caption associated_acts years_active label image_size article_title past_members background genre image origin name
pantera anselmo , vinnie paul , dimebag darrell and rex brown circa . 2000 . left to right : phil damageplan necrophagia southern isolation arson anthem rebel meets rebel crowbar type down o negative lord tracy hellyeah superjoint ritual pumpjack david allan coe 1981 -- 2003 metal magic atco eastwest elektra 280px pantera
 band members group_or_band heavy metal groove metal -lrb- early -rrb- panterapromo.jpg arlington , texas , united states pantera
pantera

pantera was an american heavy metal band from arlington , texas .
the group was formed in 1981 by the abbott brothers -- drummer vinnie paul and guitarist dimebag darrell -- along with vocalist terry glaze .
bassist rex brown joined the band the following year , replacing the original unofficial bass guitarist tommy d. bradford .
having started as a glam metal band , pantera released four albums during the 1980s .
looking for a new and heavier sound , pantera replaced glaze with phil anselmo in 1986 .
with its fifth album , 1990 's `` cowboys from hell '' , pantera introduced a groove metal sound .
the sixth album , 1992 's `` vulgar display of power '' , exhibited even heavier sound .
`` far beyond driven '' -lrb- 1994 -rrb- debuted at number one on the `` billboard '' 200 .
tensions began to surface among the band members when anselmo became addicted to heroin in 1995 ; he almost died from an overdose in 1996 .
these tensions resulted in the recording sessions for `` the great southern trendkill '' -lrb- 1996 -rrb- to be held separately .
the ongoing tension lasted for another seven years , in which only one studio album , `` reinventing the steel '' -lrb- 2000 -rrb- , was recorded .
pantera went on hiatus in 2001 , but was disbanded by the abbott brothers in 2003 amid communication problems and their conclusion that anselmo would not return to the band .
the abbott brothers went on to form damageplan , while anselmo began work on several side projects , including down in which rex brown joined as well .
on december 8 , 2004 , dimebag darrell was shot and killed on stage by a deranged fan during a damageplan concert in columbus , ohio , permanently ending hopes for a reunion .
