Pantera has been a favorite band of mine since high school.

Sadly, I never saw them.

I probably could have in 2001 when they played in Huntington, WV, about 30 minutes from my house at the time.

But I stupidly didn’t go, which will forever be my biggest concert regret.

Three years after Pantera ended, guitarist Dimebag Darrell was assassinated on stage in Columbus, OH while performing with his and his brother Vinnie Paul’s (also from Pantera) band Damageplan.

Vinnie later on was in the band Hellyeah, who I did see.

Sadly, Vinnie also passed away in his sleep in 2018.

During all of this time, Pantera did not exist anymore and there is never a possibility of a reunion or reformation.

However, in 2022 that changed when Pantera members Phil Anselmo (vocals) and Rex Brown (bass) started touring under the Pantera name again with Zakk Wylde (guitar, also of Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath, Pride And Glory, and Ozzy Osbourne, who I will get to later in this post) and Charlie Benante (drums, also of Anthrax and S.O.D.).

Some call this a cash grab, and I actually did feel a bit weird about it too at first.

However, I never begrudged Phil and Rex doing it.

I saw some of the live clips and thought they sounded great and hoped at some point I would be able to go see them.

Well, that date came on Tuesday, July 22nd of 2025.

I was looking forward to the show, but a few hours before I left the house to go to the show, I found out that one of my favorite singers and musical heroes ever, Ozzy Osbourne (of the first Heavy Metal band ever Black Sabbath, as well as a super successful solo career and TV personality) passed away at the age of 76.

Ozzy had performed his last show ever as part of Black Sabbath and as a solo artist on July 5th, just a few weeks before this day.

It was a charity concert to raise funds for Parkinson’s, which Ozzy had, as well as some other local charities in the area of the show, Birmingham, England, where Ozzy and Sabbath are from.

Many bands/artists performed, including Pantera.  All were there to honor Ozzy and Sabbath for being the originators of Heavy Metal music.

The day went so well and Ozzy was in good form and did well.

He had been wanting to do one more show ever since his health really declined in about 2019.

I’m very glad he got his wish.

But who knew a few weeks later he would be gone?!

Once I heard the news, I knew this day/night was going to be different and it was.

Yes, Pantera rocked and played a lot of awesome Pantera songs and the openers, Amon Amarth, who I had seen once before, and S.N.A.F.U., who is a band on Phil Anselmo’s record label Housecore Records, were both solid.

But on top of all of it, the weight was heavy on all of us there this night of Ozzy’s passing.

We all felt it.

The venue played Ozzy/Sabbath music constantly over the PA whenever any bands were not playing.

Each band gave shout outs to Ozzy.

But Pantera especially did.

Phil wanted everyone to chant “Ozzy” and we did a lot.

Phil wore a Sabbath shirt, and Rex did too.

I can’t even imagine how Zakk felt.  Zakk joined Ozzy’s band in the late 1980s and was in Ozzy’s band on and off until his last show.  Ozzy is one of Zakk’s kids’ Godfather.  He’s always called Ozzy “the boss” or “the boss man” and Ozzy’s wife Sharon “Mom”.  So Ozzy is really family to Zakk. 

Zakk, as always, played his heart out, but I know he was and is grieving and I’m so sorry for his loss.

We all lost a hero in Ozzy.

Like anyone, he was not everyone’s cup of tea, but for many of us, he was and always will be an inspiration and a hero.

Well, Pantera, like I said, played their awesome songs and Phil, as he does every night now, said that what they do each night is for “Dime and Vince”, but on this night, Phil also said that for the foreseeable future will be for Ozzy too.

Pantera did play a Sabbath song, Planet Caravan, which they also played at Ozzy’s final show a few weeks before.

They originally recorded it in 1994 for their amazing Far Beyond Driven album.

It was very fitting hearing this song on this night.

The big screens had images and videos of Ozzy, some of which included Zakk and Pantera in over the years.

It was a great tribute and hearing the Ozzy chants were amazing.

People can say Pantera now is a cash grab, but I disagree.

No, it’s not what it used to be and it never will be.

Dimebag and Vinnie are always missed and I wish they were still with us, but they’re not.

But Phil and Rex are still here, and they have every right, in my opinion, to use the Pantera name and play those songs that so many people still love and are still getting into that weren’t even born when Pantera were around and were the second biggest Metal band in the world in the 1990s and early 2000s (after Metallica).

So, I’m glad they’re doing this, and they’re doing it with friends and collaborators of the band, Zakk and Charlie.

This band does the songs justice and like Charlie has said in interviews, just give them a shot if you doubt them.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Oh and Phil singing the last line of the Led Zeppelin song “Stairway To Heaven” was a nice touch too, in honor of Ozzy.

Anyway, God Bless Pantera (they still kick butt and I support them) and God Bless Ozzy Osbourne!!!!!!!!!!