Philip Anselmo has finally opened up about the Pantera reunion in one of his first interviews since the legendary metal band re-formed with guitarist Zakk Wylde and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante.
Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown recently appeared on an episode of The Metallica Report podcast, and the singer made what would appear to be his first public comments on the Pantera reunion.
“It’s empowering,” Anselmo said of the reunion gigs [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “It is incredibly beautiful, and you feel so much love when you’re up there. And if you take it in, it’s a great feeling, man. These days, man, that’s where me and Rex, you know, we get to dig the shows more.”
He continued, “When we were younger, we were at war and when we were onstage; we were just angry and at war, man. Now it’s — the songs are there. I can concentrate on singing the fricking songs, number one. Geez, that’s a relief for me, man. I don’t have to break my fricking body in part anymore.”
Later on, Anselmo said that he believes the late brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul — the latter of whom expressed misgivings about a Pantera reunion before his passing — would want the band to live on.
“Only thing I can say is, man, I know for a damn fact Vince and Dime would want us to do this, hands down,” Anselmo said. “They would want the Pantera brand or the legacy to go on. And I don’t know what you believe in, but sometimes, you know, you would like to think that them old fellas are looking down on us, giving us the thumbs-up.”
The frontman was also supportive of Wylde and Benante, who have “their own damn legacy, both of them, without us,” as Anselmo put it.
“It’s an honor to play with them,” he said. “They’re the nicest frickin’ guys in the world, man. I’m just so… [Laughs] Zakk, he’s a crack-up, man. He’s a sweetheart. And fricking Charlie, we’ve known Charlie since ’87, man. It’s a long time.”
Brown added, “The way [Charlie] plays Vinnie’s parts is uncanny. I don’t think there’s any drummer out there that could play the way that Vinnie did.”
Pantera’s recently announced 2024 headlining tour begins on February 3rd in Sunrise, Florida, and routes through numerous markets in the South and Midwest before shows in New York City and Baltimore. The trek wraps up with a pair of Canadian dates in Toronto and Québec City on February 26th and 27th, respectively. You can get tickets here
In addition, Pantera will once again support Metallica on select North American dates in the summer.
Stream the full interview with Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown on The Metallica Report below.
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