Vulgar Display Of Power

Banger from start to finish. Just don't google the singer :/

Not only one of my favorite metal albums, ranks up there with my favorite albums.

I got to see Pantera live at an Ozzfest back in the day, when Dimebag was still with us. I finally clued in about a minute or so into their set that the place was packed full of skinheads. You're laughing now, like, what did I think was going to happen? Well, in my defense, this was like 25 years ago, and we... weren't as good at knowing stuff back then?! The hairs on the back of my neck went up, and my lizard brain got me away from the big group of them. What's the word for a group of skinheads? A gaggle? I bet this was like WAY back in the day, when groups of humans would encounter a group of Neanderthals. Pop out of the forest into a clearing and, oh shit, look at those brow ridges?! Everyone kind of backs up and the Neanderthals pack into an orange Dodge Charger, spin the tires, and drive away. Anyways I love this album. Unfortunately a gaggle of related hominids who continue to make bad choices also love this album. Also the band made a number of bad choices. But there is no other groove that's quite like a Pantera groove.

A must listen for real.

Going to drop a 5 since Pantera had a big influence on me. More of a nostalgia rating. The album itself rips, but there’s a handful of less interesting songs to me, I far more prefer Far Beyond Driven as an overall album. This one has the classics though.

I think album is one of the best out there for metal music in that era.

Rating: 4.5/5 Short Review: Relentless, aggressive, and completely locked in. No subtlety, just pure force with precision behind it. Feels like controlled anger channeled perfectly. Favorite Track: “Walk.” That groove is stupid heavy. Simple, direct, and hits every time.

A Vulgar Display of Power is an accurate description of Pantera in general. They put on a great concert, yall should go. Walk is the playlist winner out of this album

I think Far Beyond Driven is Pantera's best work, but this is a close 2nd. Solid, pummeling metal album. Gotta respect Pantera's ability to make you want to punch a guy.

Walk

Absolutely fucking epic!!11

10 stars!!!!

como buen oyente del metal me parece uno de los mejores album del metal y representa muy bien la estética de lo que es el metal

Vozi

Say what you like about Phil Anselmo but this rips

My favorite band for a reason. One of the pioneers of groove metals, and one of the biggest reasons why certain guitarists picked up their instrument. 5 stars for a band that shaped and inspired many great bands during and after the 90s.

Absolutely amazing. I’m a big fan.

Holy peak. This is Pantera's best album and god is it amazing every song from start to end is just amazing Standout Songs : Walk , Hollow , Fucking Hostile

J'ai toujours aimé Pantera, de Cowboys from Hell à Reinventing the Steel. Difficile de croire que dans les années 80 c'était un groupe de glam metal.

Yea, this rips.

Gran disco

An Ode on Aggression Earned. Makes you understand why Dimebag is so revered in the metal community. Notes of Alice In Chains and Helmet show the reach of this band outside that community. Incidentally, just awesome pump-you-up music.

Vultures Displaying Flowers

I’m kind of happily surprised to see Pantera here. I’m not sure I’d call this a must-hear album for a lot of people. But I love it, so it gets a 5 from me. And I miss Vinnie and Dimebag.

Well, don't we all love some Pantera?. I know i would have done the same deal the guy on the cover made without hesitation. I'm surprised that this is the first album i'll review here since i come from a metal family and this band shaped my life ever as a kid (next to Megadeth). They were in their peak after their hard rock heavy roots, refreshing the metal scene in a time when others went back and forth. Revisiting this timeless classic just makes sense when thinking about not only the times i've spent blasting their songs whatever the ocassion (drinking, cleaning my house, going on car rides at night, walking straight to school trying to avoid every obstacle in my way), but on top of it i realized it's about to turn 34 years and that's awesome. It's hard to pick favorites even now when every song it's a power recharge, kind of a rude awakening from a friend who's been through everything. Besides the singles and all the anthems i think most people overlook songs like This love and Hollow, these moments (specially Hollow) are the most interesting displays of hopelessness both Anselmo and Dime knew how to work out. If you thought these macho-men had nothing to offer you, apply yourself.

I surprisingly love everything about this.

I shamelessly love '90s groove-metal. Pantera are the kings and Vulgar Display is the pinnacle. It's defiantly a case of having to separate the art from the artist here though, because these good 'ol boys from Texas wrote some really mean riffs here.

FENAAAA

so fucking good im so glad i got to see pantera live

Man...Dimebag was an absolute beast. As far as heavy metal albums of the 90s it doesn't get much better than this. From the first riff to the last it's just a sludge fest as they drop hammer after hammer. These songs are real good too; A New Level, Fucking Hostile, This Love, Walk showcase Pantera's power but also their depth. Rex's bass playing is really underrated and helped create the groove while love em or hate em' not many can do what Phil could do in his prime. Lastly, while iconic this artwork is dumb...

Second best Pantera album IMO. Walk & This Love are the standout classics, but don't sleep on Rise, Hollow, or Mouth for War.

Should have been Cowboys From Hell, but this has the great Pantera guitar tone too. Love that

Amazing album.

один из лучших метал альбомов 90х

This might be the last consistently good Pantera album..... Fight me. This one hits hard from start to finish and feels like the first full evolution of the band's sound. Lots of influences here. Obvious thrash metal nods ala Anthrax and MOP era Metallica, a little smattering of hardcore, swamp rock, and southern groove. Pretty interesting in retrospect to see how some of these vibes transfer directly and sginificantly to Super Joint Ritual and Down considering the varied membership in each project. I moved well away from Pantera in my musical journey but this album felt authentic and powerful for a formative young hesher in 92. Primal Concret Sledge should have been on this record, but then I would never listen to CFH.

i love this album

Love this album. From the album cover to the music.

Gun to my head, this is my favorite metal album of all time. The pure thrash that dominated metal at the time is replaced by rhythmic grooves. The simpler riffs made Pantera sound heavier and more punishing than the shredders. Dime’s guitar tone is pulverizing, punchy, crisp, and defined heaviness despite mostly being in standard tuning. His full embrace of the whammy pedal gives us his most mind-bending solos. At the peak of the grunge-era (which I love), Vulgar Display seemed to hold the torch for all extreme music; the follow-up, Far Beyond Driven, being even heavier, AND somehow debuting at #1. It’s the best punch to the face you can hear.

Uskomattoman kovaa tykitystä ekasta biisistä vikaan asti. Testosteroni nousee ja kitarat raikaa! Groove metallin pioneeri. Ei mitään huonoa sanottavaa :)

Tää löytyy jopa omalta levyhyllyltä ja on edelleenkin satunnaisessa kuuntelussa. Kunnon viskiheviä, reipas tempo ja railakkaat kitaratilulilut. Sopivan Virve Rostimaisen rosoinen lauluääni ja ekstrapiste viel Doom-biiseistä. 5/5

Legendaarinen levynkansi ja meno on taattua Pantera-kamaa. Soundi on mahtava ja kitarat kuuluu tarkasti. Ei ihan yllä Cowboys From Hellin tasolle mutta helppo vitska silti

Just bangers.

Awesome album Standout songs: A new level Fucking hostile Regular people

Goated album, zero skips, perfectly balanced in terms of energy and emotion. One of my favourite ever

Perfect headbanger.

Gear: SIMGOT EA1000 Fermat Artwork: 🤕💥🤛 Production (2012 Remaster): 🥩💩🎚️ Music: (╯’□’)╯︵ ┻━┻ Rating: 🤜🤜🤜🤜🤜/5

Fuck yeah. Just what I needed this morning after not sleeping well last night. A top 10 metal album for sure.

It’s indisputable that this is a stone cold classic, and I’m really happy to have been given the nudge to listen to it again. I had this on cassette as a kid, I think I bought it from a friend, back in the days of scraping together your pocket money and trying to get the most out of it as possible. Pantera really were some of the best ever to do it, RIP Dimebag & Vinnie Paul.

I didn't think I'd be giving this album five stars, because I'm not a fan of excruciatingly rough vocals. But, damn! the music is so good that I just can't help myself. The best tracks are definitely the ones with the sparcest vocals, but I can forgive the worst of the tortured screaming just to revel in the riffs.

It's not my favourite Pantera album, but I like it a lot. It's their most popular release to date, it's groovy and a very good listen. Also, Walk will forever be like an anthem.

I got in touch with Pantera thanks to a Spotify playlist called "The Book of Nasty Riffs", and Walk was one of the first songs on it. Since then, I learned to enjoy early 90s metal. Still not much of a fan tho, but you gotta surrender to an album like this. Both Vulgar Display and Cowboys From Hell are trully Metal Masterpieces. 5 Stars.

5 stars is not enough to describe the level of masterpiece this album is.

Fucking Awesome!

yeah!!!

