Damageplan - New Found Power
Elektra - 7559629392 - 2004
By Paddy Walsh
Following the demise of Pantera after the rather substandard Reinventing The Steel, the departed Phil Anselmo seems to have pledged his allegience to the hardcore-tinged Superjoint Ritual. Meanwhile, his former bandmates Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul have formed Damageplan, with the lineup completed by former Halford axeman Pat Lachman on vocals and the rather cretinously named Bob Zilla on bass. Predictably, this band sounds a lot like Pantera...only with a different vocalist. Hmm...
Okay, so it wasn't as much as a disaster as I had originally feared. On the contrary, this is quite a good offering from Dimebag and Co. Continuing in the vein of Pantera with their thrashy 'power groove' style (or whatever they like to call it), Damageplan's debut is a somewhat hit and miss affair. Thankfully the hits outweigh the misses. It ain't up to the standard of Pantera at their finest, but it at least beats the godawful Reinventing the Steel hands down.
Vocalist Pat Lachman puts in a great performance (or should that be 'Anselmo impression'), in both the screamy stakes and during the more soulful moments. If you are at all familiar with Pantera you'll know what to expect musically; plenty of thrash goings on and the occasional quieter, almost grunge-like moment. Slipknot's Corey Taylor guests on the track 'Fuck You' and redneck virtuoso Zakk Wylde plays solos on a couple of tracks. The aforementioned 'Fuck You' is possibly the closest the band comes to matching its Pantera heyday, being a bevvy of thrash guitars and an intensely pissed off sounding Taylor. It's great! Other highlights include 'New Found Power' and the strangely post-grunge-esque 'Save Me'. Its soaring chorus perhaps treads a little uncomfortably close to radio rock territory, but it's makes for a nice diversion all the same.
So to conclude, New Found Power is a solid album from Damageplan. However, Lachman can never match Anselmo, and it is clear that the latter is as vital to the 'power groove' aesthetic as Dimebag's guitar playing. Pantera needs Anselmo just as much as Anselmo needs Pantera (judging by the latest Superjoint Ritual at least), and on this note I would say that Damageplan come out on top this time.
7.5/10
Damageplan's Official Website
Elektra's Official Website
Elektra - 7559629392 - 2004
By Paddy Walsh
Following the demise of Pantera after the rather substandard Reinventing The Steel, the departed Phil Anselmo seems to have pledged his allegience to the hardcore-tinged Superjoint Ritual. Meanwhile, his former bandmates Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul have formed Damageplan, with the lineup completed by former Halford axeman Pat Lachman on vocals and the rather cretinously named Bob Zilla on bass. Predictably, this band sounds a lot like Pantera...only with a different vocalist. Hmm...
Okay, so it wasn't as much as a disaster as I had originally feared. On the contrary, this is quite a good offering from Dimebag and Co. Continuing in the vein of Pantera with their thrashy 'power groove' style (or whatever they like to call it), Damageplan's debut is a somewhat hit and miss affair. Thankfully the hits outweigh the misses. It ain't up to the standard of Pantera at their finest, but it at least beats the godawful Reinventing the Steel hands down.
Vocalist Pat Lachman puts in a great performance (or should that be 'Anselmo impression'), in both the screamy stakes and during the more soulful moments. If you are at all familiar with Pantera you'll know what to expect musically; plenty of thrash goings on and the occasional quieter, almost grunge-like moment. Slipknot's Corey Taylor guests on the track 'Fuck You' and redneck virtuoso Zakk Wylde plays solos on a couple of tracks. The aforementioned 'Fuck You' is possibly the closest the band comes to matching its Pantera heyday, being a bevvy of thrash guitars and an intensely pissed off sounding Taylor. It's great! Other highlights include 'New Found Power' and the strangely post-grunge-esque 'Save Me'. Its soaring chorus perhaps treads a little uncomfortably close to radio rock territory, but it's makes for a nice diversion all the same.
So to conclude, New Found Power is a solid album from Damageplan. However, Lachman can never match Anselmo, and it is clear that the latter is as vital to the 'power groove' aesthetic as Dimebag's guitar playing. Pantera needs Anselmo just as much as Anselmo needs Pantera (judging by the latest Superjoint Ritual at least), and on this note I would say that Damageplan come out on top this time.
7.5/10
Damageplan's Official Website
Elektra's Official Website
