After years of anticipation, Dime Guitarz has been officially launched by the man who built Dimebag Darrell’s most cherished guitars – and it’s promising to bring his iconic electric guitars into the modern era.

The collaboration between Dimebag’s trusted luthier, Dean Zelinsky, and the late guitar great’s girlfriend and estate trustee, Rita Haney, has a simple mantra: “To build the guitars Dimebag Darrell would be playing today.”

Throughout his life, the Pantera legend played a host of guitars made for him by luthier Dean Zelinsky, including the Dean ML from Hell – the pointed signature guitar with which Dimebag was most fondly associated.

When financial problems led Dean to cease production in the mid ‘90s, Dimebag moved to Washburn, where he continued to produce ML-style electric guitars before re-signing with a revived Dean just before he died in 2004.

In recent years, the relationship between the Dimebag estate and the current owners of Dean Guitars, Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, has soured considerably. Haney sued Armadillo in 2021, citing unlawful use of the Stealth and Razorback designs.

The most recent court ruling swung in Dean’s favor, but Haney soon responded, saying she would continue to “fight for the return of Dime’s guitars.”

So, the launch of Dime Guitarz, just days after Dean’s owners filed for bankruptcy, couldn’t be more timely. And the firm has come out swinging.

“There seems to be a misconception that Dime had a relationship with the Dean Guitars of today,” Haney says in a statement. “It simply isn’t true. He was killed three weeks after signing the deal. He had a relationship with Dean Zelinsky. That is who he wanted building his guitars.”

Dime Guitarz, then, sees itself as the rightful home of the ML-style guitar, and its launch comes some 15 months after the first model, the Culprit, was teased. With a rare design masterminded by Dimebag before his death, it was first teased back in March 2025.

Here, the Culprit comes in USA and Standard Series variants, ranging from $1,999 to $5,999. Both guitars pair mahogany bodies, flame maple tops with three-piece maple set necks, and 22-fret, 12-16” compound radius ebony fingerboards.

Of course, there’s Floyd Rose 1000 series tremolos, too, along with Grover-style tuners, with Seymour Duncan Dimebucker and ’59 pickups. They’re wired with a DimeBooster, which adds 15dB via a push/push Tone pot.

The most eye-catching feature, though, is the patented laser-engraved Z-Glide neck, which is designed to reduce surface friction by 72%, keep hands cool, and encourage lightning-fast shredding. It is, though, exclusive to the USA models.

A razor blade inlay at the 12th fret and some classic Dimebag-coded finishes, including Dime Slime and Dimebolt – the latter of which pays tribute to the iconic Dean From Hell – complete the look. Oh, and of course it has that classic winged headstock design.

“Dime played Dean Zelinsky’s MLs when he had braces on his teeth, and he died with one in his arms,” the statement continues. “Dime’s innovation for tech, his love and trust of DZ’s brilliance, this is what the direction of this company is, to fulfill those wishes”

“After everything I’ve accomplished in this industry, helping carry Darrell’s legacy forward may be the most meaningful work I’ve ever done,” Zelinsky adds.

See Dime GuitarZ for more.

Dimebag Darrell’s estate has issued a new statement in light of a recent court ruling that swung in favor of Dean Guitars owner, Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, amid the protracted legal battle between the two parties.

The late Pantera guitarist had designed two signature guitars, the Stealth and Razorback, in collaboration with Dean Guitars, using its ML model as their foundation. Dimebag’s employment of the guitars has made Dean’s X-shaped variants some of the most recognizable metal guitars on the planet.

Rita Haney, who was Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend and is now trustee of his estate, had sued Dean for “unauthorized fraudulent trademark registrations” regarding both guitars. She felt the guitars should be deemed as the intellectual property of the guitarist.

However, a court ruling in early May granted Dean a summary judgment that dismissed “the majority” of the Dimebag estate’s trademark, fraud, and breach of contract claims. Ultimately, that meant the guitars were deemed to be owned by Dean, not the In Dime We Trust estate, which Haney spearheads.

Now, a statement issued by In Dime We Trust states that it “respectfully disagrees with the Court’s ruling and believes the decision conflicts with the clear language contained in the agreement Darrell Abbott signed with Dean Guitars in 2004.”

The agreement was signed shortly before his death that same year. Dimebag had rekindled his relationship with Dean after a period with Washburn guitars, which resulted in the Razorback’s creation.

In Dime We Trust claims the signed agreement states “Dean “shall acquire no rights in the tradenames or designs Stealth Guitar or Razorback Guitar by virtue of this Agreement, and upon termination of this Agreement shall cease the production of Stealth and Razorback style guitars.”

“To the Trust, this language demonstrates Darrell Abbott’s clear understanding and intent that ownership and control of the Stealth and Razorback guitar designs would remain with him and would not transfer to Dean Guitars under the agreement,” it adds.

A Non-Disclosure Agreement, which the Trust states was “executed” two months before the wider agreement was signed, saw then Dean Guitars CEO Elliott Rubinson “acknowledge that the Razorback and Stealth guitar designs, along with the associated headstock designs, were created by Darrell Abbott.”

Put simply, the Trust is adamant that Dimebag “would never have signed away ownership of his designs,” believing “the documents clearly support that,” and that Dean “has repeatedly misrepresented the facts” regarding the matter.

It reiterates that “Dean Guitars did not make or sell a single Razorback nor Stealth before their formal relationship with Darrell... and in no way should they be allowed to make these guitars after the relationship was terminated.”

Consequently, Dimebag’s estate will appeal the court ruling.

“We continue to fight for the return of Darrell’s guitar designs as well as their unauthorized use of Darrell’s name, likeness, and intellectual property,” it says.

It will also pursue additional claims relating to Dean’s use of the “Dean From Hell” artwork, Dime’s number one guitar.

Randall Amps is readying its “next generation” of gear after an extended period of inactivity.

The classic metal amp brand – which has been championed and beloved by the likes of Kirk Hammett, Dimebag Darrell, and Scott Ian, among others, over the decades – has faded into the background in recent years.

Randall was a major player in the 1980s and 1990s, and Mike Fortin was hired in 2011 to make new signature amps for Hammett and Ian. But since his departure circa 2016, the amp-building heavyweights have had a diminishing presence.

Posting on its newly revived Instagram page, the firm is talking up an exciting second coming.

“To the Randall family, thank you for your continued support, loyalty, and patience over the past few years as we reignite our product development and production efforts,” the statement reads.

“In the coming weeks, you'll begin to see many of our recent models become available again, followed by the return of some of the most iconic Randall products from the past – all delivering the signature high-gain Randall tone you know and love.

“As we shape the next generation of Randall gear, your feedback and support continue to motivate and inspire us,” it adds. “Stay tuned, this is only the beginning.”

Hammett’s latest signature head, the KH103, arrived in 2015, so a successor seems like an obvious choice, as do potential collaborations with Scott Ian and another Randall champion, Kirk Weinstein.

The post also hints at the revival of classic models, so could we see the return of the RG100ES and Century 200 heads used by Dimebag? Or the O.G. Warhead that the Pantera guitar great played? It remains to be seen.

Aa recent (ish) Instagram post also hints at a very different signature release being on the horizon.

The first post on its refreshed social page, 10 weeks ago, featured Dimebag’s signature guitar, the Dean Razorback, leaning against a Randall cab.

“Working on a tribute to the man who started it all for me as a musician,” the caption read. Following that were a trio of posts that confirmed the firm was back “back and louder.”

The news comes after some other surprising amp restorations, first with Gibson’s return to the amp game, and then with Dumble’s surprise comeback.

A federal court has issued a major ruling in the ongoing legal dispute between Dimebag Darrell’s estate and Dean Guitars owner Armadillo Distribution Enterprises, granting a summary judgement in favor of the defendant.

In 2021, the late Pantera guitar great’s estate sued Dean Guitars, citing unlawful use of the Stealth and Razorback guitar body shapes, and “unauthorized fraudulent trademark registrations” for the two.

In Dime We Trust, headed by Dime’s longtime girlfriend and estate trustee, Rita Haney, also accused Armadillo of breaching their terms of contract.

Both the Stealth and Razorback models were designed in collaboration between Dean and Darrell. The former was based on the ML, and Dimebag’s “Dean From Hell” variation is regarded as one of the most famous guitars in heavy metal history. The latter, meanwhile, was designed when Dean and Dimebag rekindled their partnership, shortly before the guitarist was tragically shot and killed onstage in 2004.

At the time of the original lawsuit, Dean Guitars' then-CEO & President Evan Rubinson released a statement on behalf of the company, calling the claims “baseless” and “without any merit”.

"Dean Guitars is proud to have played a role in ensuring Dime’s legacy not only survived, but thrived over the past 17 years. We have stood by the estate through good and bad,” Rubinson said.

“Ms. Haney’s claims – across the board – are baseless, without any merit, and not grounded in reality. We will allow the full truth to come out as the legal process takes its course.”

Now, in a new ruling, a federal court has issued in favor of Armadillo, granting a summary judgement that dismisses “the majority” of the Dimebag estate’s trademark, fraud, and breach of contract claims. That includes In Dime We Trust’s claims regarding the ownership of Dean’s guitar models.

“For almost two decades Armadillo was proud to work directly with the Abbott family under a relationship built upon mutual respect, shared purpose, and a genuine love for Darrell Abbott’s music and his love for Dean Guitars,” a press release from Armadillo reads.

“The United States District Court’s order is confirmation of what we have known all along: Armadillo's ownership of the Stealth and Razorback trademarks, the Razorback guitar design, and related intellectual property was earned through years of prior use and good faith commercial activity.”

In court documents published online, the ruling notes that the Trust’s motion for partial summary judgement is denied on 11 counts.