9/10

Favorite: Walk

An incredible band that has had it's legacy ruined by the racist "jokes" of it's frontman. Look, I'm not here to defend Pantera. There are plenty of dipshits on the internet doing that already, so I'm going to attempt to be brief here. The music is driving, intense and FULL. Dimebag Darrel's guitar sound is iconic. The drums are bombastic and crushing. The vocals are intense and emotional. This album is a fantastic departure from Guns and Roses, Pearl Jam and every other band that was popular in the early 90s. The lyrics are good, for the most part. At the time, I'm sure this "I don't see color" approach to race relations was considered progressive by some, but a bunch of good ol' boys from Texas singing about coming together while still sporting the rebel flag comes off as insipid and tone deaf today. All that being said, this is one of the most influential albums in the metal space. If you like hardcore at all, your favorite band owes something to this record.

Fuck yeah \m/ \m/

So aggressive, angry and heavy! This is a metal classic and a great follow-up to their previous album Cowboys from Hell. Phil Anselmo's raspy vocals are awesome accompanied by Dimebag Darrell's riffs. The lyrics are a bit cringy at times but with Pantera's attitude it doesn't matter much.

Classeek

I'm interested

INSANELY good dad metal

One of my favorites of all time. The first half of the album is pure electricity. This is what we took before energy drinks to jump over building and run through metal gates

This is a great album, I love the heavy metal sound of pantera and every song was enjoyable.

Huge, groove-laden and heavy. An immense metal album.

When I first started getting into metal, I really didn't care much for Pantera. I liked Walk and that was about it. Over time I've grown an appreciation for them and it makes for great workout music. High energy guitar riffs and a vulgar display of power.

One of my favourite 90’s metal albums.

perfect album name, perfect album cover, promotes exactly how the album is; so aggressive and so in your face, hell yeaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I was in 7th grade. And this was the greatest thing on Earth. One indelible memory about this album: my buddy Cory and I were hanging out at his house after school. We happen to look out the window and noticed a pair of Mormon missionaries making their way up his street. Quickly we started Vulgar Display and cranked it up to full volume. The Mormon boys knocked for a while and finally we threw open the door right as Phil belts out "FUCKING HOSTILE!!" They both looked around nervously and asked if our parents were home. We thought we were so funny. We were.

One of the albums that saved metal in the 90s!! Not a bad song on here!! An all-time favorite!

I have never listened to Pantera much. I bought one of their albums (Far Beyond Driven) in high school, but my mom found it and was disturbed by the lyrics. She made me get rid of it before I could listen to it more than once. I got into Metallica after the above incident, and my mom didn't have the same issue with them for some reason. This is probably the first time I've listened to Pantera since then, and I really missed out on not listening to them during the years when a teenage boy would REALLY enjoy this style of music. If you like metal at all, you'll love this album. If you don't.. you won't.

Fav songs: Mouth for War; Walk; This Love; Regular People (Conceit) Super fun album IF you like metal. Otherwise at nearly 55 minutes, this would be a long, aural assault. RIP Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul.

i was wrong about pantera

Y'know what fuckin' rules? Metal music. Like, when I said in my BLACK METAL review/babble that I don't have high standards for metal, let's be clear about what I actually am: I'm a metalhead. I just love the sound of this genre, and there's very little in it that's not going to satisfy enough. Like I said, as long as there's loud riffs, thundering drums and some hard-ass lyrics, I'm a damn happy gal! And me being a metalhead is not something I actually think about too often. Like, to me it's just common knowledge that metal music is fuckin' amazing, so it's weird to me whenever I see that people **don't** like it. I was reading negatives reviews for this album on this website and I had to remind myself, "Oh, yeah, most people don't hear this stuff in the same way I do." Particularly this album and this band: good ol' Pantera. The cowboys from and the lords of groove metal. Whatever "groove metal" is supposed to be. Like, even though at this point now I've heard two complete Pantera albums, I'd be hard-pressed to tell you exactly what makes this subgenre what it is. I know I ain't the only one wondering how exactly this music "grooves." But that's hardly an issue to me, 'coz whatever this music lacks in groovery, it makes up for tenfold in, like, the exact thing that makes me love this album and other people, y'know, not: the brutality. This is some brutal-ass music. So brutal, in fact, that I almost feel the need to spell it "BROOTAL" so you have an idea of how I say it to reflect how brutal I think this is. This guitar tone, this vocal styling, these lyrics about being pissed off and kicking some unspecified ass in the butt... Yeah, that's all brutal as hell, and it's nonstop for a little over 50 minutes. It's amazing. And actually, the fact that I like this so much is a bit surprising to me. See, before now, although I love metal and a bit of brutality every now and then, I didn't consider myself much a fan of Pantera's album before this, COWBOYS FROM HELL. As far as I know, that's the primordial ooze! The origin point of groove metal! At the very least, it's one of the first-ever groove metal albums.And yet, I'unno. Every time I tried it before now, I just wasn't into it. I suppose I could've just been in the wrong frame of mind back then, but if I had to throw an additional guess on top... Well, maybe this album is just a little more refined? A little tighter in its groove metal-ness? Or maybe it's just because this album has "Walk" and the other one doesn't have a hit on that level to pull me in. For sure, I'll hafta give it another shot... However, I should finish this review first before I dive off on **that** tangent. I can't tell you how the rest of my group is gonna rate an album like this, since the last time they got something approaching brutality was ROOTS by Sepultura, and, well, they weren't a big fan of that... And come to think of it, I wasn't, either... Maybe it was a bit **too** brutal... This album, though? Oh, yeah. Ooooh, yeah. This is the **good shit**, 100%. If you ain't a metal fan, well, this probably just isn't going to convince yah... But for a metal gal like me? Fuck yeah. This: love. Goodness.

Not much to say besides this being some kickass metal. Solid 5 Stars.

Excellent album that I owned when I was young. I listened to this all the time, it really brought back memories. Great guitar work and vocals. There is a lot of power behind these songs, they are very hard hitting. Definitely listen to this when you are in the right mood. To me it's perfect for the genre and time it came out. I heard them play live one time and the guitarist (Dimebag Darrell) was phenomenal. It was absolutely incredible, like his fingers were floating all over the fretboard. Probably the best live guitar work I have ever heard. Too bad he was killed at a relatively young age.

Sounds like the cover. You will run through a wall. I don't like it but my wife has strong feelings

great album

Pedal to the metal Hell Yeah!

Genre defining album. It makes no apologies for "shouting", being too "tedious", or too loud. There should be some indication with an album cover of someone getting punched in the face that it wasn't going to be smooth jazz from a long curly haired guy playing a soprano saxophone.

Like a punch to the face. Amazing.

Great album. Exactly what is says on the box - powerful aggressive and violent. This is a no skip album filled with strong tracks. 5/5

Heavy!

I have a habit of giving 5's to every album that I already own. Not very subjective I know, but in the early days of me being on this generator it helped with the 'pressure' of rating an album everyday. Plus you're familiar with the album so it kinda makes sense. In all honesty, I want to give yhis a four. I'm familiar with it. But it doesn't reach the levels of Cowboys from Hell. They found the sound they wanted and never gave any other stylistic change a chance. Phill's voice was getting rougher and gone were the more high vocals he sporadically did. They had their groove and dumbguy hardcor vibe and while I have nothing against that, there could have been more to this band. If you're looking for great groove metal you could easily go for Cowboys From Hell or Machine Head's Burn My Eyes or Chaos AD by Sepultura or anything by Rob Zombie. They stick the landing more imo. Still giving this a 5, cause a man who doesn't stick to his guns ain't worth a damn.

