Customer Reviews

Far Beyond Driven

5 star:		(142)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

Yeah, as everyone knows, Dimebag Darrell's life was taken abruptly last night by some crazy fan that blamed him for breaking up Pantera (or so I've read). Damageplan were just warming up when this gunman leaped up on stage and took Darrell's life (and the lives of several other fans). Right now, I am at a loss of words for what I've just heard this morning.

"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott was truly one of the greatest guitarists the metal world has ever seen and heard. He pulled off riffs like no other guitarist I've heard. And it was this album that truly made me a metal fan.

Sure, Slipknot got me into "nu" metal, but it was Pantera's "Far Beyond Driven" that opened my eyes to a better view of heavy metal. I still remember when I first listened to this album. I heard it back in my freshman years of high school. And, yeah, Slipknot were my favorite... but not until a friend loaned me a copy of this album. I put it in my CD player... and I was just in complete awe. "Strength Beyond Strength" was the harshest song I've heard (at the time). The music was loud and the band played at a fast pace. The lyric "F*** you and your college dream! Fact is we're stronger than all!" really stuck into my head. Phil sings angrily about certain economical issues like drugs. And Dimebag comes in with an eerie guitar sound. "Hail! King! The new... king! Stronger than all!" Phil immediately growls when Dimebag finishes his haunting solo. Yes... hail Pantera. Hearing that line immediately made me a newcoming fan of Pantera.

Just hearing that first track catipulted me into the real heavy metal world. No nu-metal like Slipknot. The absolute harshness and darkness that heavy metal is. This album is downright brutal only to still be bested by "Vulgar Display of Power." It sure packs a hell lot of great and kickass heavy metal music. Phil growls unlike anything before with lyrics that give a glimpse of the American Southwest and being born again with snake's eyes. Rex on the bass is still kick ass, sounding like a reincarnated Cliff Burton. And Vinnie Paul (Darrell's brother) on the drums is equally as good as John Bonham (former Led Zeppelin drummer that passed on). Pantera truly were a great heavy metal band, and I always considered them to be the best.

And Dimebag played the guitar like no other that I've heard... at the time. He played fast and relentlessly. His guitar screeched to the point where you feel as if you're going to go deaf or make your ears bleed. And his solos are simply amazing as each song progressed. He is no Hendrix, Page, or Kirk Hammett... no he isn't any of them. He's better than all of them. That's what I think. That's what I've always thought ever since first I heard this album and discovered Pantera.

Dimebag Darrell will truly be missed by this fan, as well as his millions of other headbanging fanatics. From Pantera to Damageplan, Dimebag Darrell still kicked ass on the guitar. It's so sad that he left this world so soon. But nevertheless, his music will continue to live on for the years to come. His legacy will never be forgotten.

Because my friend, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott will always be stronger than all.

May he rest in peace and my condolences go out to the familes of the victims who's lives were taken abruptly last night.

For an album to stand the test of time, two critical things are needed: good production and great musicianship. It's safe to say that (Pantera's third album) "Far Beyond Driven" has both of these things, because, over a decade after its release, it's as great as it ever was.

First, the production: I've never had a problem with the production on any of Pantera's albums (except for maybe their 1980's hair metal albums), and "Far Beyond Driven" is no exception. Production can be a bit tricky sometimes; some good metal albums have suffered from a bad production. For instance, take Megadeth's "So Far, So Good..." album: Megadeth did a great job, musically, (and the album sounded fine in the `80's) but, over the years, it has become more and more stale sounding. Terry Date, Pantera's typical lead producer, does a strong, robust job, here. The result is a batch of songs that are extra crunchy and have a harder edge on them.

Next, the musicianship is, as always, top notch. More pummeling drums, puke stained vocals, and propulsive bass lines. But it's the guitars that, once again, dominate the maelstrom. When you hear the sludgy guitars on "Far Beyond Driven" bob, crunch, grind, start, stop, beep, pound, shriek, thump, groove, ascend, descend, downshift, cascade, soar, run, surge, shake, rattle, and steam roll (and about everything in between), you know it's just another day at the office for Dimebag Darrell.