Those include: trade dress infringement and trademark infringement of both the Razorback and Stealth guitar designs and wordmarks; breach of contract; claims of fraud; and more.

The court documents also conclude that Armadillo has been denied summary judgement on two counts: the copyright infringement of Darrell’s “Dean From Hell” artwork; and false endorsement and false association, which, as the ruling notes, is concerned with whether there was “a likelihood of consumer confusion, mistake or deception as to the origin, sponsorship, or approval of goods being sold”.

In a statement, Owner & CEO of Armadillo, Pamela Keris, said, “We are grateful for the Court's thorough and careful consideration of the law.”

In practice, this means that Dean has been given the green light to continue using both the Razorback and Stealth designs and wordmarks going forward, so don’t expect those to fall off the firm’s production lines anytime soon.

Dimebag’s estate, meanwhile, has been honoring the guitar great’s legacy through another operation, Dime Guitarz, which is currently producing Stealth-inspired builds under the ‘Culprit’ range name.

A copy of the ruling can be found at United States Courts website.

In Dime We Trust did not respond to a request for comment.

Ola Englund joined some elite metal musicians for the recent Dimebash event, a tribute show to the late Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, during which he wielded some of Dime’s actual Washburn electric guitars.

The Swedish guitarist, YouTuber and Solar Guitars founder was famously in the running for the Pantera gig when original members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown opted to reform the band in 2022. Dime-obsessed YouTuber Kayla Kent also made the band’s shortlist, but it was Zakk Wylde who eventually got the nod.

Last year, Dimebag’s Dean From Hell made a special return to the band in the hands of Phil Anselmo, and, during the recent NAMM 2026 weekend, Englund was offered the chance to play another one of Dime's guitars at the Dimebash in Belasco in Los Angeles, California.

For the set, he performed alongside Charles Benante – who plays drums in the new Pantera lineup – Nevermore's Attila Vörös, and ex-Megadeth man, Chris Broderick.

“A couple of days ago, I got a text from Grady Champion, Dimebag's former guitar tech,” Englund explains in a vlog charting the events before, during, and after the show. “He said he had set up Dimebag's personal guitars for me and Attila to use at the Dimebash.

“He sent me a bunch of pictures, asked me what string gauge I wanted them to have, and at first I thought he was on about the new Dime Guitarz, but then I re-read the message…”

Indeed, a new guitar company, Dime Guitarz, launched its first eye-catching model last year after years of teasing. It would have been the ideal gig to show off those builds, but Englund was being offered the real deal.

Those three guitars were the Washburn Dime 3 “Southern Cross,” which was immortalized on Reinventing the Steel; the green-and-yellow sunburst “Dime Slime”, which had an upside-down Volkswagen sticker beneath the bridge and a Seymour Duncan SH1-N’59 in the neck; and the metal-plated “Stealth” axe.

“What the hell, man. I don't know what to do with this information,” he says before heading to a rehearsal. There, he says, Atilla's main axe for the show would be the “Dime Slime,” while he plugged the “Southern Cross” into the brand-new Quad Cortex mini for a blend of vintage and modern.

Songs played by Englund on the night, “Southern Cross” in hand, include Hard Lines Sunken Cheeks, Floods, and the face-contorting classic, Five Minutes Alone. And yes, there were plenty of pinch harmonics throughout.

Back home reflecting on the gig at the end of the video, he says, “The gig itself was amazing; the vibe, the love, everything was on point. Atilla, holy shit, what a guitarist, he nails the solos.

“I've gotta pinch my arm that I did all of this playing Dime's guitars. I'm insanely lucky to have gotten to do this. I still can't believe it.”

In related Pantera news, Zakk Wylde has previously said there have been talks about writing new music from old Dimebag demos. It wouldn't be the first time material from Dime's unreleased archive gets unearthed, though. One of his solos ended up on a Nickelback record.

Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell recently looked back on the first time he met Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell and his brother, Vinnie Paul – a day that will be forever marked in his memory due to what he describes as Dimebag’s “otherworldly” talents.

It was back in 1985 – right after Cantrell decided to quit college and move to Dallas to join a band with a couple of friends.

“We would work all day, and we just spent all night in the club – we would just watch bands,” he recalls of those heady days in an interview with Gibson.

“We worked about half the year in Dallas and half the year in Houston. In Houston, there was a smaller club called Cardi's. And I loved that place because they had great acts coming through there.

“I saw Yngwie Malmsteen with Talas opening up on Rising Force. I saw Pantera roll through there when they still had Terry [Glaze, former Pantera singer], before Phil [Anselmo, Pantera’s longtime lead vocalist] was in the band. That's how I met Dime and Vinnie – in ’85 at that club.”

Describing what he remembers from the formative experience, Cantrell says that he's a “fan of anybody who is a master of their instrument [but] I'm more a fan of people who are who just have an innate thing that is just unlike anybody else. And Dime is one of those guys.”

He describes how the two, who happened to be around the same age, hit it off “right away” – thanks to a spot of gear talk.

“After that show, going up to him and introducing myself and asking him about his amps and his tone, because he was just otherworldly,” he enthuses.

“And he's a huge Van Halen fan, and you could tell that by his playing. But he was also into heavier shit too, and that's why you got the kind of blend of what Dime was – but there's really nobody like him.”

He continues, “I started hearing about these guitar contests that he would enter every year in Texas, and he was the best guitarist for six years running. I think early on he just had talent, and he had an otherworldly thing, and he was just a great dude.”

In more Jerry Cantrell news, the Alice in Chains founder recently looked back on his involvement in Black Sabbath's Back to the Beginning – or what he calls the “walk-off home run” of Ozzy Osbourne’s final show.

A typical show by Cali hardcore crew DRAIN plays out like a greatest hits of early ’90s metal music videos, with bodies flying off the stage into a circle pit churning with moshers and slam dancers.

But while the crushing tones coming from Cody Chavez’s stable of Jackson guitars may fit the time when hardcore punk and thrash first met, he isn’t stuck in a bygone era – or even the genre itself. In fact, the rhythmically-inclined riffer, who started out playing drums, was a hip-hop head before discovering Kiss.

“I remember seeing Ace Frehley bending backwards doing a solo, and I was just like, ‘Whoa!’” Chavez says. “That’s when it clicked with me. I was like, ‘I wanna be a rock guy now!’”

On DRAIN’s latest album, …IS YOUR FRIEND, his metronomic instincts shine – a rock-solid picking hand maintains a tightly wound, militaristic chug on songs such as Nights Like These, evoking comparisons to all-timers like James Hetfield, who he’s long respected.

“I watched videos of James playing during the …And Justice For All era and I just mimicked that,” Chavez recalls. “I feel like it kind of hindered me at first, because I’d downpick everything, and obviously you can only go so fast. But over the years I’ve found a balance between alternate picking and downpicking.”

He puts that into action on Darkest Days, which builds from a stomping groove into a full-on thrasher. “I was thinking, ‘What would 19, 20-year-old Cody mosh to?’ I’m sitting with my eyes closed, imagining myself in a VFW hall or something, and I just imagined that beat and riff.”

The squeals, screams and dive-bombing licks throughout the 10-song record channel his inner Ace, not to mention Dimebag Darrell. Armed with his white Jackson MJ Series Dinky – he used a Jackson Virtuoso on the riffs – plus Peavey Butcher and Diezel amps, Chavez has all his tricks on display.

The new album distills everything people love about DRAIN, but there’s progression in the songwriting and playing. What was the feeling as you were working on it?

We really threw all our personalities and influences into a melting pot. Not that we haven't been down for that before, but I feel like we really honed in on it this time. And I feel like we’re a lot more mature now.

When we wrote California Cursed [2020], me and Sammy Ciaramitaro were like 20 and Tim Flegal was a little older. Now we’ve been a band for a while – we’ve been on so many tours in vans and buses together. I view this as a more mature body of work.

Your riffs recall elements of crossover thrash and skate punk, but you’re pulling from a broader slate of influences. What else inspires you on guitar?

Life experiences in general, like seeing what Mike Shaw does in Mindforce and what Dennis Vichidvongsa does in Speed. I’ve been listening to a lot of Kiss since Ace passed, going down memory lane.

On DRAIN’s earlier songs you shied away from solos, but they've become more integrated now. Are you shaking off some hardcore purism?

I wouldn’t say that. When I was a kid I’d see guitarists soloing and think, “I could never do that – I’m just gonna stick to playing rhythm.” But in reality, if you practice hard enough you can play like that. I’ve surprised myself over the years by how much I’ve improved in that area. I’m pretty excited to get more of that in these new songs.

Who are your biggest lead inspirations? There’s Dime and Zakk in all the pinch harmonics.

I love Dime and I love Zakk Wylde, especially the stuff he did with Ozzy. And I love a lot of the early Black Label Society stuff. But my favorite guitarist of all time is Dimebag for sure. When I got into Pantera as a kid, he really stood out to me.

I love Regular People off Vulgar Display of Power. My favorite album is Cowboys From Hell – Heresy is undeniable. It starts off with the harmonics and as a kid I was like, “What even is that?” It was all the little stuff that was different from your average thrash or hardcore band. It had so much character.

And then obviously The Art of Shredding is such an incredible riff. But for my favorite solo I’d probably say Live in a Hole from Vulgar – the way it goes into the groove part first is so cool.

What goes into composing a solo for DRAIN?

For this album, we’d have the demos on our phones, then I’d come back home after practice and play them over a little JBL speaker and sit there with my guitar. I’d have an idea of what I want but then I’d think, “I could switch this part up.” It’s about sitting there and figuring out what works best and what sounds the best to my ears.

The solo on Who’s Having Fun matches the vocal melody; I like little stuff like that. My goal on Until Next Time was to sound like Dokken – a glam-metal sound, but something hardcore kids can still dance to.