Vulgar Display of Diff

Pantera's *Vulgar Display of Power* (1992) is widely regarded as one of the most influential groove metal albums of all time. Combining raw aggression, technical mastery, and memorable songwriting, the album cemented Pantera's place as a defining force in 1990s metal. Below is an in-depth review focusing on its lyrics, music, production, themes, influence, and a balanced critique of its strengths and weaknesses. --- ## Lyrics Lyrically, *Vulgar Display of Power* channels themes of anger, defiance, and introspection. Tracks like **"Fucking Hostile"** express unfiltered rage against societal norms and authority figures with lines such as "The truth in right and wrong / The boundaries of the law," which critique hypocrisy in law enforcement[2]. Similarly, **"Rise"** calls for unity against oppression, while **"Mouth for War"** turns personal frustration into motivation. On the other hand, songs like **"This Love"** and **"Hollow"** delve into emotional vulnerability. "This Love" explores the struggles of a toxic relationship, while "Hollow" addresses loss and grief, making it a spiritual successor to "Cemetery Gates" from *Cowboys from Hell*[1][2]. Despite the album's aggressive tone, these tracks reveal a surprising depth in Pantera's songwriting. However, some critics argue that the album leans too heavily on "tough-guy" posturing in tracks like **"Walk"**, which has been both celebrated for its simplicity and criticized for its perceived machismo[5]. While the lyrics resonate with many listeners as empowering, they can also come across as one-dimensional. --- ## Music Musically, *Vulgar Display of Power* represents Pantera's full embrace of groove metal. Dimebag Darrell’s guitar work is central to the album’s identity. His riffs are heavy yet groovy, with tracks like **"Walk"** featuring simple yet iconic chugging patterns that have become synonymous with the genre[3][7]. His solos are equally impressive, blending bluesy phrasing with shredding techniques that showcase his technical prowess. Vinnie Paul’s drumming is tight and dynamic, providing a solid backbone to the grooves. Tracks like **"By Demons Be Driven"** and **"Live in a Hole"** highlight his ability to shift between pounding rhythms and intricate fills[5]. Rex Brown’s bass work complements Dimebag’s riffs effectively but rarely takes center stage. Phil Anselmo’s vocal performance is raw and visceral. He abandons the high-pitched falsettos of earlier albums for a more aggressive style that alternates between shouting and melodic singing. While this approach suits the album’s tone, some fans miss the vocal diversity showcased on *Cowboys from Hell*[2]. Despite its strengths, some critics have noted a lack of variety in the riffing. Many songs rely on mid-tempo grooves and similar structures, which can feel repetitive over the course of the album[2][5]. --- ## Production The production on *Vulgar Display of Power* is both a strength and a point of contention. Terry Date’s work ensures that every instrument is clear and punchy. Dimebag’s guitar tone is particularly noteworthy—thick, heavy, and razor-sharp[3]. The drums are crisp and impactful, enhancing the album's aggressive energy. However, some critics have described the production as overly polished or "stinky," arguing that it sacrifices rawness for accessibility[2]. This has led to debates about whether the album represents a commercialized version of Pantera’s sound compared to their earlier work. --- ## Themes Thematically, *Vulgar Display of Power* is an exploration of strength—both physical and emotional. The album resonates with listeners who feel marginalized or oppressed. Tracks like **"A New Level"** celebrate self-empowerment, while others like **"No Good (Attack the Radical)"** confront societal issues such as racism[4]. The juxtaposition of aggression and vulnerability adds depth to the album. For example, while "Fucking Hostile" exudes unrelenting anger, "Hollow" provides a poignant reflection on loss. This balance makes *Vulgar Display of Power* more than just an angry metal record; it’s an emotional journey. --- ## Influence The impact of *Vulgar Display of Power* on metal cannot be overstated. It helped define groove metal as a genre and inspired countless bands with its emphasis on heaviness and groove over speed. The album also proved that metal could be commercially successful without compromising its intensity—it reached #44 on the Billboard 200 and was eventually certified double platinum in the U.S.[3][7]. Pantera’s refusal to follow trends during the grunge-dominated early 1990s further solidified their reputation as trailblazers. Their influence can be heard in bands ranging from Lamb of God to Slipknot. However, some critics argue that Pantera's success contributed to the rise of less sophisticated "tough-guy" metal bands in subsequent years[1][5]. While this doesn’t diminish Pantera’s achievements, it highlights the mixed legacy of their influence. --- ## Pros - **Iconic Riffs:** Tracks like "Walk," "Mouth for War," and "A New Level" feature some of metal’s most memorable riffs. - **Emotional Range:** Songs like "Hollow" showcase Pantera’s ability to balance aggression with vulnerability. - **Tight Musicianship:** Dimebag Darrell’s guitar work and Vinnie Paul’s drumming are standout elements. - **Cohesive Themes:** The album effectively channels anger into empowerment. - **Cultural Impact:** It remains one of the most influential metal albums ever released. --- ## Cons - **Repetitive Structures:** Many songs rely on similar mid-tempo grooves. - **Overly Polished Production:** Some fans feel it lacks the rawness of earlier Pantera records. - **Lyrical Simplicity:** While empowering for some listeners, tracks like "Walk" can come across as overly simplistic or macho. - **Limited Bass Presence:** Rex Brown’s bass lines rarely stand out amid Dimebag's dominant guitar work. - **Polarizing Influence:** The album inspired both groundbreaking bands and less sophisticated imitators. --- In conclusion, *Vulgar Display of Power* is a landmark album that captures Pantera at their peak. Its combination of aggression, groove, and emotional depth has made it a timeless classic in metal history. While not without its flaws—such as repetitive songwriting and polarizing lyrical themes—it remains an essential listen for any fan of heavy music.

Fuck yeah.

Pantera at it's finest, Thrash metal del bueno

Hell yeah fuck you!!

Superb metal album - though it is difficult to separate the art from the artist (the singer has what might generously be called "questionable" political opinions) the music is strong enough to stand on its own. Fat, powerful riffs, growling vocals and hooks a plenty. Create your own mosh pit and have a blast (beat). Best Tracks: Mouth For War; A New Level; Walk

Pure agression

Absolutely fire. Makes me want to fight stuff.

Metal classic, must listen for anyone looking for angry yet beautiful sounds

I’ve seen this one on the list and have been waiting for it. I liked it as a teenager but my tastes drifted away as I got into my later teen years and beyond. I probably haven’t listened to this record at all in the 2000s. I made sure I listened to this on my main stereo system and at a good volume. First off I was struck by how well recorded and produced this record is. It’s not just slapped together. Proper isolation of instruments and soundstage that I was not expecting or remembering for this type of music. Passion check. Emotion check. Music that makes you bop check. Now I’m off to listen to more Pantera.

I fancy myself a discerning metal head. This album is an absolute masterpiece. Dimebag's riffs are iconic, Vinny has so much groove to his playing and Phil rounds it out with the all the angst you could want. The production of this is top notch. The album art is spot on. A sonic punch in the face.

Classic metal album. I resisted it when it first came out. But eventually couldn’t evade its “power”. It hits hard. Great from front to back 1001 album worthy: Yes - 38/66

dudes rock. just under an hour of guys being dudes. pantera will never not be good.

What a great album! absolutely massive!

Pantera is waaaaaaay better than the Beatles. Sorry. This is an incredible album start to finish.

An all time great album that changed music

This landmark album stands among metal's greatest achievements. The foundation of thick, powerful guitar riffs is complemented by a dynamic groove tinged rhythm section. Phil's hardcore-influenced delivery helped pioneer a fresh approach that reinvigorated heavy metal during the dawn of the grunge era.

Awesome

Absolute classic album ! 5 stars no doubt !

Rating: 10/10 One of the greatest metal albums of all time. So damn groovy and heavy.

very good metal album, I understand the accolades. Really like Walk and This Love.

Amazing. Defined an era!!!

One of my favourite metal albums of all time!

Absolute corker of an album. Difficult not to add every single one of these tracks to my playlist (not sure I didn't, actually). Plus, listening to this with lingering mosh pit injuries feels appropriate. I'm just sad I'll never get to listen to Walk for the first time again. Untouchable song

Band sucks since Dimebag died for music/political reasons. Otherwise this record is classic.

I was really surprised at how much I ... what's the word ... not exactly enjoyed ... was dazzled by this album. There's way more aggression and fury packed into these 11 songs than I long for in an LP. I marvel at how relentless this music is. But holy hell, the drumming is a clinic, the guitar playing is an amazing blend of raw speed and precision — and is somehow tastefully done. The vocals blend melody and a sense of song with the barking rant of the genre. But I think it's when the talk-box guitar showed itself that I crossed the line and went for the 5-star. These guys left everything on the field. So, will I go back and listen just for the joy of it? Maybe not the entire album at once, but this is an album outside of my wheelhouse that is worth another go.

An absolute stomper

If you like hard heavy there is nothing here for you to hate. Even if you don’t there is still something to appreciate with the energy and talent that each member delivers especially on guitar and drums.

Great for leg day

Generally don’t like metal. Wasn’t looking forward to this. But holy shit. 5 stars, easy.

It's pretty harsh and harsh. 5/5

fuck nazis... but 9/10. sadly they make good music I guess... fuck.

Este album es un 10/10. Lástima que me dan 0 ganas de escuchar Pantera porque Phil Anselmo es nazi.

