When heavy-metal giants like Metallica and Megadeth strayed from the lucrative genre, legions of fans looked for a band that didn't try to change its musical clothes. They turned to Pantera, a fiery quartet from Texas.
With the release of their fifth studio album, "Reinventing the Steel," Pantera proves that they are keeping metal alive without bowing to the pressures of getting on MTV and radio.
With grooves deeper than guitarist Dimebag Darrell's weed sack and Phil Anselmo's mangled vocal-chord attack, Pantera lays claim to the throne of metal majesty. Highlights are "Goddamn Electric," "Yesterday Don't Mean Shit" and "Death Rattle," the punchiest track. While most of the songs are slower and groove-orientated, they never lack Pantera's bone-crushing power.