So for the solo, I don’t wanna say I stole, but I was inspired by George Lynch on the Dokken song Into the Fire. You can hear there are some similar notes, but it’s more the way he plays. I took that energy for our song.

• …IS YOUR FRIEND is out now.

Late metal guitar legend Dimebag Darrell and Guitar World go way back, with the Pantera shredder once contributing 42 “Riffer Madness” columns to the magazine. In one of these now-iconic columns, Darrell harked back to his roots – and reflected on how his dad, country music producer Jerry “LD” Abbott, was instrumental in his guitar (and Pantera’s) journey

“One day, when I was learning to play guitar, I was stomping around the house all pissed off because my playing was in a bit of a rut,” he wrote. “My dad, who’s a great guitarist, said something that I’ve always remembered.

“He asked me, ‘Can you learn a new lick today?’ I said, ‘Of course I can.’ Then he said, ‘Well son, if you decided to learn just one new lick a day, how many would you have at the end of the year?’

“The possibilities are staggering. Shit! If I knew a lick for every beer or Black Tooth I’ve had, I can’t even imagine how much extra knowledge I’d have!”

The importance of consistency and improving your skills every day wasn't the only thing that Abbott taught him. Indeed, in a 2010 interview, the legendary axeman's dad recalled Darrell was “pretty doggoned serious [about guitar] right out of the gate.”

“I still remember him at a talent show they had at his school when he was about 12 years old,” he remembered. “They opened the curtain, and there he was – him, his guitar, and a little amplifier, wearing Ace Frehley makeup and the Kiss costume that he and his brother had come up with. I think he played Rock and Roll All Nite, and the kids just loved it. Yeah, he was hardcore into it quick.”

As for the first song that he showed him, it was Runnin’ with the Devil by Van Halen, although Dime and his brother Vinnie [Paul, Pantera’s drummer] had already jammed on Smoke on the Water for “three hours straight” by then.

Elsewhere in Guitar World's heartfelt interview with Jerry Abbott, he talked about producing all four of Pantera's albums released on the band's own label, as well as the songs he considers Darrell's best work.

Dimebag Darrell’s legendary Dean From Hell electric guitar has made an unlikely return to the stage in the hands of Phil Anselmo for Pantera’s recent show in Cleveland.

The sticker-laden Dean ML was originally maroon-colored when it ended up in the possession of Dimebag, who first won it in a competition in 1981.

Dime temporarily sold the instrument, but, knowing that he'd soon want the electric guitar back, Texan luthier Buddy Blaze repainted it, upgraded its hardware, and presented it to Dime as a surprise.

It became Dimebag's Number One guitar, and is the axe most commonly associated with the late guitar great, despite the fact he pivoted to Washburns in the 1990s and put the DFL into retirement.

Over three decades later, Pantera guitar tech Grady Champion has reflected on his “surreal” experience of getting the iconic guitar stage-ready for Anselmo to use on Goddamn Electric.

“I’m messing around with the OG,” he’s heard saying in a clip posted to Instagram. “This, ladies and gentlemen, is Dimebag’s number one guitar. She’s gonna have some new life tonight, [and] Philip is gonna be surprised.”

There’s a poignant moment when Champion drapes the guitar over Anselmo’s shoulder. He had no idea that the guitar was going to be handed to him as the track, from 2000 LP Reinventing the Steel, reached its riff-infested final throes.

The lightning design paint job is one Zakk Wylde – who is filling Dime’s shoes in the band for their current tour – has had wrapped around one of his Wylde Audio Warhammer guitars in tribute to Dime. In Cleveland, it met the real deal.

Clips from the social posts show clear war wounds across the Dean From Hell. Its headstock, especially, wears its history proudly on its sleeve, having helped turn Pantera from fresh-faced upstarts to one of metal's biggest acts by the time it received a well-deserved retirement.

It’s not clear if the DFL will get further stage time during the shows ahead, but either way, its rare appearance in the wild is something to celebrate.

Pantera's legacy may also be set to live on in other ways. Zakk Wylde says there have been talks of turning unfinished Dimebag demos into new songs, while Pantera superfan Kayla Kent is looking to start a new band, and her first demo shows Dime’s spirit is very much alive and kicking.

Zakk Wylde may have gotten the nod to fill Dimebag Darrell's shoes in the newly reprised Pantera, but Kayla Kent is proving once more she would have been a stellar pick for the job, nailing Dimebag's style during a phaser-drenched take on Eddie Van Halen's Ice Cream Man solo.

Kent was in fact in the running for the Pantera gig, and while Wylde turned to Guitar World buyer's guides for Dimebag tone tips, Kent probably needn't have gone to such measures, such is her insane tonal connection to the late shredder.

The YouTuber has made her name by channeling Dimebag's sonic spirit and tackling classic solos, such as Symphony of Destruction, as if Dimebag himself had performed them. This time, she’s giving one of Dime’s biggest influences the same treatment.

John Brim's blues cut was covered by Van Halen on the band's 1978 debut record, and it showcased (as every track on the album did) Eddie Van Halen's revolutionary chops, which Kent has handled with aplomb.

Interestingly, Kent's note-perfect performance also shows just how many tonal cues Dime took from his hero, the fast descending run early on morphing from EVH to Pantera tones each time she changes strings. It's wild.

Of course, there are whammy bar dives and squeals aplenty – two other tricks Dime loaded into his arsenal after falling in love with Van Halen – and Kent’s apparent effortlessness while killing it is a source of envy.

“I think Pantera might've talked about this in Hot and Heavy,” Kent writes in the video's description, “but I'm not totally sure.”

After several years of shreddy antics, Kent recently announced she wants to form a band and put out an open call to vocalists around the world. She also shared a demo of a work-in-progress track for singers to play with, and it sounds eerily like a long-lost Pantera demo.

At the time, it seemed Kent’s Pantera-esque group might represent the closest thing to new Pantera-sounding music. However, Wylde has confirmed that the current iteration of Pantera may use Dime’s raw riffs to cook up a new record.

Dimebag and Eddie had a lot of love for one another, and Eddie even offered to hand-paint him an EVH Bumblebee guitar for him. That, sadly, never came to be, as Dimebag was killed just weeks after the exchange. The guitarist was then buried with Van Halen’s original black-and-yellow-striped Bumblebee guitar.

Zakk Wylde has hinted at the possibility of Pantera releasing new material based on unfinished riffs that were recorded by the late electric guitar great, Dimebag Darrell.

The Black Label Society axeman has been serving as Pantera’s guitarist since 2022, when it was announced that the metal greats would be reforming with a new-look lineup comprising original members Rex Brown and Phil Anselmo, as well as Wylde and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante.

It was first conceived as a live project that would serve as a celebration of Pantera’s music – and a tribute to both Dimebag Darrell and his late brother, Vinnie Paul – but, according to Wylde, there have been some informal, tentative talks to take the new lineup into the studio and cut new material.

And this new material could potentially bring to life unfinished songs and riffs that had once been tracked by Dimebag Darrell on a tape recorder.

When asked by Guitar World's Andrew Daly whether new Pantera music was in the pipeline, Wylde reflects, “I remember there were talks about stuff because Dime recorded tons of unfinished riffs, and there were things he had lying around.

“Like songs, or incomplete songs, or whatever he was jamming on, you know? It was just him putting stuff on a tape recorder, jamming a riff, and it coming out of an amp.”

Expanding on how Pantera could treat this unearthed material, Wylde goes on, “The way I look at it is, it’s just like if Eric Clapton was playing Mitch [Mitchell] and Noel [Redding], and honoring Jimi [Hendrix], and calling it the 'Jimi Hendrix Celebration', and they went out, and Eric was playing Jimi’s stuff with Noel and Mitch.

“And then, it’s like if they were like, ‘Bro, we have these songs that Jimi never finished. There’s one called Purple Haze, another called The Wind Cries Mary, another called Manic Depression, and another called Little Wing.’

“And it’s like, you know, ‘Jimi never… it’s just him on a tape recorder, with a rough outline of the song.’ So, it would be like if Eric, Noel, and Mitch went in there and recorded Purple Haze because Jimi had [demoed] it on acoustic guitar. It’s already written, you know what I mean?”

“It’s still the songs that Dime and Vinnie had written,” Wylde continues. “It’s just that they weren’t recorded [professionally], it was just on a tape recorder, you know? Anything like that would still be what it is: a celebration of them and a tribute to them.”

Despite the tease of new Pantera material based on old Dimebag demos, Wylde is quick to downplay expectations, and stresses there is no timeline on when – or even if – it will ever come to fruition.

“It’s just talks of it, like, if the guys would ever want to do something like that, you know?” he asserts. “And they have so many songs in their catalog, so if the guys want to do new songs and mix it up, then we’ll throw some dark horses and hidden gems out there.”

It wouldn’t be the first posthumous use of archive Dimebag Darrell gems – one of his unused solos once ended up on Nickelback’s best-selling album.

Keep your eyes peeled to GuitarWorld.com for the full interview with Zakk Wylde.

Goddamn! I just got done reading every one of the over 500 letters you’ve sent to my “Feedback Sack.” Thanks for all the cool things you’ve said about the column.

Over the past 19 issues, we’ve covered a hell of a lot of techniques, ideas, riffs and licks. Now, because a bunch of your letters included some really good questions, I’m gonna spend the next few columns answering some of them.

The most common one of all was about my gear and how I get my tone, so let’s kick off with that bad boy.

I really dig your column; it’s got megs gonads! How about some advice on getting ripping sound like yours? I’d also like to know exactly what pickups, strings, amps, pedals and rack gear you use. Thanx for all the killer lessons. Walk! – Matt Loene, Syracuse, NY

I’m more than happy to let everybody know exactly what I’ve got going on in my rig, but I’m not gonna tell you how I’ve got it all wired up! The order in which you put your shit definitely makes a big difference, and that’s something you should dick around with for yourself. For example, if you run your wah before all your forms of gain, it’ll sound different than if you place it after a distortion or EQ pedal.