Great timing on this one; just visited a group of friends that I haven't seen in maybe 15 years and the group friendship was defined by our love for heavy metal and specifically Pantera. This album deserves a spot on this list solely for having "Walk" on it, arguably one of the most well known true heavy metal songs of all time. It encapsulates everything that is Pantera; it is fiercely intense, provocative, and heavy. It antagonizes, and punches you in the face. Hell yea! My favorite thing about Pantera (and something that is heard throughout this album) is that they aren't just a straightforward heavy metal band. On top of this thrashy southern tough guy sound are these out-of-left-field elements, like Dimebag Darrell's alien screechy yet tasteful guitar solos, or the impossible to implement groove parts ("Live in a Hole") that somehow are worked in by Rex and Vinny, or their more dynamic tracks like "This Love" or "Hollow" where they experiment with clean guitars and a much softer vocal performance by Phil Anselmo. I'm a sucker for granularity when it comes to genres and microgenres in music and specifically for metal. Pantera I most often consider to be some kind of blend of "Southern Thrash Stoner Metal". When I was younger I and all of my friends idolized these guys; Phil Anselmo was the coolest guy ever with his buzzed head, tattoos, cargo shorts, combat boots, and tough guy persona. I can't help but look back fondly and remember how much the personas made the music even cooler. He also probably has my favorite heavy metal voice of all time. Dimebag was the creative genius, guitar savant who was also impossibly the life of the party while also being down to earth. We all envisioned our personalities existing somewhere on the spectrum between those two at opposite ends. One of my favorite tracks from this album is "Rise", which is a brutally tough song that challenges why the world is so hateful with a shockingly positive set of lyrics that contrast the tones and timbres: "We've got no time to lose Your news is old news "Hate this, hate me, hate this" Right approach for the wrong It's time to spread the word Let the voice be heard All of us, one of us, all of us Dominate and take the motherfucking world Mass prediction, unification Breathing life into our lungs Every creed and every kind To give us depth for strength Taught when we're young to hate one another It's time to have a new reign of power Make pride universal so no one gives in Turn our backs on those who oppose Then when confronted, we ask them the question: What's wrong with their mind? What's wrong with your mind?" It's like overwhelmingly positive towards human differences and that people should be proud of these differences and not use them to hate each other. With all of that said, they certainly don’t have the cleanest records as I’ve heard some pretty nasty things that they have said in the news before; so much that I’m not so proud these days to wear the t-shirts just to be on the safe side and avoid any potentially awkward conversations. 5/5, classic record from a classic band. I hope "Cowboys From Hell" is on the list too!

The sound of my teenage years, for sure. Pantera was also my entrance band into more "extreme" music, which evokes a lot of positive memories. I used to love Darrell's creativity, countless number of catchy and heavy riffs and of course Anselmo's voice, both the growl and normal, singing voice. It took a couple years to kind of "grow out" of this band, I seamlessly moved into different genres of music, but one has to admit how influential, and simply good this album was. I would rate higher "Cowboys From Hell" for the simple reason that it was more shocking and unexpected album, but Vulgar Display is still a really solid record. It's a bit harder to listen to it nowadays, but I'm still going to rate it 5/5 for all the memories and pain in my neck.

Is there a better collection of riffs in thrash metal?

This bamd started at the same exact time as Metallica. Rougher and more hardcore they are idolized and this album might be a strong reason why. Metallica was a bit less metal and had catchier music. Much better musicians than Metallica and their piers. These guys were the truest metalheads. This is a gem and a staple of metal history a must have for any rocker.

Very hard metal. I thought I would find it unpleasant, but I did enjoy it. The throbbing bass was very engaging.

Nunca antes a arte da capa de um álbum correspondeu tão bem ao seu conteúdo. Um soco na cara!

Pinnacle album from one of the monsters of rock

Liked it better than I have in the past

got really stuck between giving some albums 4 and 5 because i fee; like 5 stars should be for absolutely perfect albums regardless every song slapped and there wasn't a single one that let it down and what a fuckin closing track and pantera fucks so 5 stars

I hvert fald i top 5 over bedste åbningsnummer på en metalplade! Fyldt med bangers og kun en enkelt filler eller to.

Better than I remember - haven’t listened to the deep tracks off this one in a long time. Heavy as shit and they were still very popular. Maybe I’m getting older and I still love metal, but when I listen to this it just sounds so adolescent. Torn between a 4 and a 5 - sticking with a 5. Pantera kept metal alive during the 90s.

There are few albums that stick out in my mind as a musical waypoint in this journey of life. Vulgar Display of Power is one of them. With its title and cover image it feels like a feature so generic that it would be a running gag in a video game, especially if I wasn't there when it came out, and I didn't witness the virility of Pantera live. This is a perfect encapsulation of a band. Side note, I prefer Cowboys from Hell, but I would never challenge the validity of this album being a necessity.

5 stars. I know this album like the back of my hand. This was the album that got me in to HARD music. I wasn’t allowed to listen to secular music as a kid (I was in a cult), so my cousin and I would go to the basement and huddle around his little tape player with the volume on one and our fingers hovering over the stop button in case his mom opened the basement door. This was the perfect metal album. Cowboys from Hell still had tinges of their hair metal past, but by the time Vulgar dropped all traces of glam were erased and Phil’s growls, grunts and screams are pure aggression.

Pantera came out with this and filled the void that was being left by the transition of bands like Metallica (self-titled 1992) and Slayer (diabulous Musica 1994). These bands were trying to adapt to the changing times but didn't realize there was still plenty of metalheads who wanted loud, fast, and angry. Pantera threw away their hairspray and adopted the machismo attitude and it worked great, Vulgar Display was the first step planted firmly in that direction. Dimebag Darrell's guitar work is unmatched in my opinion, very creative and groovy, not to mention heavy as hell but the real heaviness and machismo attitude is mostly attributable to Phil Anselmo, love him or hate him. Easy five star for me on my curved grading scale, if you want a true 5 star metal album for me check out The Great Southern Trendkill by these guys. One major complaint for me about this album, is the dude's fist doesn't look like he's throwing a very good punch, looks fake, step your game up if you want to be a tough guys.

I listen to this album on a semi-regular basis so I knew my rating from the start. One of the big 4 of the 90’s metal scene, these guys are legends. \m/

I, on the other hand, AM angry enough at the world to enjoy the hell out of this. It's a perfect example of the genre. I'm not always in the mood for speed metal, but when I am, Vulgar Display is at the top of my list.

What a brilliant, strong album! Absolutely love this one!

Hart und direkt, sehr gut

Solid

Great album to listen to while working out

Beautiful. 6/5

Wooooooo. Respect. Walk.

Arrrå!

haven't listened yet

#93. Pantera- it's like thrash, but with anger management issues. This shit is literally just teenage angst in music form. My initial though was to award it 15 stars, but I had to subtract 5 stars for the album cover not being as good as Metal Magic, and then subtract 5 more stars for Phil Anselmo being the way that he is. 5/5: I dunno, but it's hard to give any less than 5 stars to an album I've surely listened to a hundred times or more.

Simply 👍

I am very nostalgic about this album. When I was in high school we used to ride around just blasting it. It’s better than I remember.

Que álbum sensacional! Puro rock de qualidade!

4.7

Now this is a metal album! Reee-SPECT! FUCK YEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHH!! I love everything about it, top marks! RIP Dimebag, you were a guitar god and you deserved better.

Brani Preferiti: - "A New Level" - "Walk" - "This Love" - "Live In a Hole" - "Hollow" Note: Chi ama il genere sa che i Pantera sono un gruppo che ha rivoluzionato questa scena assieme a pochi altri. Potrà considerarsi mainstream ma come disco preferisco più "Cowboys...", ciò però non toglie quanto questo probabilmente è l'album che ha definito i Pantera come li conosco. È un album che si merita un 5? Secondo me non un 5 pieno. Perché do 5? Perché dopo un mese di attesa, finalmente è capitato il mio genere di musica preferito.

Some good music. I enjoyed the album especially the guitar solos Looked at some Other albums and liked songs on Spotify. Very iconic guitar intros to Walk,

This is my favourite Pantera album and I like Pantera, so it's an instant 5-star review from me. I liked Cowboys from Hell, but this album feels more coherent, everyone at the top of the individual member's form, tight as it could possibly be. The songs are great and we even get Hollow at the end. Lovely production here as well, just overall a fantastic album. It's always a good sign when I open Spotify and half the tracks have green hearts already! I used to play this endlessly as background music when I was playing some video game (that I can't remember the name of now) back in the day and it never got annoying. Yes, this was a high point with many lows to follow, but I'm not going to knock off a point just because the lead singer turned into a douchebag.

This Band and Album Rocks!!! A Perfect 5/5, ‘Nuff Said.

Un excelente album de metal y un verdadero fundador de lo que posteriormente se pasaría a llamar “Groove Metal”. Probablemente el punto más alto de la carrera de Pantera.

