Pantera consists of Dimebag Darrell (guitarist), Philip Anselmo (singer), Rex Brown (bassist), Vinnie Paul (drummer).
Pantera was a popular heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas that formed in 1981. Specifically, some fans consider them power metal, groove metal (post-thrash), or an amalgamation of both (so called "power groove", a term the band devised themselves). Emerging alongside influential classic thrash metal acts such as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax, Pantera was a key formulator of the post-thrash subgenre of heavy metal music.
On VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock", Pantera ranked forty-fifth. Despite the generally cold reception of their first four albums, critics have lauded Pantera's style thereafter; Jason Birchmeier of the All Music Guide considers Pantera to be "arguably the greatest metal band of '90s and ... one of the greatest and most influential metal bands ever."
The word "pantera" means " panther" in a number of other languages, but the name itself is derived from the band's home town of Pantego, Texas.
Pantera formed in 1981 with its original line-up consisting of drummer Vinnie Paul, his guitarist brother Dimebag Darrell (originally referred to as Diamond Darrell), bassist Tommy Bradford, vocalist Donnie Hart, and guitarist Terry Glaze. At its birth, the members of Pantera were in high school (11th grade, specifically), and began performing in Texas nightclubs. Because the band members were influenced by contemporary acts such as KISS and Van Halen, they primarily covered songs from those bands.
In 1982, Hart left the band and Glaze was moved to the vocalist position. Bradford's role as the band's bassist was soon taken over by Rex Brown, who, like the Abbot brothers, would stick with the band until its end. While the band showed promise, it would take time before they were able to make it farther than Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana for their performances. Pantera began supporting fellow heavy metal acts such as Stryper, Dokken, and Quiet Riot, who in turn promoted Pantera's soon to be released debut, Metal Magic.