It won’t sound as ferocious or effective. It also makes a big difference if you put certain units in front of your amp instead of in its FX loop and vice-versa.

For example, my bud Kirk Windstein from Crowbar uses basically the exact same rig as I do, but he wires it up in a completely different way, and he’s got an awesome sound that’s way different to mine! So I suggest that you take some time and try to wire up your shit in all the ways you can think of until you get the tone you dig best.

Another thing I recommend you dick with is using different forms of gain. There are very few amps that you can get as distorted as you want by themselves, so you’ve usually got to heat them up a little bit with a pedal of some kind.

Anyway, even if your amp has all the gain you need right out of the box, if you put another form of gain in front of it then you’ll get a completely different type of crunch or distortion. It doesn’t have to be a distortion unit either; anything that can give you more gain cool – like a clean boost or EQ pedal.

I use a little blue MXR 6-band EQ pedal I got from a pawn shop for some of my gain. The cool thing about using a graphic EQ is you can decide what frequencies you want to add crunch to by pushing those particular EQ bands up more. With a distortion or overdrive box though, the overall tone tends to get distorted. That’s why I like to use gain units rather than distortion pedals.

Altogether I run three types of gain before I even hit the amp – a hot pickup (a Bill Lawrence XL500L lead humbucker), my MXR graphic EQ and a Furman PQ-4, which I use for EQ and gain. Because I’ve got all this gain going on, my Rocktron Guitar Silencer is very important to me. I’ve got to have something that’ll shut my shit down or there’s too much hiss and uncontrollable feedback – kinda like my Feedback Sack!

Anyways, in addition to the stuff I’ve already mentioned, here’s what I use: modified Dean ML guitars; Randall Century 200 125-watt solid-state heads; Randall 412JB straight 4x12” cabinets loaded with 80-watt Jaguar speakers, for my dirty sound; and Randall 412CB straight 4x12” cabs loaded with 70-watt Celestion speakers for my clean sounds; DR strings (.009-.046 for regular and drop-D tunings; .009, .011, .016, .028, .038, .050 for guitars tuned down a whole step); an MXR Flanger/Doubler rack unit; two Digitech Whammy pedals – one on stage, one backstage – see next question); and a Vox wah. I also use a Yamaha SPX90, and a Korg G3 for my clean shit.

Just so you know, even if you get all the gear I use and wire it up the same way I do, it won’t be my sound exactly. Having said that, the rig’s there, and it’s definitely doing something! The bottom line is this: try to emulate your favorite player’s sound only as a basis to find your own tone.

“And don’t be afraid to experiment with different amps, pickups, effects, wirings, axes, etc. Try anything and everything – give it all a chance. Most important, get your rig set up the way you want it to sound. [Editor’s Note: The date of Dime’s answer to the above question was November 1994.]

I thought you used a pedal to get that high squeal during the main riff of Becoming, but when I saw you playing the song live you weren’t stepping on anything. What’s the trick there, bro?! – Ken “Z Man” Zemanek, Chicago, IL

The trick is to have a bad-assed tech like Grady Champion and let him work the Whammy pedal back there for you, so that you can dance and jam to the groove, instead of being strapped to a pedal.

That riff smokes, man, and there’s no way I could just stand still on stage in one place and play it. Grady, if you’re reading this, you @#$in’ rule 88 bud! Jimmy Johnson plus DDS pushing 12 with your name on it. Right back at ya!

I’m completely blown away by your sound and technique, and, like any guitarist, I wish I could do more on the fretboard than I can. Like you, I’m a spazzer who can’t sit down for shit and teach myself scales and things. I just like to jam! Are there any tricks of the trade you know that could give me some new lead ideas? – Wayne “Farm Boy” Farmer, Coppers Cove, TX

One word, Farm Boy – chromatics! I think a lot of people are really intrigued by all those different modes and shit, whereas I’m kinda more inclined to take a lick and then try and move it up or down the neck chromatically, one fret at a time. It’s the simplest thing in the world to do, and it can sound killer!

Try it, man – sit there and burn on a lick like the simple A minor one shown in the first bar of Figure 1. Then, start moving it chromatically up the fretboard, toward the bridge, like in bars 2 and 3.

Although I take this lick up an entire octave (12 frets) here, you don’t have to do that; you can start and stop wherever you like ’cause, for the millionth time in Riffer Madness, there are no rules!

I mean, you could just stop at the 10th fret, like in Figure 2. Moving a lick chromatically down the neck works really well too. Check it out. Figure 3 is just me flipping the previous lick around on its head.

Moving a riff chromatically can also be a good way of adding tension to a song. I do this sometimes, like in the middle of Shedding Skin (Far Beyond Driven), for example.

How did you make the cool-sounding chirping noise that ends your solo in Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks [Far Beyond Driven]? – Tom Gillis, Seattle, WA

What I’m doing there is bending the G note on the high E string’s 15th fret and then tapping the same string at the 22nd fret with the edge of my pick, while gradually releasing the bend. I start off making a straight up and down ‘chopping’ motion with my pick that gets smaller as the ‘chirp’ gets faster.

Then, once I’m ‘chopping’ as fast as I can, I start going back and forth with my pick, kinda like I’m sawing the string. If your pick is beat up a bit and has some small grooves in it, that’ll help too. To make the trill jump out a little more on the album, I overdubbed a harmony part to it.

I think it’s great how you use part of your songs to make points in your column lessons. After listening to This Love [Vulgar Display of Power], I’m curious how you control such wide bends. I tried to figure it out but was unsuccessful. Help! – Jake Kouns, Centerville, VA

To be accurate when you’re doing big-assed bends like the ones in This Love, you’ve gotta use your ears, man – it’s all a matter of pitch and control. Another thing that will help give you more control over your bending is using more than one finger to do the bend.

For example, when I bend a note with my little finger, I help it out with my other three fingers. The guys at Guitar World tell me that the correct term for this is reinforced bend fingering.

Do you use your pinkie a lot? I haven’t been playing long, and whenever I use mine, the tip of it hurts like hell. I’ll work on it though, if you think it’ll make me play better. Thanx, man, lata! – Scott Scholze, Silvedale, LA

I’d definitely advise you to use your pinkie, bro. I use mine all the time! On wide-stretch ideas, you’ve gotta have it there, and it comes in real handy when you’re jamming on a riff on the low E and A strings too. If you don’t use it much, try throwing it in there ’cause you might come up with something cool that you’ve never done before.

I mean, the A minor blues lick in Figure 4 would be pretty tough to play if you don’t use your pinkie. Using your little finger definitely opens up the neck more, so why limit yourself? Don’t be one of those people that goes: ‘Oh, my pinkie’s weak; I ain’t gonna use it.’ It’s there, so why not use the #$%*er?

My all-time favorite Pantera cut is Use My Third Arm [Far Beyond Driven]. It totally crushes! I’ve managed to figure out how to play all of it except for one single *#$in’ chord, and it’s driving me crazy! What’s the shape you use during the intro and verse? I’ve tried everything, and nothing sounds right. Please help me before they lock me in a padded cell and throw away the key! – Wayne Stevens, Phoenix, AZ

That’s a real *#$$ed up chord and, to be honest I don’t even know what it’s called. For that song, my guitar is tuned to D standard (low to high: D G C F A D), so everything sounds a whole step lower.

The chord shape you’re talking about is shown here in Figure 5 [below]. I guess it’s an inverted Eb power chord with an F, the 2nd, on the low E string, if there is such a chord! Remember, there are no rules! If something sounds good, run with it, bro!

If you have any tips on getting a record deal or anything else to do with making it in the business, I’d be grateful if you shared them. Thank you, from an aspiring guitarist. – Jason Tousignant, Corinth, NY

Two words, man – time and perseverance. That’s what it takes to get anywhere in this business. My bandmates and I were jamming together for eight or nine years before we got signed.

“So hang tough, and give your shit to as many people as you can! The main thing is to have your own style, and that kinda thing doesn’t happen overnight. Hell, it took us nearly eight years to find ourselves and get our Cowboys from Hell identity together. It is possible to get a deal though, I swear – I’m living proof!

I’ve been playing for just over two years now and can wail on pretty fast riffs, like the ones in Cowboys from Hell. But I have trouble nailing some of your slower, simpler-to-play power grooves. I don’t understand this, man! Slow riffs should surely be easier to play than faster ones, right? – Terry Herrington, Sydney, Australia

That’s a good question, bro. Some people think that playing fast takes a whole lot of talent, but I’ll tell ya: playing real slow and being able to keep in the groove while not rushing the beat is the shit too!

My buds in Crowbar jam on some really slow, heavy riffs, and they definitely ain’t as easy to play as they may seem. You gotta pay real close attention to the groove and resist the tendency to rush. Hang loose, hold back and let your ears decide when you should hit the next note, not your fingers!

Could you please explain how you do that cool “cross-handed sliding trick” in the second half of your epic solo in Walk [Vulgar Display of Power]? – Tommy Himes, Angola, IN

A bunch of you have written in, asking about the fake echo technique I use about two-thirds of the way through my Walk solo, so here goes.

