DAMAGEPLAN
"New
Found Power" (Elektra; 2004)
Reviewed by Mike SOS
Damageplan is the new band formed from the ashes of Pantera, as brothers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrel have regrouped after the dissolution of one of the world's premiere metal bands. So, the real question here is: Is Damageplan as good as Pantera? The answer: It's different. Very different. Very metal, but metal like Judas Priest (both old and new) with hints of Pantera thrown in.
Not as free-flowing as the days of "Cowboys from Hell," due to the loss of Phil Anselmo's stream of (un)consciousness lyrics and vocals, an important ingredient that is totally absent here. Instead, we get Pat Lachman, who is no slouch in his own right, as he screams, sings, and slays with pure metal frontman conviction, especially on the album's best tracks, the groove-laden "Save Me" and the riff-o-rama that is "Pride." Still, alas, he's no Phil, as he falls victim to tired clichés on tracks such as "Blink of an Eye."
But something else is missing, too. The bottom end of Rex Brown, the
veritable backbone of the monster known as Pantera, and it's sorely missed, as four-stringer Bob
Zilla's got a cool name and is adequate here, but doesn't accentuate the power one-two punch
of Dime's fretwork and Vinnie's percussive poundings.
In short, if you're looking for Pantera 2, look elsewhere. But, if you're looking for a swift kick in the ass as only Dime can deliver, check out the sludgy goodness of "Reborn" or the southern fried metal of "Blunt Force Trauma."
Damageplan is a damn good metal band, but, like Phil and Superjoint Ritual, the absence of greatness is quite apparent.
For more information, check out http://www.damageplan.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2004 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 04 Mar 2024 13:27:27 -0500.