"Strength Beyond Strength" has rushing iron riffs, a thumping beat, and good drumming (especially in the beginning). The mid-section is slower, but after that, things pick up where they left off. The middle of this song also has a riff that goes up and down, like it's running over hills. Did I mention this song also has Phil's constant howling? Plus, there's a slow breakdown about halfway through.
"Becoming" has off-kilter guitars, a mini-solo, and fast double bass drumming (which become especially apparent at the end.)
"5 Minutes Alone" is a fan favorite that would have been well suited to be on of the album's first singles. It's grinding guitars, staccato vocals, and great chorus make it a fan favorite. And the slow bobbing guitars at the end are tailor made for headbanging.
"I'm Broken," a single, has a groovy guitars and another pounding beat. Dimebag lays down a great, snowballing solo here, as well.
"Good Friends..." finds Phil making all kinds of weird noises. One moment he's calmly growling, one moment it sounds like he's, um...taking a dump, and the next moment he's whispering, and, finally, it sometimes sounds like he's coughing! The guitars on this one are usually supple and restrained, but this song is a highlight because of Phil's abnormal vocals and downright perverted lyrics.
I enjoy how the beat of "Hard Lines" shifts gears. It slows down, then speeds up, then slows, down, then speeds up.
"Slaughtered" has a machine gun intro, more low, gruff singing, and chugging guitars (which chug fast, pause briefly, then chug again).
"25 Years" has a skipping beat, similar to "We'll Grind that Axe for a Long Time" (from 2000's "Reinventing the Steel") and "Shedding Skin" not only has an appetizing title, but also three guitar solos! The first one is, of course, very good, the second (my personal favorite) has two parts to it, and guitar solo number three ascends like a steep mountain.
Finally, "Planet Caravan," originally done by Black Sabbath, is a good cover but also a good song in its own right (and a great closer!) Its soft percussion (what sounds like-I'm not saying they are, they just sound like-tribal drums) and dreary, spacey vocals give this song a dreamy feel. Pantera give this song their own sound while also remaining true to the original. Pantera several covers ("Hole in the Sky," "Cat Scratch Fever," "Electric Funeral," and this) and did `em well. I predict that if Pantera had remained a band, they would have turned out a covers album in a couple of years.

So, "Far Beyond Driven" is close to but falls just short of its predecessor, "Vulgar Display of Power" in terms of greatness. This album may not be the standard setting landmark that "Vulgar" was (it's not as innovative as that album), but the bone crunching riffs and energy that bounces off the walls make almost every song on this album a hit.

Plus, you know it's got to be great. What other album is as heavy as this and debuted at number one on the charts?

This was my introduction to Pantera. I have difficulty describing their sound, but it has elements of speed-metal/death metal, and is even punk at times. Whatever you want to call it, one thing is for sure: this album is very hardcore.

The vocals tend toward throaty, husky screams, but the singer demonstrates great versatility... just give "Planet Caravan" a listen after hearing all the songs that precede it on the CD!

The extremely distorted guitar riffs are complex, and they are creatively done. The drumming is powerful and intricate, and the guitar solos are amazing pieces of sonic art. These guys play guitar the way I would like to be able to play... they are powerful, and very primal in their approach.

This band wears its anger on its collective sleeve. They hide nothing, and there is no pretense. If you like genuine emotional release in savage, powerful music, then DON'T pass this up!