It’s real simple, actually: all I’m doing is repeatedly sliding up the G string from the 2nd fret to around the 14th fret, alternating hands. Figure 6 is an A minor lick similar to the one in Walk that incorporates this fake echo technique. Here’s how it goes:

• While you’re doing the bend at the beginning, reach over with your right (pick) hand and “capo” (barre) the G string at the 2nd fret with your middle finger (see PHOTO A), before you do a pull-off with your left (fret) hand.
• As soon as you pull-off your LH, start sliding your RH middle finger up the G string towards the bridge.
• While your RH is sliding, fret the G string at the 2nd fret with your LH index finger.
• When your RH slide gets to around the 14th fret, pull-off your RH finger off the string and then start sliding your LH finger up the neck.
• While your LH is sliding, fret the G string at the 2nd fret with your RH middle finger.
• Pull-off your LH finger when it reaches around the 14th fret and start sliding your RH finger up the G string.
• While your RH is sliding, fret the G string at the 2nd fret with your LH index finger.
• When your RH slide gets to around the 14th fret, pull-off your RH finger off the string and start sliding your LH finger up the neck.
• Stop your LH slide at the 14th fret and add some vibrato.

Got it? If you don’t, check out the Walk video ’cause there’s a close-up of me doing it during the solo. And remember, there are no rules, so dick with shit, experiment and let’s get it out here. Lata!

But first, a brief backstory by Nick Bowcott! Back in 1993, GW’s editors decided to run with an idea that would become a mainstay of the magazine to this day – monthly artist columns.

Two bona fide guitar heroes, Kirk Hammett and Eric Johnson, agreed to do six installments each, but the editors wanted to enlist one more columnist, ideally an up-and-coming player.

Because I had been commissioned to work with said artists on putting together their columns, I was asked if I had any suggestions. My answer was instantaneous – “Diamond Darrell of Pantera. He’s the one!”

I had previously interviewed the guitarist for a one-off lesson article for the magazine and was blown away by his playing, personality, passion and unique and colorful way of explaining things, which the guys at GW and I came to lovingly refer to as “Dimebonics.”

He and I had also become good friends, so I knew working with him would be a blast. Editor-in-Chief Brad Tolinski agreed and, thankfully, so did the Texan Tornado. And so Diamond Darrell’s “Riffer Madness” column was born.

NOTE: Up to and including Pantera’s pivotal sophomore major-label album, 1992’s Vulgar Display of Power, Abbott’s nickname was “Diamond Darrell.” But when Far Beyond Driven was released in 1994, his name was listed as “Dimebag Darrell.” Said album reached Number 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the rest is history.

As already mentioned, the initial plan for Riffer Madness was a six-issue run. But due to the enthusiastic reader response to the first few installments, he was soon asked if he’d like to continue the column.

Thanks to all the positive feedback he was getting, plus the fact that he genuinely enjoyed writing the column, he happily agreed. As a result, that first run of monthly columns totalled 28, all bearing his Diamond Darrell name.

Then, in 2000, the celebrated guitarist-turned-columnist returned with another 14 installments, this time as Dimebag Darrell. His plan was to return for a third run in 2005, but, tragically, that never happened.

To celebrate the amazing 42 Riffer Madness episodes that Darrell selflessly gifted us with, here’s a collection of column highlights that focus on the all-important arts of riffing and rhythm work. So, as Dime stated when Riffer Madness debuted in the April 1993 issue of Guitar World, “Let’s plug in and start wailin’!”

Without further ado, I hand the pen over to Mr. Abbott.

Riff rap

To me and my band, guitar riffs are what it’s all about. We know that every time we jam on a great riff, we’ve got a fighting chance of writing a great song. You don’t have to go to G.I.T. or know a bunch of weird-assed chords and scales to come up with killer shit, Jack.

But, you’ve gotta be totally into what you’re doing. Check out Judas Priest’s British Steel if you don’t believe me. It’s packed full of god-like riffs, and most of them aren’t hard to play. If you don’t already own this album, buy it – it’s essential shit, man! Here are a couple of ideas that might help you get the most out of a good, heavy riff.

Octave repeats

One of our audience’s favorite riffs is the main one in Cowboys from Hell. It’s a pretty easy one to play ’cause it’s made up of one of the first rock scales we all learn – the E minor blues scale (see Figures 1 and 2).

The first time you hear this riff is in the intro, where I play it an octave higher than I do during the rest of the track. Hearing it an octave higher is like an appetizer – it introduces you to the riff and makes you hungry for more. It also makes the full-blown version sound really heavy when it kicks in. I guess you could say the intro is the “body blow” and the main riff is the “knockout punch.”

My buddy Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains does the same sort of thing on Would? [from Dirt]. He starts off by playing the verse riff in a higher register then slams you in the teeth when the vocals hit by playing it an octave lower.

To give the main Cowboys riff even more power, I play open-string root-5th power chords on the E and A notes (Figures 3 and 4) instead of just playing single notes, as I do in the intro. I also add some low-end “chunk” to the riff by applying some heavy-duty palm muting (P.M.).

I use the idea of repeating a riff in different octaves during the bridge of Cowboys, too. This definitely makes that part sound cooler than if I had just played that [descending] run in the same register twice.”

[EDITOR’S NOTE: Dime also often used this compositional technique of repeating a musical motif an octave higher or lower when playing lead, like at the start of his epic solo in the aforementioned Cowboys from Hell and also the one in Psycho Holiday (Cowboys from Hell), to name but two. Check them out. It’s an idea well worth embracing!]

Texas-style half-step bends

Using string bends instead of just playing regular, unbent notes can definitely help give certain riffs a cooler, heavier vibe.

• Note: For Figures 5 to 13 guitar is tuned down one whole step D-G-C-F-A-D

Take the opening riff to Walk, for example. I guess you could play the notes “straight” without the “greasy” string bend-and-release (Figure 5 illustrates said “straight” approach), but the “real way” sounds way better to me, man! It’s much heavier and nastier, and that’s what we’re looking for, bud – weak riffs are out!

I do the same kinda thing on the opening riff to Revolution Is My Name (Reinventing the Steel). Here’s the twist I put on it… I call it “Texas style!” What I do is scoot back a fret from the notes I heard in my head and then bend up to each one from a half step below while also adding a pick squeal (Figures 6a and 6b).

When I was jerking around with the original riff idea, I figured it would sound way more interesting if I did a slow, deliberate half-step bend up to each one, because as soon as each bend starts, your ear wants to hear the note come up to pitch.

Some people do this sorta thing a lot when they’re playing lead, but most of ’em don’t bother to do it at all when they’re riffing out on the low strings.

For some reason, a lot of guitarists who can play killer leads get real sterile on their rhythm stuff; they don’t bend notes, and they’re all too careful about playing their chords dead straight. Then, when they cut to lead, they start bending notes and adding vibrato all over the place.

Lead rhythm and bending chords

The way I’ve always looked at my rhythm playing is almost like I’m playing lead on the big strings anyway. Because of this I use vibrato and bends on the big strings as well as one the little ones… and not just on single-note stuff, either. Sometimes throwing down a bend or some vibrato on a power chord is cool, too! For example, let’s take a fairly mediocre riff like Figure 7a.

To make it more evil and interesting sounding, try this: instead of using a regular G5 power chord, bend an F#5 shape up to G5, like in Figure 7b. Bending two different notes up exactly half-a-step at exactly the same time is kinda difficult at first, but stick with it ’cause it sounds great when you get it down. You can hear me doing this at the end of Hollow (Vulgar Display of Power).

Don't skitz – hang tough!

The breakdown riff at 2:05 in We’ll Grind that Axe for a Long Time (Reinventing the Steel) has got some [root/5th power] chord bends happening, too, and they’re actually whole-step bends. To do each bend, I pull the low E string (which is tuned down to D) with my index finger and the A string (tuned to G) with my pinkie, with some help from my ring finger (Figure 8a).

The bend raises the pitch of the chord the same as if you were to slide it two frets up the neck (Figure 8b), but it’s smoother sounding. That’s why I chose to go with the bend instead of the slide. Half the trick of this move is trying to keep the chord decently in tune while you’re bending it.

If your 1st finger bends more than your pinkie, then the chord is gonna go sour. Don’t get me wrong – it’s cool to get a little out of whack, but at the same time you’re trying to hold the chord in tune as much as possible while the bend is going on. It’s a total ear/feel thing – your ear is wanting to hear something and is telling you where to go while your fingers are feeling and controlling the bend.

Don’t freak if you can’t nail these chord bends right away. Just keep hanging with it and it’ll come. Because you’re bending the big strings here, you might have to do it a few times to build up some strength in your fingers, if you’re not used to doing it. There’s a lot more mass down there, compared to the thinner strings!

Also, you obviously have to bend the low strings by pulling them into your palm rather than pushing them upwards, like you normally do with the little strings, so that might take some getting used to, as well.

The fact that my guitar is always tuned down a hair lower than a quarter step below concert pitch, plus down an additional whole step in this case, helps with the looseness of the strings. But it’s still a pretty big bend. It doesn’t have to be perfect, though. So just catch a vibe and roll with it.

Unique tuning offset

Editor’s Note: Per Darrell’s renowned, long-time guitar tech, Grady “Dragon” Champion, here’s the scoop on Dime’s unusual guitar tuning offset: Whether it’s down a half step (Eb standard), drop-D, drop-C# or some other variant, it was always an additional 60 cents flat of concert pitch (slightly lower than a quarter tone, which is 50 cents).

Says Grady: “To us, E is really D# plus 40 cents. Likewise, A is really G# plus 40 cents, D is really C# plus 40 cents, and so on.” Now you know why it’s so hard to tune to a lot of Pantera songs.

Sinister slides

Sliding from one power chord to another can also help make a riff sound more sinister. I got the idea from listening to Tony Iommi in Black Sabbath, and I do it a lot.

For example, check out Mouth for War (Vulgar Display of Power). So, if I wanted to make a riff like Figure 9a sound nastier, I’d probably throw in a chord-slide and maybe a chord-bend too (Figure 9b).

Which one sounds better? C’mon, there’s no contest! Figure 9b kicks Figure 9a’s sorry ass! Like I’ve said before, sometimes even the simplest shit can be really bad-assed… as long as it’s played aggressively. It’s all about attitude, man – meaning playing it like you mean it!

