 9
Thrash del Sur
Quote:
Quote:

ps. You guys give me a fookin headache with all these abreviations, speak english!!

Hahaha you're right man! what a bunch of nerds!!
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20.02.2014 - 15:17
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
Written by deadone on 20.02.2014 at 04:14
Gimmicks are also more popular

Maybe because there are more bands and more styles of metal nowadays? Looking back through some of the releases metal had to offer in the '80s and '90s, it's not like old school metal was without its fair share of gimmickry. Almost all of your complaints about contemporary music apply to the same stuff you're praising - Pantera included.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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20.02.2014 - 15:46
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by Troy Killjoy on 20.02.2014 at 15:17

Maybe because there are more bands and more styles of metal nowadays? Looking back through some of the releases metal had to offer in the '80s and '90s, it's not like old school metal was without its fair share of gimmickry. Almost all of your complaints about contemporary music apply to the same stuff you're praising - Pantera included.

Pantera's tough guy / macho / let's get shitfaced and act like cavemen image for example (Oh those "hilarious" home videos they released on VHS). and I can't think of anything more gimmick-driven than early black metal. These days it hardly has a definitive image or unifying theme to speak of. I don't think exploring themes other than death and satan could always legitimately be called "gimmicks" either seeing as many of them are too esoteric for the average metalhead who like things a bit more opaque (Pantera fans being some of the best example). It's easy to pick on the surface bands who dress up in silly outfits but a relevant, balanced viewpoint that does not make. In any light I'm far more in favour of a wider tapestry of themes and thought processes than sticking to the knuckle dragging / shock-value aesthetic of many of the earlier metal outfits. If you ask me the older era of metal is for metal lovers, whereas the modern era is for music lovers.

On the subject of this album, it's a dog, and not a very healthy one at that. Should have been put down.
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20.02.2014 - 16:36
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
Pretty much hit the nail on the head on all points, Joe. Well said.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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20.02.2014 - 17:50
Cynic Metalhead
Ambrish Saxena
Well said. Joe. [2]
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Cynic's Metal On Spotify

Cynic's Stoner/Sludge/Doom On Spotify
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21.02.2014 - 00:31
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted
Written by deadone on 21.02.2014 at 00:12

Funnily enough I actually think Metal is headed in the wrong direction i.e. pointless wankery, mindless pseudo intellectualism and fake metal (anything from crap like the modern Alcest to the pop bands with guitars to Mastodon's soft albums) as well as complete buffoonery that would embarass Venom (e.g. Alestorm or these Finnish folk metal bands).

I didn't mind this when it was in the underground and thus easily ignored or a temporary diversion a but it has become mainstream. You can't avoid it. The metal press is inundated with it.

That some of the most popular albums in metal are less gutsy than your average Motley Crue album is in my mind bizarre.

And I've yet to hear a half-decent argument why any of this is a bad thing. Certainly nothing "pointless" about the direction it is going, the so-called "fake" bands offer far more than bands constantly aping their 80s counterparts.

Once again you seem to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, endlessly singing the praises of by-gone bands whilst complaining about the way they / their emulators have turned out in the modern age so I find it odd that you think metal is going in the wrong direction when you yourself can barely scrape together half a dozen 8 out of 10 albums per year these days. You berate creativity and divergence, but you won't explore it, falling back on archaic efforts by antique bands / mindless copycats. Seems like you want to have your cake and eat it, only it's not a very nice cake to begin with. Some kind of walknut cake that got left on out the kitchen counter over night or something.

Quote:
In my mind Pantera and co did far more for Metal than most of these prog/post/folk/avant garde/pop bands.

Pantera made some great records, but their image was nothing worth keeping alive. People know how to have a laugh and have fun. No one needs bands making tits of themselves as all it does it give metal a moronic edge.

I guess that's the fundamental difference which proves my point about metal / music lovers: I don't really care whether or not something is true metal. Seems to me that "true" metal is a limited and dead genre now.
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21.02.2014 - 00:43
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Staff
This is actually a pretty interesting discussion but maybe we should move it somewhere away from this album thread.

Maybe here? http://metalstorm.net/forum/topic.php?topic_id=42544
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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18.10.2020 - 01:11
Rating: 8
BlankFile
I think it´s an underrated record. It´s not the best Pantera álbum off course, not better than the previous four, but it has some great moments still, really heavy and powerful release, making a strong statement in terms of lyrics. Having said this, I think the band was not the same anymore, not the same vibe and consistency of previous records. Still, a very good CD! Unfortunetely it was the last release of Pantera, the band ended in 2003 and then tragedy happened with the brutal assassination of Dimebag Darrell in a live show of Damage Plan in 2004.

I think the highlights of this record are... "Goddamn Electric", "Revolution is My Name", "We'll Grind That Axe For A Long Time", "It Makes Them Disappear" and " I'll Cast A Shadow"
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