| Vulgar Display of Power | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 25, 1992 (1992-2-25)[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1991 | |||
| Studio | Pantego Sound (Pantego, Texas) | |||
| Genre | Groove metal[2][3] | |||
| Length | 52:48 | |||
| Label | Atco | |||
| Producer | Terry Date,Vinnie Paul | |||
| Pantera chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Vulgar Display of Power | ||||
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Vulgar Display of Power is the sixth studio album by Americanheavy metal bandPantera. Released on February 25, 1992, throughAtco Records, it was the band's second collaboration with producerTerry Date, after having worked with him on their breakthrough albumCowboys from Hell (1990).
The album was well received by both critics and fans, and is Pantera's highest selling album to date, eventually being certifieddouble platinum.[4] It is often considered one of the most influential heavy metal albums of the 1990s.[5] In 2017,Rolling Stone rankedVulgar Display of Power 10th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time'.[6] Several of its tracks have become among the band's best known, such as "Mouth for War", "A New Level", "Walk", "Fucking Hostile", and "This Love".Vulgar Display of Power received an expanded reissue in 2012, including an unreleased track, "Piss".
The band's 1990 major label debut,Cowboys from Hell,[7] demonstrated a change in their musical direction, from their 1980s material influenced by hard rock and glam metal bands likeVan Halen andKiss[8][9] to resembling bands likeSlayer,Metallica, andBlack Sabbath.[8][10]
In 1991, Pantera returned to Pantego Sound Studio to record this, their second release under Atco.[11][12] The album was produced byTerry Date, who specializes in the rock and metal genres and had worked with the band onCowboys from Hell. Date also went on to produce the band's following two albums,Far Beyond Driven (1994) andThe Great Southern Trendkill (1996).[11][12] Before Date came in to work on the album, the band had demoed three tracks, "A New Level", "Regular People (Conceit)" and "No Good (Attack the Radical)".[11] The rest of the songs were written in the studio with little preproduction or demoing.[11]
After being in the studio for two months, Pantera were invited to open for Metallica andAC/DC at the1991 Monsters of Rock free concert inMoscow's[11]Tushino airfield on September 28, 1991.[13][14] The band then returned to the studio to continue work on the album.[15] They travelled to New York City to have it mastered atMasterdisk.[16] Although guitaristDarrell Abbott was credited on the album with nickname "Diamond Darrell", during the recording of the album he had dropped that nickname and assumed "Dimebag Darrell" instead, and bassistRex Brown dropped the pseudonym "Rexx Rocker".[17]
DrummerVinnie Paul said thatCowboys from Hell was really close to the "definitive Pantera sound".[18] When Metallica released theirself titled album in 1991, Pantera considered it a letdown to fans because they believed Metallica abandoned thethrash metal sound heard on previous albums.[11][18] In turn Pantera felt they had an opportunity to fill a gap; they set out to make the heaviest record of all time.[11][18]
Darrell had played the riff for "Walk" during asoundcheck while Pantera was touring forCowboys from Hell and the rest of the band loved it.[19] Following this tour, the band returned home and found that some friends thought that rock stardom had gone to their heads.[19] The lyrics for the song were inspired from these people's attitude toward the band; Anselmo's message to them was, "Take your fucking attitude and take a fuckin' walk with that. Keep that shit away from me."[19]
The title of the album is taken from a line in the 1973 filmThe Exorcist.[16][20] (Priest: "If you're the Devil, why not make the straps disappear?". Girl: "That's much too vulgar a display of power, Karras.")[21] In April 2007, the title was used for the bookA Vulgar Display of Power: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa, which includes many Pantera song titles as chapter headings. The book details the incidents leading up to themurder of Dimebag Darrell in 2004.[22][23]
The album's cover depicts a man being punched in the face and was shot by photographer Brad Guice, who also shot the cover photo forCowboys from Hell;[16] Dimebag Darrell originally came up with the idea while playing around with a photocopier, and moving a photo around on the bed of the photocopier as the lamp was moving to get a distorted, smeared look of the face on the photo.[24] The band told their label that they wanted "something vulgar, like a dude getting punched".[16] The first version of the cover that the label brought to the band showed a boxer with a boxing glove, but the band did not like it, so the label produced a second version, with the bare fist.[16] A popular rumor stirred up by Vinnie Paul was that the man on the cover was paid $10 a punch and was hit in the face a total of 31[25] (Rex Brown claiming 32)[26] times to get the right picture.[16] However, Guice dispelled this when he confirmed that the man, a hired model named Sean Cross, was never actually hit.[16]