Long, single-note slides

There are two things you have to remember when doing really long slides that don’t have a set starting place, like this one, “from nowhere in particular” to the 10th fret on the 6th string (Figure 10), which is along the lines of what I do in the verse riff of Goddamn Electric (Reinventing the Steel).

First, you’ve gotta let off the strings a tad with your fret hand and just let them slide under your fingers. If you press too hard on the strings when you’re doing a long slide up or down the neck, it probably won’t come out right.

It's about the destination, not the journey

The other thing to remember when you’re sliding a long way is this: it’s the destination that’s important, man. It doesn’t really matter how you get there or where you start the slide.

The trick is knowing where to stop and making sure that you don’t get there too early or too late. So, keep your fret hand loose, use your ears and eyes and, with a bit of practice, you’ll be nailing long assed-slides like the ones in the Goddamn Electric verse every time.

Rules? There are no rules

My musical knowledge is pretty limited, scale-wise. I know the major scale, the minor scale, the pentatonic blues scale and the chromatic scale, but that’s about it, man! If I can learn a new scale somewhere I’m definitely open to it. I’m not down on scales, it’s just that I’m more into riffing and jamming as opposed to book-school theory reading.

“Be raw” – that’s what I always say. I’m always experimenting with new note ideas because in my style there are no rules. Always remember this, and never be afraid to cut loose.

Hell, if you find yourself hanging on a bad note, you can always tighten it up by bending, sliding it, or dumping or yanking your whammy bar… don’t skitz on this though, just keep an open mind and experiment. Whatever the song calls for and whatever you’re hearing is fair game.

Chromatic man

In case you don’t know what chromatic means, let me explain: it means every goddamned note! So, to play chromatically, all you do is move up or down a string one fret at a time.

Simple shit, but it can sound really cool. I use chromatic movement a lot in my riffs because it adds a pushing/pulling kinda tension. It almost reminds me of running up and down a flight of stairs, one step at a time – 12 steps to the top, and 12 steps to the bottom.

A chromatic passage can add mood and aggression to a part. If you’ve never dicked around with this idea, then check this out. Say you have a simple riff like Figure 11. Instead of just going from E to G and then back to E, try moving between them chromatically, like in Figure 12.

You can do this between any chords or notes. It just depends on what you wanna create. This is a simple idea, but it kicks ass.

Scope it out and then take it further. Good examples of riffs based on chromatic thinking are the main one in A New Level (Vulgar Display of Power), the pre-chorus of Cowboys…, the first bridge riff of This Love and pretty much all of the riffs in We’ll Grind That Axe for a Long Time. That last cut is big-time chromatic.

Hopefully this will inspire you to jam out some cool chromatic-based riffs of your own. Keep shredding ass and hang raw!

Palm muting tips

Palm-muting a note or power chord by resting the heel of your picking hand on the strings as they go over the bridge is a pretty basic and essential metal guitar playing technique that, if done correctly, can add a shitload of ballsy chunk to a riff. But there are a couple of things you have to watch out for when doing this.

For me, the best place to palm-mute the strings is right where they go over the bridge or just a hair in front of that. If you go too far forward though, you’ll choke the string so much it’ll just be dead-sounding and will make a racket rather than a note. Also, you don’t want to go too far back the other way either, otherwise you’ll end up muting jack shit. So, dick around until you find the sweet spot that hums – you’ll definitely know when you find it.

Don’t be too heavy handed when palm-muting, especially if you’re using light strings and you’ve got your action set low. Some nights when we’re playing live, I’ll be really fired up and will be playing so super-hard that I won’t even be aware that I’m just crunching down on my muting so hard that it doesn’t even sound like I’m playing notes anymore.

This happens because I’m pushing the strings down so far that they start kinda hitting the frets and making a weird, clanking noise. Whenever this happens, I’ll walk back to my rig and my tech Grady [Champion] will go, “Ease up, son; you’re killing it!”

Seeing as guitar playing is either muscle or finesse, if you’re gonna strangle it then use heavy-assed strings with an action that’s set high enough, so you have more room to lean into the strings. If you choose to go this route, you’ll be able to pretty much mute as hard as you want. Keep in mind though, that setting your guitar up this way will also make it much more difficult to play.

If your axe has a whammy system, like a Floyd Rose, and it is set up to be “floating,” so that you can pull notes up as well as push them down, that’s another trick you’ve got to master.

With a floating bridge, you have to be real careful when palm muting because, if you rest your hand too far back on the bridge, then you’re gonna push the back of it down and make your strings go sharp. Of course, this isn’t a problem if your guitar has a fixed bridge or a non-floating tremolo setup.

Choking up on your pick

Another thing to watch out for when you’re chunking on a fast riff is not to stick your pick too far into the strings. Think about it. You can’t really haul ass if you’re pulling a big piece of the pick across the strings, can you?

Also, doing this can make the string start flapping too much and, if you’re not careful, that starts messing up the pitch of the note.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that you pitter around and play wimpy. I’m just saying that it’s a good idea to “choke up” a little bit on your pick, clasping it a little bit closer to its pointy tip, so that too much if it isn’t sticking out past your fingers.

The ups and downs of picking

To make sure I get maximum chunk happening on the palm muted low-string sections of a riff, like the pre-verse riff of Revolution Is My Name (Reinventing the Steel), I play ’em using downstrokes only.

Actually, that first bar, which is eighth-note triplets played at around 140 beats per minute, as in Figure 13, is pretty close to my breaking point. If it were any faster, I’d probably switch to alternate (down-up) picking. I’d imagine that’s true for most people… unless, of course, you’re James Hetfield! That dude is the king of down picking, no question about it.

As I’ve said a lot of times in interviews, I don’t necessarily try to play everything using just down picking as a rule anyway, because I do a lot of up picking in songs like Cowboys… and whatnot. Although downstrokes are more consistent, mechanical and machine-gun like.

But sometimes I feel I can get more chunk and grind by using upstrokes too, so I’ll alternate pick. Upstrokes definitely have a different attack than downstrokes, and this can suit certain riffs better.

One of the cool things about upstrokes is, when you’re doing them on your low E string, you can dig in deep with your pick and hit the string real hard without having to worry about hitting another string.

Also, the way I do upstrokes is almost like I’m doing a pick scrape. As opposed to just picking straight across the string, I kinda drag the pick across it to get a “scrap” happening just before the note sounds.

Pick scratching, not scraping

When I play live, I jump around like an idiot for 90 minutes under a lighting rig that’s hotter than hell. This makes me sweat like a pig and makes it really hard to keep a firm grip on my picks, even those that are supposed to be non-slip.

Losing control of your pick on stage sucks, so either I or Grady scratch some deep Xs into both sides of my pick (see photo above) with something sharp like a dart. Doing this makes your picks look like shit, but at least you won’t look like a nincompoop when you drop one in the middle of a solo!

Learning from others by listening

Some folks tend to get really intimidated when they come across someone who really rips on guitar. But not me, pops. I get inspired! As far as I’m concerned, playing is not a competition. Hearing someone smoke always lights my fire and makes me try out new ideas and learn new shit.

I don’t sit down with a pile of records and try to cop licks, though. What I’m into is checking out the player’s overall vibe and approach and learning from that. Use your ears and learn all you can from anything. Listen!

Pinkie power and EVH

When I first started playing guitar, one of my biggest influences was Eddie Van Halen. I kept seeing pictures of him doing big-assed left-hand stretches, and that inspired me to start dicking around with some wide-stretch ideas of my own, like the two E minor licks in Figures 14 and 15.

Another thing I learned from studying those pictures was the importance of my little finger. It’s there, so use it! It definitely gives you more reach!

Awkwardly cool symmetrical runs

As I got to know my guitar neck better, I realized that there was an E note at the 19th fret on the A string – HOW ’BOUT THAT! Then, when I was jamming around one day, I thought to myself: “Hey I know some wide-stretch E minor licks (like the one in Figure 15) that also use the 19th fret, why don’t I try moving that fingering pattern idea across each string, from high to low, until I finish up on the E note at the 19th fret of the A string (Figure 16)?”

Since the fingering pattern in Figure 16 is exactly the same on each string, a lot of guys call this kind of thing a symmetrical run. It’s simple, but cool. To be honest, I have no idea what the hell scales this run uses because I’m not a cat that’s heavy on theory.

All I know is it sounds awkwardly cool in the key of E minor, and that’s all that matters. Listen closely and let your ears decide what notes are right or wrong! Anyway, because this idea worked, that’s how I got into futzing around with symmetrical runs in a major way.

Rut busting

Whenever you feel like you’re stuck in a playing rut, always try and remember two things: one, you ain’t the only player that gets hit with this shit; we all go through it from time to time. And two, you’re not always gonna be stuck there, so don’t freak out!

The only way that’ll happen is if you let it. So don’t get bummed out and go, “Fuck it, I quit!” That’s a dumb-assed, loser attitude. Instead, get to work, man. If you want to get out of a rut bad enough, you will. But it’s up to you. No-one else is ever gonna do it for you.

Fatherly advice

One day, when I was learning to play guitar, I was stomping around the house all pissed off because my playing was in a bit of a rut. My dad, who’s a great guitarist, said something that I’ve always remembered.

He asked me, “can you learn a new lick today?” I said, “of course I can.” Then he said, “well son, if you decided to learn just one new lick a day, how many would you have at the end of the year?”

Think about it, man! The possibilities are staggering. Shit! If I knew a lick for every beer or Black Tooth I’ve had, I can’t even imagine how much extra knowledge I’d have!

The importance of others

To me, a sure-fire way to get into a rut is to sit around and play by yourself all the time. You’ve gotta get out there and jam! You don’t have to necessarily be in a band. All you need is a couple of buddies who play.

