Cowboys from Hell (Deluxe Version)

Phil Anselmo and Dimebag Darrell Abbott (here as “Diamond” Darrell) transformed Pantera at the onset of the ‘90s into a band that would change heavy metal music forever with Cowboys from Hell. Their grinding power would eventually grow even more subversive, but on Cowboys it begins the climb. The title track has amazing elasticity to its groove. “Primal Concrete Sledge” takes thrash-metal hysteria and crunches it into new form. “Psycho Holiday” brings out Anselmo’s unusual vocal attack that uses a battering roar to deliver its points (and a few well-times Rob Halford-like screams). “Cemetery Gates” is a complex seven-minute piece. “Shattered” lets Anselmo reach for the high notes one last time. “The Art of Shredding” acts as a statement of things to come but is still plenty more varied than the genre would become outside of them. The 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes just about all you could want: live recordings, many previously unreleased, and 11 demos, including “The Will to Survive,” a song that didn’t make the final album and is a natural bridge between old and new Pantera.