I was expelled from school when I was 14 and this album was the soundtrack to that time. It was a pretty angry/strange/fucked up time in my life, and I can't honestly say if Pantera was a symptom of that, a coping mechanism, or just existed alongside it all. Nevertheless, I listened to Vulgar Display of Power non-stop in 1998. I was a manky teenage metalhead and in hindsight, a bit of a cliche. I wasn't very popular; being known for getting kicked out of another school in the area doesn't create mystique unless you're James Dean cool to start with. I was just a misfit. I was a decently smart kid but the only things I really cared about in 1998 were heavy metal and fantasy novels, haha. I hated school and I thought everyone else was a pack of cunts. Metal was in an interesting phase in early 1998. Thrash metal had been replaced by groove metal, and was in turn being replaced by nu-metal. It hadn't quite happened yet, though, and imo 1995-99 or so were the most creative few years metal had to offer. Sepultura, Machine Head, Fear Factory, White Zombie, Faith No More, Tool, Rammstein, Cannibal Corpse, etc etc. But none of those bands were as cool as Pantera. Even Sepultura, arguably my favourite band of all time, they weren't as utterly cool as Phil and Dimebag. Those two guys really were my idols at that point. And I guess as a weird kid who didn't fit in, I really did want somehow to *be* cool. This band and album imprinted on me bigtime. You know how sometimes music can do more than just remind you of a time? When I listen to Hollow, I can smell the mould and dank permanently-wet cement in the science block. I can feel the slimy green algae-type stuff that was in every gap in the cement. I was a ratty teenager; I rubbed my fingers on that shit all the time. I listened to Pantera instead of paying attention in class. I got into more and more trouble at my new school and drove my parents fucking insane. Dad threatened to smash my Pantera CDs at one point, haha. He stood in the backyard with them (Cowboys, Vulgar, Far Beyond Driven and Great Southern Trendkill) spread out on the lawn, ready to smack them with a sledgehammer. In hindsight, Phil and Dime would've thought that was pretty cool. I talked dad off the ledge somehow. 25 years later or so and I'm still not cool, and I haven't ever been cool in the meantime. I don't mind anymore. I really enjoyed listening to this album today. I am kinda stoned right now so this is a bit rambly, but I genuinely enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. I listen to Pantera every so often, but not usually this album. It was a pleasant little listen. It really still is that damn good. I might listen to a Machine Head album or two this weekend. 5/5.

Raw, powerful. slips into some classic metal licks, but for the post part it stays ever pursuing and angry.

Loved listening to this album. I feel like I can always reset my mood when listening to classic metal.

Now that's heavy! Man this was some of the cleanest but gnarliest metal I've heard in a while. These guys nailed it

Definitely the best Pantera album. Walk still gets my engine going.

5/5

Com 15 ou 17 anos não teria condição de reconhecer os problemas das posições facistas do Phill. Mas continua a escutar porque musicalmente foi fundamental para minha formação com metal, especialmente pelos irmãos Vinnie Paul e Dimebag. Com a consciência política atual, talvez não começasse a escutar. De qualquer forma, a música em si não faz apologia fascista.

Genre: Thrash Metal Review: Used to listen to this album back in college, but listening to it again this time gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the quality of the track "Walk". Other tracks are pretty neat, too. Rating: 9/10

Pretty amazingly varied for this type of album

If you're growing tired of sappy, cheery Christmas music, I have the solution for you. "Vulgar Display of Power" is the sixth album from American heavy metal band Pantera. This was their second album moving away from glam and hard rock to more thrash and harder metal. The mission was successful. The album received mass critical acclaim especially for Diamond Darrel's Dimebag) guitar riffs. The overall bands performance is pretty relentless from start to finish too. Other band members include vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown and drummer Vinnie Paul. The album title comes from the 1973 film "The Exorcist:" when the Priest asks the little girl "If you the Devil, why not make the metal straps disappear?" And the girl responds "That's much too vulgar a display of power." How Heavy Metal. Dimebag's hard, heavy guitar riff begins "Mouth of War." The drums and bass kick in adding to the grind. Anselmo growls. Anselmo screams. A hard, fast song. Not the last. Overcoming the past and self-esteem and living for yourself. The second song "A New Level" is lyrically similar. The band speeds up the pace. Screeching guitar. A searing guitar solo. Another great Dimebag riff and groove drive "Walk," one of their bigger songs. The song is towards people who thought rock stardom got to Anselmo's head and telling them to take a walk. Let's up the ante and go total thrash and speed metal and they do that on "Fucking Hostile." Needless to say, Anselmo is even angrier, lashing out against the police, priests and parents. And belief it or not, we have a ballad in "This Love." Now this is how you do a eerie, haunting and rocking heavy metal ballad. Anselmo screaming "You take this love, love, love." About a past relationship. It sounds like not a good one either. The band kicks it hard on the next four songs and the album actually ends with another ballad "Hollow." It is apparently about a friend fatally injured in a car crash on life support and how seeing him was so hollow. At the start, the music sounds like "Ride-the-Lightning"-era Metallica. Anselmo is also singing (wow) and sounds like Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate. The song transforms midway through to more thrash. An appropriate way to end. Dimebag said they wanted to create the heaviest album of all time. They just might have done that. This has been consistently rated as one the best heavy metal albums of the 90's. I'd agree and say probably of any decade or time. A must listen for any one remotely interested in heavy metal. And if you're not, you suck....sorry, still listening to the album.

A classic metal album. Aggressive and groovy. Everything here from the vocals to the instruments are great. Highly influential and its eqsy to understand why. Obviously some people are going to be turned off by music like this, but I think it's certainly worthy of inclusion as it is just truly a great of the genre.

Hahahhah, YES. In my metally teens I was a little suspicious of groove metal, preferring thrash or industrial, or nwobhm. I owned this on CD, I'm pretty sure, but it was never one of my favorites. Revisiting it has been an absolute pleasure. I like Pantera going balls to the wall, for sure, but I also really appreciate their softer moments - my absolute fave track is their cover of "Planet Caravan" from "Far Beyond Drive" - wish they'd done a whole album of dreamy lushness like that! Fave tracks - "Walk" and "Fucking Hostile", naturally, and "This Love" for having splashes of that softness I like...

Great album... but why so fucking hostile

9/10

Fuck yeah.

Will never not be part of my rotation

5/5 no explanation necessary.

Obra de arte, uff

It's funny to hear a music from Doom 1 in the wild (Mouth for war). I love metal so this was destined for a 5 ;)

Pantera for me will always make for a good listen with their signature aggressive groove metal. Vulgar Display displays the band at full force in that field, making for quite the classic metal record. The first 5 tracks especially are some of my favorite metal songs in general. The second half falls a bit short, but it's overall an excellent time. Favorites: "A New Level", "Walk", "Fucking Hostile", "This Love", "Hollow"

tbh they kinda aren't great as people but this album fucks

A fuckin banger

Bad ass thrash metal album. No one ever did it quick like Pantera

Now we're talkin'! This is an album that takes me right back to high school when I would listen to it constantly. One of the bands that first drew me into listening to heavy music. I spent endless hours trying to learn all of these riffs on guitar, and "Mouth for War" was the first drum track I transposed into MIDI for my drum machine, so this album taught me tons as an amateur musician. Over the years, the tone of the guitars and drums on this album have taken on a "ridiculous" sound in my ears, in that it's an extremely polished and over the top but dated sound, one that I don't think I'd enjoy on anyone else's material, but I just love it on these songs.

Quite possibly the best metal album of the 90’s. Definitely Pantera’s best album

🤘🏻

Hi- Mouth of War, A New Level, Walk, This Love, Regular People (Conceit) It's really easy to call it "SCREAMO" or "Cookie Monster Music" but those derogatory labels lack nuance, when Vulgar... is a masterpiece. The opening act with Mouth For War, A New Level, Walk, and *** Hostile all feature killer guitar riffs, but then you're hit with This Love, which is filled with melodic and masterful guitarwork. The rest of the album is more of the same but not really the same because each track is unique and executed with masterful precision in new ways. Hatebreed, Static-X, Mudvayne owe a lot to Pantera, as it's clear they've culled much of their sound from here.

Классика

Da werde dicke Bretter mit ordentlichen Stihl Kettensägen zu feinsten Mehl verarbeitet. Dabei ist das eingängige Knurren hier und da durch außergewöhnliche Spitzen pointiert. Da stakt nahezu filigranes Schnitzwerk aus Sägespänen hervor. Für das Genre einfach ein genial gebauter Maßstab; variabel, wiedererkennbar, robust. Ich meine, in knapp 30 Jahren keine Verschleißerscheinungen zu erkennen. Vulgäre 4.5

A brutal assault of an album, Pantera’s vulgar display of Power was exactly that. Building on Cowboy’s heavy guitar tone their follow up took things to a whole new level. Quite simply Pantera sounded like nobody else and with this album they took the crown of the heaviest metal band on the planet. Phil Anselmo’s unmistakable growling vocals and Dimebag’s incredible, truly unique guitar sound compliment each other perfectly - supported brilliantly by the pummelling rhythm section of Rex and Vinnie Paul. Mouth for War, Walk, Fucking Hostile, This Love, By Demons be Driven, Hollow are just a few of the highlights on this incredible album.

Stevige plaat, veel atypische ritmes, en een zeer goed album tout cours

listened to this and did heroin in my ass like phil did <3333

Absolute classic! Banger through and through. Ranges from some very fast and "brutal" songs to some slower more relaxing but still groovy songs.

One of the best metal albums. Certainly Fucking Hostile and Walk are incredible.

