I think Projects In The Jungle is by far the best Pantera album, and Power Metal is second. Although the production and musicianship on Projects isn't as slick, the songs are far better in my opinion. Awesome melodies, choruses, riffs, ultra catchy. Great keyboards on some of the more melodic rock sounding tracks too. I absolutely love that album and tracks like "All Over Tonight", "Takin My Life", "Heavy Metal Rules", "Out For Blood", "Like Fire" and "In Over My Head" are the best stuff Pantera ever wrote I reckon!!
Power Metal rocks too but has more filler and the songs don't stick as much to me. But as I said, the production is alot improved and the musicianship is far slicker, although my favourite guitar solo on the album (in fact my fave Pantera solo full stop) which is on "We'll Meet Again" wasn't even played by Dimebag, it was Marc Ferrari from Keel who played that solo. My fave tracks on that album are "Rock The World", "We'll Meet Again", "Proud To Be Loud" and "Hard Ride". The thrashier ones lack something I think.
I Am The Night is a great album too, I like that about equally with Power Metal actually. It's more in the style of Projects which is good but the songs aren't as consistently good as on Projects. My faves are "Come On Eyes", "Right On The Edge" and "Hot & Heavy".
After those 3, then Cowboys From Hell is my next fave Pantera album, and the only other one I actually like at all. Metal Magic is awful in my opinion, but I prefer it over post-Cowboys Pantera still. The songwriting, musicianship, vocals and production on it though are way below standard. Potential is shown here and there and some tracks are a bit of fun but overall its very VERY below average hair metal. Barely releasable quality.
From Vulgar Display of Power onwards, I just can't get into at all. Dimebag stopped playing guitar well (except a couple of tracks like Floods), Phil stopped singing, the songs completely lacked melody and were no longer catchy, the fun spirit of the band was kinda gone and it the music seemed way too serious, and just overall I don't like it. However "Revolution Is My Name" is a pretty cool song and parts of Vulgar are still passable.
Power Metal rocks too but has more filler and the songs don't stick as much to me. But as I said, the production is alot improved and the musicianship is far slicker, although my favourite guitar solo on the album (in fact my fave Pantera solo full stop) which is on "We'll Meet Again" wasn't even played by Dimebag, it was Marc Ferrari from Keel who played that solo. My fave tracks on that album are "Rock The World", "We'll Meet Again", "Proud To Be Loud" and "Hard Ride". The thrashier ones lack something I think.
I Am The Night is a great album too, I like that about equally with Power Metal actually. It's more in the style of Projects which is good but the songs aren't as consistently good as on Projects. My faves are "Come On Eyes", "Right On The Edge" and "Hot & Heavy".
After those 3, then Cowboys From Hell is my next fave Pantera album, and the only other one I actually like at all. Metal Magic is awful in my opinion, but I prefer it over post-Cowboys Pantera still. The songwriting, musicianship, vocals and production on it though are way below standard. Potential is shown here and there and some tracks are a bit of fun but overall its very VERY below average hair metal. Barely releasable quality.
From Vulgar Display of Power onwards, I just can't get into at all. Dimebag stopped playing guitar well (except a couple of tracks like Floods), Phil stopped singing, the songs completely lacked melody and were no longer catchy, the fun spirit of the band was kinda gone and it the music seemed way too serious, and just overall I don't like it. However "Revolution Is My Name" is a pretty cool song and parts of Vulgar are still passable.
(said the Goat)
... Everything from Anthrax & AC/DC to MOTORHEAD, Nashville Pussy, & MC5. 
