Pantera has announced their fifth reunion/celebration show for December 6 at the Monterrey Metal Fest held in Estadio Mobil Super in Monterrey, Mexico. So far all the Pantera shows are taking place this December in South America as the band has previously announced appearances at Knotfest Colombia, Knotfest Chile, Knotfest Brasil, and Hell & Heaven Metal Fest.
Knotfest Colombia will take place on December 9 at the Estadio Nemesio Camacho El Campín in Bogotá, Knotfest Chile on December 11 at the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, and Knotfest Brasil on December 18 at the Sambódromo do Anhembi in São Paolo. Hell & Heaven Metal Fest is happening on December 2 at the Foro Pegaso in Otzacatipan, Mexico.
Pantera's lineup is currently vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown alongside Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde (assisted by Dimebag's guitar technician Grady Champion) and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante. In a recent and extensive interview with Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, Wylde said he plans to approach the music the same way he approached playing someone like Randy Rhoads' parts with Ozzy Osbourne – as faithfully as humanly possible.
"You approach it the same way as you do when I'm playing with Ozzy," said Wylde. "Obviously I've gotta learn Rhoads's stuff and I've gotta learn Jake's [E. Lee] stuff, and when I was doing the Sabbath stuff, you learn it and do it as faithful as you can. Charlie's gotta learn all of Vinnie's parts. You approach it as if you're in a cover band. When we do the Zakk Sabbath stuff. I don't start changing lyrics midway through 'War Pigs.' You learn the songs — so that's what you do."
Benante concurred, adding "I can't go do this as the drummer from Anthrax because it would be a different sound completely. So the way I'm gonna do that is if you close your eyes, it's gonna sound like it's Vinnie, basically. And that's how it's gonna be… The sound is gonna sound exactly like him."
Benante has also made it known that the Pantera reunion won't be a full on tour, so expect more festival announcements.