Ah Pantera, Vulgar Display of Power en Far Beyond Driven zijn mijn favoriete albums van deze band. Helaas in mijn jonge jaren te laat ontdekt maar wat een super band. Top 3 nummers: Broken, Walk en Fucking Hostile

Jeeez

Alles klar, sprach ich gestern noch von weirdem Metal, so werde ich heute damit belohnt. Typisch schlecht gemischt, aber vielleicht macht das auch den Reiz aus. Funfact, nach diesem Album haben Pantera nie wieder Demo-Versionen aufgenommen, sondern oft improvisiert. Es tut mir weh, es tut mir gut. Pantera hat hierbei laut Wikipedia versucht, das härteste Album aller Zeiten aufzunehmen, weil das Black Album von Metallica für sie eine Enttäuschung war. Nun gut. "Walk" liebe ich. Stehe gerade auf der Rofatanze irgendwann um viertel nach vier und lasse mich davon treiben. Viel Bewegung ist nicht mehr, es sind nur noch die harten Metalboys da und lassen ihre Haare schwingen. Ich habe keine Haare und Leute, die ohne Haare bangen, sind für mich Abschaum. Also putze ich weiter die Tische und Bänke, um früher in den Feierabend zu kommen. Währenddessen singe ich leise mit und bewege das Zewatuch im Takt. Es ist perfekt. "This Love" ist auch eine fiese Möpp! Kommt so romantisch daher und bläst im Refrain das Trommelfell weg. Wo sind meine Mosherfriends? Hoch mit den Beinen, ich will Zähne fliegen sehen. Jemand den geilen Song "Piss" in der Remastered-Version von 2012 gehört? "Hollow" auch nicht mehr auf dem Schirm gehabt. Finde alles gut an diesem Album, vielleicht zu wenig gehört in meinem Leben. Werde es nun fester in meine Routine einbinden.

Erinnert mich daran wie wir in Stefans küche 3kg Hack zu Fleichküchle gemacht haben und Stefan dann mit nem Weizen auf der Plauze eingeschlafen ist. Das ist natürlich umgefallen und alles war versifft. Er wollte erst nicht glauben, dass er sich dieses Schlamassel selbst zuschreiben muss. Und Dimebag auf der Bühne erschossen worden: Mehr Meddl geht nicht

I love this record. It's a great power metal record. Is it power metal? idk I do know that it is one of the best

Sometime during high school about when this came out, before I really got into metal, I bought this album on the recommendation from a friend...and ended up selling it maybe a year or two later. I liked some songs off of it, but it didn't resonate with me at the time. After 30 years and the expanding of my taste palette musically, this album hits me much more now. All the songs are good and the lyrical themes are interesting. Its still not that upper echelon for me, but its a very good album.

5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background

Great example of what metal can be. True talent in this band .

643/1001 2026/06/24

Despite loving metal and including bands like Lamb of God, Slayer, Botch..I never really got into Pantera. I respect the inspiration, I know how important this album is to modern Metal. Obviously, you have the most iconic metal riff on here. You hear what inspired Sevendust, Lamb of God and countless others. I'm happy I got a reason to revisit this because a few years ago this would be a 2 for me, I had tried to get into Pantera in the past and just couldn't. Now, I actually loved this. I would say 3.5 stars with room for growth but I'll round up to 4

Screw you Phil Anselmo!!!! 3.5/5

This is a metal lover’s album, but I don’t know how non-metal heads would rate this. I would have put Cowboys from Hell on the list personally, which was their transition album from glam rock to groove metal with great writing and more melodic songs. I understand why this album was picked as it was when Pantera decided that metal was going to mainstream (Metallica’s Load; Megadeth Cryptic Writing; etc) and decided to make, literally, a Vulgar Display of Power. Some of their better songs are on here, such as slow and grinding Walk, which I saw live Red Rocks, and the entire theatre was fists and call back. Hallow and This Love were the closest to ballads on here, and they were still headbanging goodness. A New Level was the most industrial example of Groove Metal, while Fucking Hostile lived up to the name. Though Phil Anselmo (eh-hem…racist) was the frontman, the true talent here was the screaming riffing of Dimebag Darrel Abbot, and the soul-pounding drumming of his brother Vinny Paul, may they both rest in peace. As said, ass kicking album.

Random thoughts: * ROCK OUT!!! * This was a fun listen and I can see why Pantera is a favorite of the metal crowd. * I definitely was jamming along to this one. * I'll definitely listen to this one again and impress my son. * I don't have real context to judge the metal albums but this one feels like it should be up these in a must listen list.

I love it but it's a bit front loaded. And Pantera are kind of cancelled now.

The album title did not lie. Favorite track: Hollow 3.5/5

So heavy. Sad to have gotten into some of these bands so long after my teens

Gritty, angry, and grimey. Not the biggest heavy metal fan, but this was undeniably good. A peak of the genre. 3.7/5.

Haven’t played this in ages. Enjoyed the shit out if it

A vulgar display of awesome face-melting rockness. A perfect album to put on if you just simply wanna rock. Growing up in Dallas just down the road from these guys it was always cool to see their successful rise, and it would be sacrilegious to not recognize them and all of what they accomplished. The guitar work and drumming on this is incredibly dynamic and unpredictable too. RIP Dime and Vinnie.

Man I just like to rawk and this shit gets me jacked. Dimebag is just silly. Some of his licks make no sense but sound oh so good. RIP 3.75

The fact that this album has a sub 3* average rating makes me want to punch someone in the face. As a Texan I am legally obligated to rate this at least 4* and go to The Clubhouse to pay my respects to the Abbott brothers. 3.75/5

I’m into the late 900s and this is the album that kicked my ass the most thus far.

Fuerte como patada de caballo. Nunca fui fana de Pantera pero entiendo el hype. Buenos riffs, buenas batas, gran sonido en general.

I know this album will be downvoted by a lot of listeners. But as someone who grew up in the region and time frame where they were formed, Pantera was an example for every teenage kid that wished they were in a metal band. All we saw on TV was a market flooded with glam rock with non stop Poison, Motley Crue, and Bon Jovi. When we wanted AC DC instead. We hungered for something more. Pantera was harder and faster than what we had heard before. They were more like Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth than the force fed MTV glam rock. Glam was dying and industrial and grunge were about to dominate the scene and us Gen-X kids were ready to get in the pit and "Walk".

Back in the day, I just couldn't get into Pantera, despite being a huge fan of Metallica and Megadeth. The vocals were too growly for me. Fast-forward 35 years and my love of Opeth, Gojira, and Jinjer have reconfigured my ears on the matter of growly vocals. This was my first time listening to a whole album by Pantera. The only two songs I can remember hearing before are both on this album and I actually thought they were the two weakest tracks on here (Walk and This Love). Anyway, I finally get all the hype around Dimebag Darrell. 4 stars.

This is music that you need to listen to pretty loudly. It just doesn't have the same impact at lower volumes. Also, I'm fairly certain that I've heard some of these guitar riffs before! Even though I don't listen to this kind of music at all. Some of the enunciation makes me chuckle a little bit; I know it's sung that way to keep the right tone to match the rest of the music, but some words just end up sounding a little funny. What's really impressive about this to me is the meter changes that hit very suddenly, but the band does not miss a beat. Not my style, but it's really good, and I understand why it's on this list. Favorite Song(s): A New Level, This Love

dun. dun dun dun dun. dun dun dun dun.

In a world full of Blink 182's, be a Pantera.

Det er et meget fedt Metal album. Men gad vide om Pantera gutter selv er klar over deres inspirationer er så tydelige at det til tider lyder som plagiater. Måden der synges “Begging The Call” på By Demons Be Driven er nøjagtig samme måde Judas Priest synger Breaking The Law. Der er et riff i Rise der nærmest 1-1 er det samme som Helmet bruger i Unsung, en single der udkom mens Pantera var i studiet med dette album. Hele rytmen i Walk kan genfindes på Metallicas selvbetitlede album fra året før.

This is hard for me to rate. It's not something I really enjoy listening to, but I understand why people would. If I stuck to my true rating system, this would be three stars but I'm going to bump it up to four for the quality.

Cool! Dimebag is one unique soloist. Angry skinny white boy music.

Thoughts before listening: Pantera was very much on my radar while I was growing up. Many of my friends were into them, but I gravitated more toward melodic punk rock over metal. I like some of their songs like "Walk" (is that on here? I hope it's on here) but in general they're too growly for me. That being said, Dimebag was a great guitar player and I once saw Vinnie Paul sit in with a polka band at the Hofbrauhaus in Cincinnati which was cool. Review: Man those Dimebag riffs are killer, and Pantera has a great groove to their songs often missing from their peers. "Walk" is the classic here, but the whole album is a fun listen with "Rise" and "This Love" standing out to me. Phil Anselmo definitely growls alot, but compared to the 35 years of increasingly dark metal with Cookie Monster style vocals since this release, this almost sounds quaint (comparatively). I'm enjoying this more than I thought I would and will give this 4-stars

Well I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed this. I am now declaring myself a metal fan. Boy these guys didn’t age well. Neither did the beloved grunge bands of the 90’s which were more my thing at the time. Same issues, really. Still, I find I love them all for the most part, more than I did at the time, actually. Just like this. You couldn’t have caught me anywhere near anything remotely similar to Pantera in the early 90’s. But believe I will play this album again before the month is out. 4 Boolean: yes, definitely, but heroine is always a NO.

classic metal, blood pumping type shit

Great for cops who beat their wives & kids

Potente, prepotente y violento, esa es la descripción que le doy a este gran álbum de Pantera, con riffs que te mueven la espina dorsal y solos casi inhumanos, aún así deja espacio para "baladas" bien pesadas como This Love y Hollow que me encantaron.