And they don’t have to be guitarists either, jamming with a bassist or a drummer is cool. Jamming with other people creates energy and excitement. You can feed off that, and it will help push you to do things you’d never dream of by yourself.

Be yourself, by yourself

If you have no buds to jam with, you can always record a rhythm part yourself and then wail a lead over it. I used to do that all the time. Don’t always jam over the same sort of stuff though, or you could fall into a rut.

Whenever I’d get tired of soloing over heavy riffs in E, I’d come up with something in a completely different key that had a completely different feel to it. Sometimes a change of mood and key can help you find fresh lead ideas. This laid-back, bluesy B minor riff in Figure 17 is a good example of what I’m talking about here.

Signing off

Hopefully I’ve helped open some ears and eyes! Let all the ideas I’ve put in your heads come as they will – subconsciously and naturally. And remember. It’s all good; everything goes; and there ain’t no damned rules nor boundaries. So, get off! Tear it a fresh ass. Tear it hard. Rip gaping holes in it. Make tracks – leave marks!!!

Forever, Stronger Than All.

Pantera-obsessed YouTuber Kayla Kent has shared a demo of her new band in the hopes of finding a singer – and she channels the spirit of Dimebag with grace and power.

Her hero-mirroring talents even saw her in the running to be part of Pantera’s much-anticipated reunion, eventually losing out to Dimebag’s close friend Zakk Wylde.

Perhaps Kent's near-miss has inspired her to push her chops down a more creative avenue, however, with a new band in the works. The shredder shared a demo of their first song, entitled Big Groovvy, and it sounds like an unreleased cut from Reinventing The Steel, full of sleek turns, chunky power chord riffs, and squealing licks.

The tone is impressively close to Dimebag’s signature scooped sound, and there’s a delicious wah-soaked solo for good measure.

It certainly fills the void Pantera left – even if former producer Sterling Winfield says it's “entirely possible” the current tribute lineup will release new music.

However, Kent’s new venture is currently missing one vital ingredient.

“I really don't want to do this this way, but I pretty much have no choice now,” she says in a new video. “In my two years of experience doing covers on YouTube, I get asked constantly 'Where's all your original music?'”

“We're primarily focused on just writing bangers,” she continues. “We're looking for someone who has the same thing in mind. The music that we wanna write is exactly as you'd expect. I like metal that has grooves and hooks, and that's what we're gonna set out to make.”

As much as her unwillingness to go public with her search is understandable, it isn’t a bad move, either. The Smashing Pumpkins did exactly the same thing when looking for a Jeff Schroeder replacement. An incredible 10,000 guitarists applied with Kiki Wong emerging victorious.

She points out that she has been publishing original music content on her channel, but after making “cute indie tracks” with the help of Garage Band MIDI drums, she's ready to go full-bore metal with a proper band.

The foundation for the band comes from herself, and her friends Matt and Renee on bass and drums, and, impressively, they've been jamming for 30 years now.

“In that time we've written some really cool stuff, but it's remained unfortunately unfinished because we don't have a singer,” the guitarist expands. “I've been trying to find a singer in private for a while now, and I've been really disappointed. Finding a singer is really fucking hard – it took years for Pantera to find Phil [Anselmo] after Terry [Glaze] left the band.”

Kent, then, is on the hunt for an “aggressive” vocalist who “fits the same vibe that we do”. However, the trio isn't looking for the band to take over their lives, with gigs here and there, the only real goal.

Kent may not get quite as many singers applying, but it is likely to make her search much easier.

Singers who like the sound of the project can email their audition tapes (read: WAVs) to kaylakentplaysguitar@gmail.com with the subject ‘BIG GROOVY AUDITION’.

Last year, Kent’s online fanbase helped her build her own Dime-honoring Kramer guitar after the luthier refused to get involved with her project, and the results were pretty damn impressive.

One of Dime’s many great recorded solos, the one in Floods – from Pantera’s The Great Southern Trendkill – is one of the most celebrated and beloved. And we’re not just talking about his stunning, emotive lead break in the song.

Let’s not forget about Dime’s hauntingly catchy a capella outro passage, which he painted with moody musical perfection on a sonic thunderstorm tapestry.

In fact, when Zakk Wylde plays this arpeggiated outro live, it’s one of the most emotional moments of the electrifying Pantera Celebration concerts. And the enormous impact the outro has on the sold-out arena crowds is made even more powerful by the video montage of the late Abbott brothers, Dime and Vinnie, that’s projected on-screen while Wylde pays homage to his dear friend.

Built around what Dime would refer to as “the Police chord,” in reference to the wide-stretch,“spread-eagle” root-5-add9 chord shape guitarist Andy Summers used extensively in Message in a Bottle, you may have noticed that the Floods outro has a different tone from the rest of the track.

To find out why, read on. I’ll briefly set the scene and then let Dime flush out the Floods outro backstory, one that I keep in my “You just can’t make this shit up” file.

It was about 5:30 in the morning and I was pulling an all-nighter, working on a crunch deadline for the Dimebag “Destroyer! Pantera Returns” cover story for the June 1996 issue of Guitar World. I was busy transcribing the tapes of the lengthy interviews I’d done with Dime at “Camp Strapped” (his nickname for his Texas home), when the phone rang.

“What freaking jack-off would call me at this time of the morning?” I thought to myself as I hit the pause button on my tape recorder and listened as my answering machine picked up. To my amazement, the voice I heard was the same one I was transcribing – it was Dime!

“Hitchcock! Pick up the damned phone,” he shouted. Needless to say, I took the call immediately.

“Nicolas Cage! [one of Dime’s nicknames for me, alongside “Hitchcock”] I’m sorry to call you at such a fucked-up time, but I need your help!” he said. “We’re in New York mastering the album, and I need to re-cut a part this morning. Trouble is, I don’t have any of my shit with me. Is there any way you can get a guitar and a Korg G3 [a digital multi-effects pedal Dime not only liked but endorsed] to me by 9 a.m. today?

“I wrote down Darrell’s hotel room number, the studio address, plus the tuning and string gauges he wanted and promised I’d do everything I could to make it happen. Dime said a Les Paul would definitely do the trick. The only problem was I’m a left-handed player, so one of my guitars wouldn’t cut it, and I didn’t have a Korg G3 at home either.

I poured through my address book and was lucky enough to get ahold of Steve Pisani from Sam Ash Music on 48th Street in New York City. Not only was Pisani fine with me calling him at home (I was nice enough to wait until 7 a.m.) at the crack of dawn, he also was happy to help and stepped up to the plate like the true champ he is.

As a result, a Les Paul (set up and intonated for Dime’s string gauges and tuning) and a G3 were picked up and delivered to the mastering studio by 9 a.m., per Dime’s plea. Phew! If you’re reading this, Mr. Pisani, thanks again; you rule, my friend!

Scene set. As promised, I now hand this over to the words of the late, great Dimebag Darrell, as they will fill you in on the “before and after” segments of this unusual tale.

“This is a pretty good story,” laughed Dime when we chatted about it a few days later. “What happened was this: I remember I was all buzzed-up at the studio one night while we were recording Floods.

“It was really late, and I’d been working all night, but I just wanted to record that ending part that goes over the rain, so that I could hear how it worked with the song as a whole. So I just grabbed this guitar that was lying in the corner and laid the part down on tape in one take.

“The trouble was, that guitar was way out of strobe [intonation] and I remember it sounding kinda sour and messed-up when the part starts to go higher up the neck. I heard it right away, but I didn’t care at the time because I had intended to go back later and re-record the fucker on a properly strobed-out [intonated] guitar. All I wanted to do at the time was hear how the part fitted before I crashed for the night. Somehow, though, like a jackass, I forgot to fix the thing!

“So, there we were, sitting in the mastering suite in New York. I hear it and go, ‘Oh, fuck, I forgot to fix the son-of-a-bitch… I can’t live with that.’ I just plain freaked out. I mean, how could I possibly let such a sour-sounding, outta-tune thing slip by?

“We were on a really tight production deadline, and it was really late, but I had to redo it, no matter what. So, we worked through the night and mastered pretty much everything except that one song. Then we split to get a few hours of sleep before finishing up, and that’s when I called you.

“First thing in the morning, a runner came into the studio with the loaner guitar and the Korg G3 pedal you’d set up, and I went, ‘Okay, I’m gonna record it straight to my DAT [Digital Audio Tape] machine and then we’ll fly it in.’ This dude from the record label was there and was totally freaking out.

“His voice was all shaky, and he went, ‘You’re gonna record a part when we’re mastering? You can’t do that! It’s never been done, and I have to have the whole album finished up immediately. There’s a car waiting downstairs and it’s gonna leave in 45 minutes with the mastered album to get it printed. You don’t understand – it’s the Elektra way! We have to have it right away!’”

“I said, ‘No dude, you don’t understand! This is the Pantera way – whatever it takes!’ I set up my shit in another room and went to record the part, but this dickhead from the label had gotten me all wound up. There I was, early in the morning, hungover, trying to record this laidback, mellow part when I was anything but laidback and mellow.

“It just wasn’t clicking. So I slugged back a few beers and a Blacktooth Grin or three [one of Dime’s drinks of choice, consisting of a healthy dose of Crown Royal or Seagram’s 7 whiskey with a splash of Coke], got in the groove and went for it again. I plugged straight into the G3 and played the part two or three times, direct to DAT.

“I then took it into the mastering room, got Vinnie to choose the one he liked the best, and we flew it in. And the record company man got the finished album on time, too. Goddamn! That’s one hell of a story, even though I say it myself!”

“With Pantera the thing is that their crew was such an important part of the band,” says legendary Pantera producer Terry Date. “They were like family, too.”

