Pantera Reunion In The Works According To Phil Anselmo? ‘In A Heartbeat’

A Pantera reunion is something that has been on the mind of Pantera fans ever since the band broke up in 2003. After Pantera’s guitar player, Dimebag Darrell, was murdered playing at a Damageplan concert in 2004, the idea of a Pantera reunion seemed farther away than ever. Now, however, nearly a dozen years’ after Pantera’s demise, talk of a reunion was sparked by the producer of the yearly Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Earlier this month, John Reese said that he spoke to the surviving members of Pantera about a reunion.

Now, in an interview with the Metal Den, Pantera lead singer Phil Anselmo has spilled the beans regarding a possible Pantera reunion.

“We’ve been approached a bunch of times. But the truth is the wind only blows one way one time.”

From the get-go in the interview, the former Pantera frontman made it clear that a reunion was not in the works despite the enthusiasm of Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival promoter, John Reese.

“You know, the truth of the whole matter is I have moved on. And I move forward. And I think Vinnie Paul [Pantera drummer] has done the same thing. And I think Rex [Pantera bassist] has moved in his own direction. We could talk all in circles all day, but the truth of the matter is that if you don’t have the willingness of the remaining living members, then it’s not there.”

Phil Anselmo makes it sound as if there is no willingness between the remaining Pantera members, however, what he said next in the interview pointed at an individual band member.

“We had plenty of offers. But Vince is doing what he wants to do, and all we can do is respect that.”

Phil makes it sound as if Vinnie Paul — Dimebag Darrell’s brother — is the one who wants no part of a Pantera reunion.

The friction between Vinnie, Dimebag, and Phil is not secret. Phil Anselmo had heroin addiction that started in 1995. The addiction led to a close call with an overdose in 1996, and the band doing separate recording sessions for 1996’s The Great Southern Trendkill.

While pointing the finger at Vinnie as the roadblock to a Pantera reunion, Phil said that he, himself, would be up for it.

“And I’ll tell you what, I would do it in a f**king heartbeat. If everybody was on board, I would do it in a f**king heartbeat. Because I think with the added truth that it would be in honor of our fallen brother, Dimebag. That would motivate me to do it absolutely a hundred percent for no other reason other than you and the contingency of people … who want to see it. Or the whole generation or two that missed out on it. I get all of that. I get all sides of it. So count me in, Jack!”

[Photo by Ethan Miller / Getty Images]