This album is perfect. I won't be re-listening because they're white supremacists but I wish I could relisten.

Love the way the guitar melts here. Definitely fitting of the groove subgenre. This is really good. Walk would be a sick walkout song if I was a closer coming in to make a save. Favorites are A New Level, Walk, This Love, By Demons Be Driven, and Hollow.

I'm a metalhead, but pantera has never been my favourite. This album though, is a classic and has had such a massive impact on metal music. All of the performances are insanely good and the tracks are full blown classics. So yeh...I loved it!

Very aggressive, who would've thought with a Metal album. Been a while since I listened to it but I enjoyed it. First songs are especially great. Does get a bit tiresome at the end, as with other Metal albums, but it's not long enough for it to really be a hinderance.

3.55

There should be a headbanging emoji

🤘

Sick as hell

Again, not a sophisticated listen, but a fun one

A good run of albums and some big songs on this album.

I think i have cooled a bit on Pantera since having a greatest hits CD in circulation in my car as a teen. However I'd be hard-pressed to name another album that describes itself so succinctly

Stonkingly good. Like Metallica but less cheesy and with bigger boots.

Just recently got into this, this shit hits hard. this shit rocks hard. this is some effing metal

Clean, but in a grundgy-metal kind of way.

💎

Fun trip down memory lane.

So good but the end is not as great

4/7/26. Heard this before, up there as one of my metal favorites. Love the guitar tone and overall aggressive sound; Walk is a definitive classic in my opinion.

Mouth for war - 4 A new level - 4 Walk - 5 Fucking hostile - 5 This love - 4 Rise - 4 No good (attack the radical) - 3 Live in a hole - 4 Regular people (conceit) - 3 By demons be driven - 3 Hollow - 3

As a direct response to Metallica's "Black Album," the Abbott brothers are showcased here as an undeniable force.

You’ve just smashed some pre-workout and are walking into the gym with the intention of lifting heavy things and putting them down again, desperately trying to fight off the dreaded dad bod. The only thing missing is a soundtrack of fast paced angry music to keep you motivated. That’s when you remember in your youth there was a wealth of music that applies perfectly to this situation. Pantera, like most metal bands around that era were the soundtrack to many people going through their teen years, we were angry but this music would make us all jump around like fatigue didn’t exist. I guess it’s funny the music we used to put on and then steal from our parents liquor cabinet is now what we put on to help us stay healthy

Pantera is a perfect example of the phrase "rags to riches." With just one release, four Texas rednecks transformed themselves from mediocre glam losers into cowboys from hell, energizing a crowd of hundreds of thousands at Moscow's Tushino Airfield like an atomic bomb. After that, there was no slowing down, so the band decided to record the heaviest album possible. And they did! "The guitar should sound like a circular saw, the drums should pound your ears," said drummer Vinnie Paul. And that's exactly what happened, along with pulsating bass and Phil Anselmo's barking vocals. Every musician gave it their all; every song, be it the hurricane-force "Fucking Hostile," the measured "Walk," or the ballad "This Love," simultaneously feels like a punch in the face from the album cover and makes you want to give it to someone yourself. Taking one star off because the record becomes rather monotonous toward the end. Such energy needs to be carefully measured.

FUN FACT: Although this is the first time I sat down to listen to this album in full, I've previously listened to Pantera's first 3 albums (yes, the glam-hair-power metal albums) in their entirety. That was NOT fun, except for bits of the 3rd one. Anyway: older records tend to either be too raw/underproduced or, well, feel just right - as indeed, many modern records tend to be too artificial and overproduced in contrast. For Vulgar Display Of Power, honestly, it kinda straddles the line. Sometimes the overall audio experience isn't all that amazing, but in some meta way it does work in favor of the album - it just kinda fits the notion and "idea" of Pantera. Perchance. Overall, I enjoyed the album, both the tracks I knew from before and the ones that were new to me (like Fucking Hostile). With that said, I'll say something controversial and say that it's also somewhat archaic and "too raw" at the end of the day, compared to some of the more modern stuff I like. It reminds me of my experience listening to Korn's first album and being pleasantly surprised at how well it sounds, yet still finding it too raw relative to later releases. In contrast, for example, Slipknot's first album was very impressive and arguably more impressive than their follow-up. Even more controversially, I prefer Five Finger Death Punch's cover of A New Level. In general, FFDP at their best is "Pantera 2", while at their worst being far too overproduced and commercialized... They remain one of my favorite bands, and I prefer many of their songs to the tracks from this legendary Pantera album. Sill, it's never black and white of course and can be difficult to quantify... Walk may not be my favorite but, like, c'mon... It's Walk. EDIT: Ngl, yeah, I'm listening to FFDP's The Way of The Fist album and it's like explicitly better than Vulgar Display of Power, 1:1. Perhaps I lack some more nuanced, technical understanding or something, but yeah, for the listen and "fun" test, that's my (controversial) opinion.

Well, this is a first. This album was literally next in my queue of albums to listen to anyway. I was going to listen to this album today no matter what the generator produced. Thanks for saving me some time today, generator. And I liked it, too, so that’s a bonus.

Not enough Vulgarities 0/10

Agréablement surpris! Si un jour, je veux entreprendre un chemin de rédemption pour le métal, je vais commencer par cet album. On dirait que Nirvana a respiré le même air, surtout avec l'album Bleach, le tone des guitares, les mélodies, l'aspect groovy et raw de certains trucs après sur In Utero. J'ai particulièrement aimé This Love et Hollow

Du gros groove metal des gros riffs lourds. Par contre un album complet ça m’épuise.

Good stuff

I thought the agressive sound fit so well with the title of the album. Very good execution. There were no outstanding songs for me tho, so that takes it down a point. I want to give it a 3,5 but I will round it up to 4.

Classic thrash metal. Good stuff.

Good album. In some ways it’s the estranged father of cKy. Idk how much I’ll come back to it, but it was good enough to listen to twice. 3.75 stars

Ik ben helemaal niet zo thuis in dit soort metal, ondanks dat ik de naam Pantera wel ken en het genre groove metal mij wel zou moeten aanspreken. En dat doet het eigenlijk ook best wel. Het is een goeie bak herrie, maar het zit vol groove en energie, zonder dat het me qua energie in een keer leegtrekt, zoals Slipknot wel een beetje deed helaas. Ik kan hier verder een heel verhaal af gaan steken over de tragische dood van Dimebag Darrell, maar je kan ook gewoon de wiki lezen. Het is in ieder geval een keer weer iets anders dan een overdosis of een crash met een of ander snel voertuig. Tof om een keer te luisteren, prima 4 sterren waard.

I feel like I'm in a run of albums that are so disparate in sound but that I enjoy, but not quite enough to call them 5s. This is another one that is definitely a classic and has some game-changing influence but isn't quite "masterpiece" status. That said it rips pretty damn hard - the guitars are really a cut above. Dimebag Darrell's playing is so good here, just razor-sharp, and he created tones that hadn't really been heard in this way before, with a downtuned chugging attack married to shredding solos. Walk is just an iconic blunt-force bludgeon of a song and there are other moments here that have shades of almost metalcore. This Love in particular vacillates from an almost Alice in Chains ballad to what I'd almost call a hardcore breakdown, really cool. This influenced a ton of stuff that I'd come to love in the early 2000s (Lamb of God, etc) and I totally respect its place in metal history.

Can we have fewer white supremacists now please?

Pantera is getting a low 4 for me, another one that’s been on my radar for a while. This isn’t typically my type of metal, I generally like something more technical, chaotic, and extreme but Pantera actually do loads of stuff I love in metal that my favoured bands (Tool, Meshuggah, Dillinger Escape Plan) also foundationally do This album made say “f yeah” a few times and I did a lot of stink face so it definitely passes that test

90s heavy metal - I enjoyed

I said on an earlier album that I’m not a big fan of thrash metal, but after my second thrash metal album om this challenge I might have to change my view: This is a really good album! It’s straight to the point, driven by heavy guitar riffs, tempo changing drums and aggressive vocals. I also like that even if most of the songs are pretty heavy, they also throw a few more melodic songs in the mix. It definetly improves the album. Favourite songs: Walk, This Love, Mouth For War, Fucking Hostile and Hollow.

