Cowboys from Hell:
Cowboys from Hell is the major label debut and fifth studio album for Pantera, released on July 24, 1990 through Atco Records. Its total length is 57:39. The band's lineup remained the same as on the last album, with vocalist Phil Anselmo, guitarist Dimebag Darrell, bassist Rex Brown, and drummer Vinnie Paul. Pantera completely changes their style from a glam metal sound to a much heavier groove metal oriented sound. Groove metal is like thrash, but is played at mid-tempos instead of fast ones.
Cowboys from Hell has that melodic, yet heavy feel to it that makes it so special. It really is a standalone album in the Pantera discography. Cowboys from Hell was also commercially successful, reaching #27 on the Billboard Music Charts Top Heatseekers and going Platinum in the U.S. and Gold in the U.K. The strengths of this album are the new style of groove metal Pantera took on, the guitar work, the vocals, and the sheer amount of Pantera classic songs. There are really no glaring weaknesses with Cowboys from Hell, it is a heavy metal classic. Here are my thoughts on each track.
1. "Cowboys from Hell" 4:07 (5/5)
"Cowboys from Hell" begins with a guitar riff that we have never heard from Pantera before. It's so groovy and heavy. Phil Anselmo delivers on vocals with a shrieking voice that it is perfect for this style of track. Dimebag delivers one of those signature guitar solos, and Vinnie and Rex are doing their part as well. "Cowboys from Hell" is definitely the breakout song for this band, and proved why they were the cowboys from hell. To view music video, click below.
2. "Primal Concrete Sledge" 2:13 (3.5/5)
"Primal Concrete Sledge" isn't a lyrical masterpiece, but it's fast and hits really hard. It begins with fast pounding drums and a heavy guitar riff. Then Phil begins this rap-like vocal that is surprisingly good. Overall, it is one of the weaker tracks on the album, but is a fast and aggressive hard hitter that is worth listening to.
3. "Psycho Holiday" 5:19 (4.5/5)
Beginning with a really groovy guitar riff that makes you bob your head, "Psycho Holiday" really gets you moving from the beginning. The bass work by Rex Brown on this one is really worth noting. While Dimebag is delivering yet another fantastic solo, Rex delivers a very southern rock oriented bass line that is just excellent. Vinnie Paul does great on the drums, Phil has excellent vocals, and the whole band is really in sync on this track.
4. "Heresy" 4:46 (4/5)
"Heresy" starts with a really great heavy guitar riff accompanied by pounding drums. Then Phil screams "here we are" to begin the song. Right away you know this one is going to be a real aggressive tune. Phil has some impressive high pitched vocal screams throughout that really add to the song. Then, Dimebag performs a great guitar solo that goes straight into another nasty guitar riff. The song ends with Phil singing the chorus one more time.
5. "Cemetery Gates" 7:02 (5/5)
"Cemetery Gates" isn't the fastest or the hardest track on the album, but it is certainly my favorite. It has maybe the best clean vocals you will ever hear from Phil, one of Dimebag's best guitar riffs, and many different tempo changes throughout. The acoustic sounding guitar also gives the song and album more diversity and increases it's tastefulness. Dimebag Darrell proves that he really is a guitar god with an amazing solo and great guitar playing throughout. When, Phil sings the word gates for the last time it will give you goosebumps, because of how impressive it is. To view music video, click below.
6. "Domination" 5:04 (5/5)
"Domination" is fast paced, aggressive, and heavy throughout. It contains many different tempo changes. Howling vocals from Phil that are honestly downright evil at certain times. There are so many different guitar riffs and licks throughout. Dimebag performs an amazing solo that ends with some whamy bar action. Just after the solo, a guitar riff that is made for headbanging is played until the end of the song. "Domination" is certainly one of the best from the album. To view live performance of this song, click below.
7. "Shattered" 3:21 (4.5/5)
"Shattered" begins with the band playing at blistering fast speeds, then goes into a nice mid-tempo guitar riff. Dimebag is absolutely jamming the entirety of the song, and delivers another great solo. Phil Anselmo's vocals are so impressive on this track, when he hits that high note and sounds like Rob Halford, I lose it. Overall, "Shattered" is a great track.
8. "Clash with Reality" 5:16 (4/5)
"Clash with Reality" has a great guitar riff to get the song started. Phil Anselmo has that a high pitched screaming vocal style that he uses so well on this album. The breakdown right before the solo is really well done with a tempo change thrown in to make it even more varied. I got to say the solo on this one is really unique and different than a lot of Dimebag's stuff. This song isn't necessarily that special, but it is definitely a solid track.
9. "Medicine Man" 5:14 (5/5)
"Medicine Man" begins with fade in drums and bass. Then, Dimebag begins to play one of my favorite guitar riffs in all of metal. Phil uses a spoken voice style for the verses in the song and raises it to a high pitched style for the last few words of each verse. During the chorus, he has his usual fantastic vocal delivery. The chorus is catchy and so fun to sing along to. The guitar solo is great. Do you expect any thing less at this point? Overall, "Medicine Man" is severely underrated and is one of my favorite Pantera songs.
10. "Message in Blood" 5:10 (4/5)
"Message in Blood" may be a slower tempo song off this album, but it still packs a punch with guitar riffs that kill throughout. Phil's vocals aren't my favorite on this track, but they certainly aren't bad. Also, the song just sounds really hardcore. That guitar solo is unlike any other on the album, and it definitely influenced the band Avenged Sevenfold. I probably like "Message in Blood" more than most, but I don't see why more people would like it.
11. "The Sleep" 5:47 (3.5/5)
"The Sleep" is probably the slowest song on the album. The song just doesn't quite live up to the others on the album. Phil's vocals are fine, but I think the instrumentation throughout is a little boring in comparison to the rest of the album. The guitar solo is played well and really adds to the song to make it better. Dimebag is absolutely the best thing on this song. Overall, "The Sleep" is probably the second worst song on the album, but it is still a solid track.
12. "The Art of Shredding" 4:20 (4.5/5)
"The Art of Shredding" ends the album on a very high note. It's full of guitar shredding all over the place. It is such an adrenaline rush that is full of speed and power. Phil's vocals are also really nice. Vinnie does a great job drumming as well. There are so many guitar riffs that are just fantastic on this thing. Of course, Dimebag delivers with a solo that absolutely must be heard. Overall, "The Art of Shredding" is a great song to end an album.
My Verdict:
Pantera's Cowboys from Hell is a metal classic that has influenced many metal bands today. It's Pantera's first album that I enjoyed all the way through. Pantera's combination of southern groove and heaviness was so tasteful and innovative in the metal genre, and unlike their previous albums, Pantera does not sound outdated at all on this release. Overall, Cowboys from Hell is a fantastic album.