After tasting commercial success with "Vulgar Display of Power", Pantera went above the grain and crafted one of the most brutal and frenzied albums to ever hit the Billboard Charts. The first four tracks; "Strength Beyond Strength", "Becoming", "5 Minutes Alone", and "I'm Broken" are among Pantera's best and remain concert staples, all of which showcase Vinnie Paul's frantic thrash metal drumming that showcased him as one of the top drummers in metal history, and the rhythm section of Dimebag Darrel's blazing yet brutal guitar solos and Rex Brown's fleet fingered bass blasts combined with Phil Anselmo's raw, deep throated voice make "Far Beyond Driven" unforgettable from the beginning. "Good Friends and A Bottle of Pills" is a three minute dirge of Phil revealing a dirty little deed to someone he knows, and it is darkly humerous until the ear shattering chorus hits: "I'm serving too many masters". "25 Years" is delibrately slow paced until the second half of the song hits with a chorus you can't help but sing along and headbang to. "Slaughtered" showcases Pantera getting even more heavier, while "Use My Third Arm" and a tripped out cover of Black Sabbath's "Planet Caravan" nicely round out the album. All in all, I find "Far Beyond Driven" to be Pantera's best album to date; better than "Vulgar", better than "Cowboys". This is a modern day classic and one of the definitive albums of the 90's, and I doubt anything Pantera puts out now or later can ever match the ferocity and brutality that is displayed here.

All heterosexual males acknowledge this album as the greatest in the history of heavy music. Phil and Co. get down like nobody's business.

I received this vinyl today and could not wait to play it. My enthusiasm came to a grinding halt when I hit side 4. The sound became shrill and the surface noise was unbelievable for a limited edition 3000 count vinyl. It was like I had a totally different record. You think the quality control would be manageable for such limited quantities. Forget it! I have read on the internet about Cowboy's having some skipping issues on side 3 and I can tell you 1st hand that Vulgar is full of non-fill discoloration. Although that title seems to play decently. Avoid these Record Shop Day reissues at all cost. They are going to do them all over again anyway as anniversary editions and a defective pressing of 3 titles would give one cause to buy them all again, but I wont be giving the Rhino hogs any more cash.

Pantera is one of my fav. bands, hands down. To be honest, I never listened to them until 2000. I had Kill Em All, Master of Puppets, and Ride The Lighting, and that was as close to a real metal album I had. Finally, I bought Vulgar, and became an instant fan. Shortly after, I bought this on cassette, and I still have it, and it's still a fav.

I always thought Vulgar was their best album, but I have seen the light with Far Beyond Driven. It's by far their most heaviest, most intense,most angriest, most brutal album they ever made. The first song, "Strength Beyond Strength", is full on thrash. Fast drums, fast guitars, and Phil having a tempter tantrum. Then during the bridge, Dimebag unleashes one of the best solos I ever heard from him. Musically, I thought this was their best record. Vinnie uses the double bass a lot more, Rex is more abundant, and Dimebag solos and licks are his best.

My fav is either "I'm Broken" or "Slaughtered." I remember one time, I was having a really bad day and I put on "I'm Broken" and damn near destroyed everything in the room. Their music is that intense. "Slaughtered" almost reminds me of a death metal track, in that Phil sort of growls in this. Musically, Vinnie shines on here. His double bass movemants an his useage of the sticks is incredible. The last track is a cover of Black Sabbath's "Planet Caravan." It's tied for the best BS cover alongside White Zombie's "Children of the Grave", and Type O Negative's "Black Sabbath." Phil actually sings on here, and he sounds really good.

I have gotten the chance to see Pantera twice. Ozzfest 2000, and the Extreme Steel Tour with Slayer, and both times, they were amazing. Anyways, if you want to start to be a metal fan, I'd start with either this, Reign of Blood, or Master of Puppets.

When I heard "Vulgar Display Of Power," I could not imagine music any more brutal than that. However, Pantera have topped themselves with "Far Beyond Driven," which I feel is the most brutal album of all time.

Philip Anselmo gives the best vocal performance of his career on this album. Never have I heard someone scream and growl so well. In fact, Phil's vocals account for a large portion of this album's brutality. He truly gave it his all here, and the result is fantastic.

Dimebag Darrel never ceases to amaze me. The riffs on this CD are really killer, and the guitar solos make my jaw drop. I was disappointed to find out that there was a lack of guitar solos on this album. However, the ones that do exist are amazing.