Vulgar Display of Power was released on February 25, 1992.[12][27] The original album spawned four singles. "Mouth for War", "This Love" and "Hollow" were released in 1992. In 1993, the band released the fourth single for "Walk", along with a number ofEPs featuring remixes of the song. In 1993, theWalk EP was released in Japan, and later, on May 16, 2012, the EP was made available to purchase digitally in the United States for the first time.[28] The band also released music videos for "Mouth for War", "This Love" and "Walk", which were included onVulgar Video and3 Vulgar Videos from Hell. The music video for "Walk" was shot at theRiviera Theatre in Chicago, where the band played the song multiple times to capture live video footage in front of fans.[19]
On April 12, 2012, the before unheard song "Piss" was released,[29][30] which was recorded during the sessions for the album but never featured on the original album.[30] Drummer Vinnie Paul had re-discovered the song while looking through old Pantera recordings.[31] The music video for "Piss" debuted at theRevolver Golden Gods Awards, on April 11, 2012.[30] The mainriff from "Piss" was used in the song "Use My Third Arm" on the band's following recordFar Beyond Driven.[32]
To promote the album, Pantera toured withSkid Row andSoundgarden giving them the opportunity to perform in front of a mainstream audience in the United States.[33] After touring with Skid Row the band did a European tour withMegadeth.[34] The band also toured withWhite Zombie in 1992.[34] The unique sound and the band's explosive live performances helped them gain more popularity.[35]
The music videos for singles from the album were played in relatively heavy rotation onMTV.[35] Also during the 1990s, MTV'sHeadbangers Ball used excerpts from the album's songs for the show's opening theme,bumpers, and closing theme.[36] "Walk" and "Mouth for War" were available as downloadable tracks for the video gameRock Band 3.[37][38] "Walk" was also featured onMadden NFL 10,CSI: NY andMonday Night Football.[19][39]
"By Demons Be Driven" appears in the 2015Academy Award-nominated filmThe Big Short; actorChristian Bale is seen performing along to the song on drums, which he learned for that one scene.[40]
On May 15, 2012, a two-disc deluxe edition ofVulgar Display of Power was released to celebrate its 20th anniversary.[31] Disc one is a remastered version of the original album along with the song "Piss".[31] Disc two is a DVD featuring six songs from Pantera's set at their1992 Monsters of Rock performance inReggio Emilia, Italy.[31] Disc two also contains the three music videos for "Mouth for War", "Walk" and "This Love".[31] Vinnie Paul said that "Piss" was "the only undiscovered complete Pantera track there ever was" and it would appear on the 20th anniversary release.[41] He also said that at the time of the original release, the band thought that it didn't feel right to go on the record.[41]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [42] |
| The Austin Chronicle |  [43] |
| Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles | 9.5/10[44] |
| Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | 10/10[45] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A[46] |
| Kerrang! | [47] |
| The Phoenix | [48] |
| Q | [49] |
| Record Collector | [50] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [51] |
Vulgar Display of Power received critical acclaim upon release. Many critics have praised Darrell's guitar work on the album and use of heavy riffs to set the tone for the album.[42][46][48][52] Reviewers also pointed out the change in Anselmo's vocals from previous releases, with him using deeper growls and powerful vocals to accompany the catchy riffs and aggressive lyrics.[42][48][52]
Kerrang! andSputnikmusic both gave the album a 4 out of 5.[47][53] Steve Huey ofAllMusic rated the album 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as "One of the most influential heavy metal albums of the 1990s".[42] He also said that while the album stacks the best songs at the beginning, the riffs and sonic textures are more consistently interesting than those used inCowboys from Hell.[42] Janiss Garza writing forEntertainment Weekly said that it was "one of the most satisfying heavy metal records since Metallica's early-80s cult days".[46] She also praised the album's two ballad tracks, "This Love" and "Hollow", stating "their tough edge slashes painfully through deep introspection about personal relationships".[46]
Reviewing the 20th anniversary reissue, Michael Christopher ofThe Phoenix rated the album 3.5 out of 4 stars stating, while the bonus track "Piss" does not match up to the rest of the material, the groove that flows through the original record is the muscle behind what mattered most.[48] Denise Falzon ofExclaim! stated that the reissue sounds a little cleaner from the enhanced production quality.[52] She noted that "Piss" does sound oddly out of place on the reissue, but the release is worthwhile for the DVD showcasing the band's dynamic live performance.[52] In 2005,Vulgar Display of Power was ranked number 333 inRock Hard magazine's bookThe 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.[54]
Vulgar Display of Power peaked at number 44 on theBillboard 200 albums chart, the most for any Pantera album.[55] The album also peaked at number 64 on theUK Albums Chart,[56] number 69 on theGerman Chart,[57] and number 54 on theOricon Chart.[58] The album has since gone on to become Pantera's best selling album, attaining many certifications since its release includingdouble platinum status in the United States.[59] The album achieved gold status in Canada in August 1993 and has achieved gold status in the UK.[60][61] The album has also achieved a platinum certification in Australia.[62] In the week ending May 20, 2012, the album re-entered theBillboard 200 chart at number 48, taking the total sales to 2,177,000 copies.[63] This was due to release of the 20th Anniversary reissue which sold over 9000 copies in the U.S. during its first week.[64]