Banger

Liked having something a bit heavier today, great production levels, you can really turn it up and rock out.

If this album was about 3-4 songs shorter it would probably be getting a 5, the musicianship is that good. The screaming vocals are whatever I don't love that for 52 minutes but it's not awful. Holy moly Dimebag (may he rest in peace) could PLAY. Absolute machine. Everything else was super solid but the guitar playing is what blew my mind. Wow.

Brutal, raw, pure power from beginning to end. It makes you more energetic and it delves with anger and how you can direct that onto others. One of their most famous albums and with good reason.

HEY PANTERA, THIS BEER'S WARM! Overall, a very very good, popular album, that ripped off Exhorder and made a bunch of cops / future divorcees listen to metal. Also, Phil is a bitch. "This Love" is a bitchmade song. That and "Hollow," which rocks, should be switched on the track list. I got into Pantera a lot during college, so Dimebag dying really shook me. Mieszko of Nasum died that same month. Nasum is much better than Pantera.

Pantera are always the goat! Is one of the members dodgy thou I think so? I love the vocals and the guitar is beautiful 😍 Best- walk juts a diva song overall 4.3/5

Didn't hate it like I thought I would. Not for me but I get the appeal.

This one brought back some memories. With the benefit of hindsight and knowing how the world has changed over the last 30 years, a lot of this music is cringe. And yet...I can't deny the power and precision still speaks to me. You can hear Metallica, Helmet, Alice in Chains, and others influencing the band in this effort, and I like it. Dime's riffs are razor sharp as always, and even not having heard them for decades I found myself joyfully rocking out in my Subaru on the way home from my office job. Phil's "melodic screaming" method provides *just* enough musicality for me to buy into the earnestness of the songs, and even though it sounds like neo-Nazi music in our current cynical age, there is a playfulness and positivity lurking under the bravado that elevates the tunes beyond Punisher sticker anthems. Yet another example of the outrageously high quality of music being made in the early 1990s, this album sounds great and just flat out rocks.

Few albums meant more to me thru my teens. I know they had the one before this one. But *this* album was a whole new level (with the song to prove it.) And the NEXT one took things even further & cemented these boys as the greatest ever in my mind. Which was a position I held for many years. Roughly until my hormones leveled out & I didn't need so much loud angry shit to rage to. It was a fun listen and sure as shit I still knew every word. Four stars!

Love the art hate the artist time . Great rhythmic thrash metal . Bit shouty in the vocal delivery but it fits , mostly . So the number of bands increases where the music is great but the singer turned out to be a knowbhead - fist came morrissey then Kanye , Mustaine , and now Ansalemo not necessarily in that order .

I’m not a Gary young man any more, so metal mostly doesn’t appeal to me. But it was refreshing to listen to to some music that I could sink my teeth into, no experimental, gentle, pop but raw guitars and drums. I’m always a little uncomfortable with the violent (and perhaps racist?) associations, but this album gave me energy.

Heavier than I normally listen to. Enjoyed the instruments, and the screaming toned down. Pretty solid album!

I’m hungry and the band name reminds me of bread so I’m giving this a warm sourdough out of bread. A little plain and not for everyone but I like it

Ça riff pas à peu près. Mais y'a l'ombrage des ballades pas bonnes et des jeux de voix un peu cringe du chanteur. 3.62 étoiles.

Enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. I only knew Walk going into it but really liked the rest of this album. Gonna be a workout album for me for sureeeeee.

I love Pantera. This album has two of their most known songs, Walk and This Love. If you like metal, this album is the jam

Pretty great

VERY LOUD. This is VERY LOUD. And VERY CATCHY. Obviously, it's a "divorce the artist from the art" situation here -- but man, I wish that I'd been in the right headspace for this when it came out. Couple of decades later, I listen to "Walk" and I'm ready to run through a brick wall. (Where I would, at this age, really hurt myself!) But so many of the other tracks have that infectious groove -- New Level, Fucking Hostile, By Demons Be Driven, Hollow -- that it's still pretty approachable and holds up. A pleasant, angry surprise.

My first pantera album I bought when I was 13. No one else had it, I couldn’t stop listening

I’m not a metalhead by any stretch or measure but I loved this. Beats coffee in the morning

I’ve never had more than a passing interest in Pantera. A handful of tracks always hit the spot, but sitting through a full album of Phil Anselmo’s vocals in my early 20s had a way of turning my brain into a small, steaming bowl of inedible oatmeal. Revisiting them now at 50 didn’t yield dramatically different results. Spinning 'Vulgar Display of Power' makes me want to crush a 12-pack of Natty Light and attempt to skate a halfpipe with maximum confidence and minimal ability. I did enjoy the album—but I was also relieved when it ended. Why? Because that same steaming bowl of oatmeal was still parked between my ears, and I had to remain at least marginally productive for the rest of the day.

I was a huge metalhead in high school and this was heavy in my rotation when it came out. This was so much angrier and heavier than anything I had heard before and I loved every second of it. There was so much good rock and metal from 89-92 and I saturated myself in all of it. This style of music has always produced a calming effect and helps me focus more efficiently. Maybe it's because it has much more wrathful and antagonistic feelings than I can produce and that takes the wind out of my sails, but it continues to be a genre I always come back to today. It's been a long time since I've listened to this and nostalgia aside, I still love it man. That drop tuning and heavy crunch of guitars will be something I will never tire of.

Not exactly my style but good none the less.

This was too damn good, listened to it twice.

I struggled with how to rate this one. Is it iconic and genre-defining? Yup. Important to the entire direction metal took in the post-hair era? Yessir. Does Darrell's guitar crunch and wail unlike any other guitar before it had ever crunched and wailed? Indeed it does. But man, what a toxic record! I think back to being 16 and always being so furious at everything, all the time. I'm so grateful that I found aggressive music that pointed that anger toward the injustices in the world rather than just "fuck everything me punch now in face." 5 stars for the grooves. 5 stars for the guitar solos. 5 stars for the rhythm section. 0 stars for Phil Anselmo, his stupid fucking lyrics, and his ignorant ass violent nihilism on this record that would eventually evolve (as it did for so many Pantera die-hard fans) into far-right malcontented ugliness.

One of the best Metal albums of all time, RIP dimebag

Hmm. This brought back memories. Solid stuff. Not really as into this type of music but I remember really enjoying this years and years ago.

I liked it, although it’s not my number one genre of music. Some sick guitar riffs though!

🤘🤘

Great metal record

This record is pretty good! The instrumentation is sweet, and I found myself slightly headbanging to some of the tracks here. Favourite Track(s): Walk, Regular People (Conceit) Least Favourite Track(s): Rise

Fun

Ace riffs. Brilliant grooves. There is a lot to like here. I'm not massively taken by the vocals, but they're solid. My biggest meh is the guitar solos but that is a style preference dimebag has all the chops, but I'd have preferred some.more.tunefulness, but probably the next person ranking this thinks they are tuneful. Fun album though.

I was an 80s metal kid and that genre was mostly left for dead by 1992 when this album came out. But Pantera was just getting warmed up at that point and became the flag bearer for the genre through the 90s. I like Pantera fairly well, but the redneck imagery wears a bit thin after awhile. And I'm from Alabama. Phil Anselmo can be an annoying and racist prick at times too. But in its own merits this album is a metal classic. 4/5

An early influence for me. I don’t listen to Pantera like that anymore but I can’t deny the impact they had on me a kid.

Well, this is quite the follow-up to Janet Jackson. I have to say, Walk is one of the most badass songs ever. This definitely puts you in a mood. Perfect for work! This Love sounds slightly like an Alice in Chains song. This band is interesting, because it isn't as much metal as it is hardcore. Either way, it rocks! I'll give this a 4.

I like some metal but I've never gotten into Pantera, at least partly because they all seem like assholes. They used confederate flags in their stuff for years, they've had tons of racist incidents (Dimebag Darrell using racial slurs, Phil Anselmo shouting about white power, etc), and honestly just their macho scumbag vibes rub me the wrong way. They even have a song on this album addressing racism, and while the message is ostensibly one of unity, it directly conflates klansmen and black militant groups. All that said, you can't deny they're an incredibly talented and influential band, driving the transition from thrash metal to death metal. They feel like such a perfect middle point between Metallica and Slipknot. I always had the impression that Pantera was a little sloppier and noisier than this but I was pleasantly surprised multiple times. The album as a whole is sort of a wall of sound, but they do a good job of mixing up the tempo/vibe just often enough to keep it moving. There are times when Anselmo's vocals verge on cartoonish and I can't quite take him seriously but it works 95% of the time. He can even sing clean sometimes! Best track: This Love

piercing

Enjoyed a few of these songs! Some were kind of boring but saved by the guitar I'll round up 4 ⭐️

*headbangs, makes devil horns, shreds air guitar* Good stuff!

listened before and liked it