Words and Images by Sam Kelton 

ALMOST two years ago Pantera sent shockwaves throughout the metal world as it announced plans to reform.

For many it was not a question of if it could be done, but if it should.

Last night, it was a resounding yes as the cowboys from hell took over the City of Churches.

From Europe to North America, this current iteration of Pantera with Anthrax's Charlie Benante on drums and guitar hero Zakk Wylde finally made its way down to Australia, as thousands of metal fans flooded in from around the country to witness the band's only headline Australian show.

Almost 23 years since the band's final Australian tour, from the moment the giant Pantera banner dropped and the four piece launched into "A New Level", the screams were deafening as arguably the 90s greatest metal band shook the foundations of the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Peppering the crowd with its arsenal of crunching riffs, psychotic screams and enough pyro to singe the front three rows, it was not only one of the most anticipated but anthemic metal concerts the city has seen in recent memory.

Having been to the band's last Australian show in 2001, there are moments during the 2024 Pantera show executed so perfectly and passionately with videos of the Abbott brothers looking down on the band that almost feels as if they are there, banging their heads accordingly.

Working its way through the band's biggest tracks including "I'm Broken", "Cowboys From Hell" alongside deeper cuts "Suicide Note Part II" and the now iconic "Floods", when frontman Phil Anselmo asks the crowd " how many of y'all are seeing Pantera for the first time?" and almost 80 percent of the audience puts their hands up, the reincarnation of one of metal's finest bands is more than justified.

Anselmo riffed off the crowd, not taking one minute of stage time for granted while Zakk Wylde faithfully shredded his way through some of Dimebag Darrell's most iconic moments.

You can almost feel every note.

"5 Minutes Alone", "Strength Beyond Strength" and the iconic "Walk" all sound as powerful and poignant as they did when they hit our tape decks for the first near thirty years ago.

Bassist Rex Brown alongside  Benante layered a solid and faithful groove throughout the night underneath the formidable scowls of Anselmo - and throw in the iconic axeman Wylde - this is a  band with a new lease on life, that is seemingly already at the top of its game.

This tour is about the legacy, the brothers and the fans.

While some will argue over the the aforementioned should it and could it be done... the rest will be screaming along, hoping Anselmo and company take us for one more ride around.

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Pantera performs live at Knotfest Australia in Melbourne on March 21st, Sydney on March 23rd and Brisbane March 24th.

Get tickets and information - HERE