The album'slead single, "Mouth for War", became the band's first song to ever chart, debuting in October 1992 on theUK Singles Chart and managing to peak at number 73.[56] The album's fourth single "Walk" gave the band their first top 40 UK hit when it peaked at number 35 in early 1993.[56]
Vulgar Display of Power has been listed as one of the1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[65] Chad Bowar ofAbout.com ranked the album at number one in his list of the "Best Heavy Metal Albums of 1992" stating that "Pantera was head and shoulders above the rest of the field."[66] He also ranked the album second in the "Best Heavy Metal Albums of the 1990s" list behind Megadeth'sRust in Peace (1990).[67] In October 2011, the album was ranked number four onGuitar World magazine's list of "The Top 10 Guitar Albums of 1992".[68] The album was ranked number one onLoudwire's "Top 11 Metal Albums of the 1990s" and their "Top 10 Albums of 1992", and the song "Walk" was ranked number seven in their "10 Catchiest Metal Songs".[5][69][70]Loudwire also listed four of the album's songs in their list of the "10 Best Pantera songs", placing "This Love" in seventh, "Mouth for War" in fifth, "Fucking Hostile" in third and "Walk" in first.[71] In 2017,Rolling Stone rankedVulgar Display of Power as 10th on their list of "The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".[72] In 2022,Guitar World rankedVulgar Display of Power #1 on their list of "The 30 greatest rock guitar albums of 1992".[73]IGN namedVulgar Display of Power the eleventh most influential heavy metal album ever on their list of the "Top 25 Metal Albums".[74] They wrote the following:
This album makes the list because it took heavy metal and made it heavier. It took darkness and made it darker. It took anger and made it angrier. Never before had a band tuned down its guitars and crunched a heavier riff than on this album. 'Mouth for War' and 'A New Level' and 'No Good (Attack the Radical)' stand out on an album where every track is a classic track. Dimebag Darrell was an innovator and a true godsend for heavy metal. One of the most underrated players in the genre. And this may sound corny, but the way the band was able to turn seemingly negative aspects of the genre – hate, anger, violence and despair – into positive thoughts is somewhat akin toDe La Soul dropping a positive message into rap.[74]
The song "Walk" has been covered by a number of bands and artists, includingAvenged Sevenfold,[75]Leo Moracchioli,[76]Disturbed,[77] andBreaking Benjamin,[78] among others.
All tracks are written by Pantera (Phil Anselmo,Diamond Darrell,Rex Brown,Vinnie Paul)
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouth for War" | 3:57 |
| 2. | "A New Level" | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Walk" | 5:14 |
| 4. | "Fucking Hostile" | 2:48 |
| 5. | "This Love" | 6:32 |
| 6. | "Rise" | 4:36 |
| 7. | "No Good (Attack the Radical)" | 4:49 |
| 8. | "Live in a Hole" | 5:00 |
| 9. | "Regular People (Conceit)" | 5:27 |
| 10. | "By Demons Be Driven" | 4:40 |
| 11. | "Hollow" | 5:48 |
| Total length: | 52:48 | |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Mouth for War" (Live in Italy) | |
| 2. | "Domination/Hollow" (Live in Italy) | |
| 3. | "Rise" (Live in Italy) | |
| 4. | "This Love" (Live in Italy) | |
| 5. | "Cowboys from Hell" (Live in Italy) | |
| 6. | "Mouth for War" (video) | |
| 7. | "This Love" (video) | |
| 8. | "Walk" (video) |
Pantera
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| Chart (1992–1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[79] | 56 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[80] | 69 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[81] | 64 |
| USBillboard 200[82] | 44 |
| Chart (1997–1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[83] | 54 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[84] | 26 |
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[85] | 196 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[86] | 17 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina (CAPIF)[87] | Gold | 30,000^ |
| Australia (ARIA)[88] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[89] | Gold | 50,000^ |
| Japan (RIAJ)[83] | Gold | 100,000[83] |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[90] | Gold | 7,500‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[91] | Gold | 100,000^ |
| United States (RIAA)[92] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Edition(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 25, 1992 |
| Atco/Atlantic | [93] | |
| Japan | March 25, 1992 | CD |
| [94] | |
| Worldwide | 2010 |
| |||
| Various |
|
| 20th-anniversary release | [31][95] |
rolling stone pantera album guide.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)| Studio albums | |
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| Live albums | |
| Extended plays | |
| Compilations | |
| Singles | |
| Promotional singles | |
| Other songs | |
| Video albums | |
| Related bands | |
| Related articles | |