Vinnie Paul is truly one of the best metal drummers, second only to Dave Lombardo. His double bass kick is fantastic, and he is really inventive. He gets some cool double bass stuff going on in "Strength Beyond Strength," and his relentless pounding also contributes to the album's brutality.

Rex Brown sticks out in my mind as being one of the better bassists in metal. He backs up Darrel during his solos, playing lots of cool licks behind him. His bottom end tone makes this album even more heavy.

There is not much variety on this album. Every song but one is unbelievably heavy. Here are some highlights:

Strength Beyond Strength: Pantera don't waste any time in kicking off this sludgefest. A mere two seconds into the album, the boys get the ball rolling with this brutal piece of metal mastery at a BLAZING speed.

Becoming: Although this song slows things down, Pantera don't sacrifice their heaviness one bit. This song even has a cool synth sound during the main riff. This song has one of the best choruses on the album, IMO.

5 Minutes Alone: One of the album's best, with crushing riffs and AMAZING vocals.

Slaughtered: The brutality continues. Great riffs, vocals, great everything.

Shedding Skin: The verses begin clean, but then give way to relentless pounding and screaming. Again, great riffs and vocals. This song contains a sudden upward surge shortly after the second chorus, and also has TWO guitar solos.

Anyway, people have mixed opinions, but I love this CD. My ONLY complaint is the lack of guitar solos, but there are just enough to satisfy me. BUY THIS!

I'm listening to it right now... Jan. 24/07... when did this come out? '94?! This is still some truly inspirational sh!#! Alot of people say that Pantera was their "gateway" band to more extreme music, but I'll be damned if this itself isn't some extreme music. Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't this debut at #1 on Billboard?! Could that even happen today? I think not. This was more than just a step up from "Vulgar...", this was a milestone in their career. "The Great Southern Trendkill" would follow, and while it would push the limits of what their own fans deemed "acceptable", it was just that little bit outside their own boundaries which made it less accessible. Regardless of what they'd done or where they'd go, "Far Beyond Driven" is simply one the best HEAVY records of the 90's, if not all time in the heavily loaded metal canon. It's thrash, it's death, it's their influences in hardcore, in the old-school, it's so southern it hurts. Most notable is the fact that there isn't ONE BAND out there today that sounds like Pantera, and those that try (hello, Lamb Of God), receive either critical acclaim or pure hatred from the underground. In the 90's, and even today, it's hard to find someone who doesn't enjoy or at the very least respect Pantera. This is their "big break". This is the album I always turn to when I need to feel "metal". And really, how often do "big break" and "metal" coincide? That says alot about "Far Beyond Driven". Big in every way and SO metal. And one point I absolutely need to add... until just a year or so ago, I never gave the lyrics a thought, but Phil wrote some really great lyrics. Not "brutal" or "Grim" lyrics, generally real HONEST lyrics. That's that hardcore influence shining through. Where do you think all the mallcore kiddies and emo-core kids get this from? 'Cept Phil's honesty has nothing to do with heartache/heart break... Pantera was HARDCORE and his lyrics speak volumes about (at least his) passion, frustration, confusion. That was/is a breath of fresh air in metal.

This is the album that singularly changed my opinion on Pantera. Up to this point I was not really a fan of the band. I bought Cowboys From Hell and I thought `ehhhhh'.

I bought Vulgar Display of Power and was immediately impressed that Pantera was heavier than on CFH. But something didn't quite click for me. Even still - I like Vulgar but I skip through songs and I don't hold it up to this masterpiece.

Far Beyond Driven is freaking tremendous. Dimebag reaches new heights on his riffery - and it's hard to comprehend how good some of these songs are. Phil becomes the man - a screaming, growling entity that lays his mind bare with some of the most intense self-examining lyrics around. Phil stops trying to sing and in doing so, he scream himselfs into one of the best vocalists in metal.

The first time I heard `Shedding Skin' my brain exploded. To this day, that song breeds something primal in me and makes me want to destroy. That's the beauty of Pantera - you cannot deny their power and their energy.

The band simply gels as one complete pulse of metal - and they make it seem easy!