If you’ve seen the infamous Pantera “Home Videos,” you know just how true Date’s statement is.

As you can see below, we managed to track down a few of the original Pantera road crew to ask them what made Dime a true one-off.

Grady Champion (Dime’s guitar tech)

“Dime was just so special – not only as a guitar player, but also in the way he treated people. It was always next level. Nobody was a stranger, everyone was a friend. And his playing was pure passion and skill.

“He always played from the heart and soul, and I don’t think that’s lost on anybody who listens to him play. As a guitarist and a guy, he was absolutely the complete package.”

Guy Sykes (tour manager)

“I think the biggest thing is the way Dime plays with so much feeling. Every note just resonates. It’s as if he took Jimmy Page, Brian May, Eddie Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Ace Frehley, Billy Gibbons and so many more and threw it in a blender with his own unique playing style and a bit of Texas shuffle. His playing seems vaguely familiar but is absolutely unique.”

Sterling Winfield (ex-bass tech, engineer and co-producer of Reinventing the Steel)

“As Eddie Van Halen said, Dime was an original. It takes an original to know an original; Eddie recognized that, and I think we all knew it, too. I think things like that endure; they stand the test of time.

“All these people you hold in high regard – Eddie, Hendrix, Page, Clapton and Iommi – they’re originals; and I think there’s a continuing timelessness to any original, when you hear them, you immediately know who it is.

“The same is true of Dime; when you hear that sound and that style you immediately know it’s him. That’s why Dime endures; no-one did it before him. A million afterwards, but no-one before him.”

Sonny Satterfield (lighting director)

“I first saw him at a very young age. He was 16 or 17, and he was already jumping on people’s tables with cocktails on them, flipping the guitar backwards while playing it; what a showman and an amazing player he was. He was doing all these tricks while playing the songs and licks perfectly. So, even back then I knew he was destined for greatness.

“I think that just like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen, his legacy is going to carry on for generations, because Dime is in the same category as the other four gentlemen I just mentioned.

“His playing and his music stand the test of time – you can see it at the Pantera Celebration shows today. Me and Grady are there, and we see guys our age with their kids and their grandkids! And the 9-year-old is rocking out with their 60-year-old grandpa!”

• Special thanks to Rita Haney for her help gathering quotes.

It has been 20 years since we lost one of the electric guitar’s all-time greats, Dimebag Darrell.

We have been celebrating his legacy, asking a host of star players why he remains so relevant today, two decades on from his untimely passing.

But the mission for this article was simple: ask as many of Dime’s friends, bandmates, peers and evangelists to spotlight their favorite Dimebag Darrell guitar solo. Here are their answers.

Zakk Wylde

“Walk, just because, like with Randy’s stuff, it’s so memorable and the note selection is so great. You could play Dime’s Walk solo to anybody, and they’d go, ‘Oh, man. This guy’s great.’”

Kerry King

“I’m sure most readers know I had a guest slot on Goddamn Electric [from Reinventing the Steel]. And no, I’m not picking my own! I always told Dime I had no business playing on his record.

“My spin is this: Every time Pantera came through my town, or I was in a place they were playing in the ’90s, I’d go up and play Fucking Hostile with them, and it wasn’t too long before I started playing that lead. So I’m going to go with that one because I got the chance to play it with them, and it was fun as hell! Thanks to Dime for being so unselfish!”

Alex Skolnick

“This Love. I’m sure it would have been easy for him to just wail a bunch of licks over the heavy riff; instead, he took the challenge of playing over the clean verse section. Although the dynamic is softer, he still plays a ‘screaming’ solo with effective use of space and melody, capturing the intensity of the song.”

Rob Halford

“Darrell’s solo in Cowboys from Hell hit me like lightning with his totally personalized sound and phrasing that leaves the hooks and melodies ricocheting in your brain.”

Nita Strauss

“I love the classic Cowboys from Hell solo – so much so, in fact, that we cover this song with my solo band! It’s melodic, shreddy and super-fun to play.”

Phil Anselmo

“The Sleep. It’s long and has so many interlocking moments of intensity throughout.”

Rex Brown

“Planet Caravan. He thought it sucked, and I told him to leave it alone, so he comped it and stayed with that one. I was literally in tears.”

Ola Englund

“The Sleep shows the hunger of a young Dimebag before he took over the world. It has everything – melody, shredding, drama and tone – and [is] filled with all the Dime tricks. It’s a perfect example of Dimebag playing from his heart.”

Mark Morton

“The solo in 10’s from The Great Southern Trendkill, which is probably their most underrated album. It’s just sort of bluesy, and I think it exemplifies Dime’s genuine understanding of blues guitar.

“But it still sounds like him playing; his touch and his voice on the instrument remain ever apparent. It’s a really bluesy solo – and then he plays over the change into this soaring, kinda major lick that rides over the chords, and it’s just such a beautiful, memorable moment.”

Blues Saraceno

“Cowboys from Hell. As soon as I heard the first track on that album, I knew it was game on!”

Ritchie Faulkner

“Walk has the perfect blend of bluesy swagger mixed with those killer slides and bends that make it 100 percent Dime. Classic, flawless execution and original. Him in a nutshell, really.”

Jose Mangin

“Domination. That solo and breakdown is the most significant guitar part of any Pantera song. It’s hard to look beyond that solo. I love Floods, too, and I know he loved that one; hell, he had that one in his back pocket since he was a teenager. But I still keep coming back to Domination. It will forever be ingrained in my metal heart and soul.”

Mark Holcomb

“10’s from The Great Southern Trendkill. There are so many underrated late-era Dime solos because I don’t think he was concerned with cramming in as many notes as possible anymore. Cowboys and Vulgar had some iconic solos, but from Vulgar onward, he started to mess with effects, dissonance, minimalism, these big, cartoonish bends and really wide, exaggerated vibrato.

“The 10’s solo exemplifies all of that; the entire thing just drips emotion, feel and confidence. He played with a lot more soul than he got credit for, and this solo illustrates just how perfect his feel was. Putting just the right amount of touch on those slow, wide bends is one of the [hardest] things to do – and Dime could do it effortlessly.”

Matt Heafy

“Floods. You feel every note played in this solo. You feel the emotion as if it were a person singing you the very notes being so emotionally wrought from the strings.”

Scott Ian

“Floods has got it all. In a catalog of fantastic solos, this is the one that moves me the most.”

Gary Holt

“Cowboys from Hell. Signature song, signature solo, my favorite work of his. And I’m ultra partial to that first record since we took them out for their first tour for that along with Suicidal Tendencies. What madness that tour was!”

Charlie Benante

“Floods and The Sleep are two really emotional leads that always hit me hard. The way he expresses it through his Dean was just so him. His personality was this larger-than-life party figure, but he was one of the warmest, generous and loving people I knew. I think that side of him comes out a lot in his playing.”

Bill Kelliher

“A New Level is a bluesy, speed-metal, articulated shred-fest that will leave your jaw on the floor.”

Chris Caffery

“The Sleep is un-Dime-niable! I think it’s probably one of my favorite guitar solos, ever. Like Summer’s Rain by Savatage and Hotel California, it’s right up with my favorite guitar solos!”

Grady Champion

“We’ll Meet Again, which is on Power Metal [Pantera’s fourth independent album; released in 1988, it was the first one with Phil Anselmo on vocals]. That one hit me hard because it was just so melodic and heartfelt. You could just close your eyes and it fitted the song perfectly. All his solos blew me away, but that one just stuck to me for some reason – and has done since 1988!”

Jake Bowen

“Throes of Rejection is often overlooked. It’s played over several weird rhythms and doesn’t have too many traditionally melodic moments that Dimebag solos are known for. It’s unpredictable and dissonant at times, but it still remains groovy and tasty.

“My favorite moment of the solo is when you think it’s reaching its climax; it fakes you out and goes into a second section, finally culminating into a flurry of licks with drum fills to match. It sounds like pure chaos.”

Ben Eller

“His phrasing in Cemetery Gates is so lyrical. He plays over the changes beautifully, and it builds perfectly with just the right amount of shred toward the end. Classic!”

Frank Bello

“He told stories in his solos. He had all this technical greatness and could speed up with the best of them, but then he had those beautiful bends. It’s gotta be the solo in Floods because it’s just so tasty, and he was telling this really beautiful story in it.”

Kayla Kent

“Psycho Holiday. The whole song is my favorite groove to jam to, and the solo is the pristine cherry on top. Not many solos can hold their own without a rhythm guitar track underneath, but that solo definitely can.”

Satchel

“Let’s go with Psycho Holiday, ’cause it makes my nipples hard.”

CJ Pierce

“Floods is such an epic song, and the solos have so much depth and feel. Dime was a genius and played with such passion. That definitely comes through on Floods.”

Chris Broderick

“I’m Broken starts off with some country bends straight into a diminished riff! Who else could do that except Dime? And he follows it up with this crazy descending intervallic sequential riff, into sliding 3rds. So cool! Need I say more?”

Guy Sykes

“The Sleep has so much feel and is one of his longer solos. There were so many amazing solos on that record, and it gave the world the perfect introduction to just how talented Dime was.”

Dean Zelinsky

“Cemetery Gates. It’s a guitar-playing masterpiece. You can’t just talk about the solo without mentioning the playing that leads up to it; it’s a crescendo of fine playing that sets up this incredibly tasteful solo. Melodic playing was clearly in Darrell’s wheelhouse – and what he laid down when recording.”

Rabea Massaad

“I’m Broken is filled with a bit of everything – wild bends, licks, attitude, bluesy moments, chromaticism, tension, release and the big victory bend at the end!”

Dave Davidson

“Throes of Rejection is dripping with attitude, and the licks are blazing hot. This solo combines the best elements of what make a great Dime solo. It’s got memorable phrases, but it also has those inhuman sections where it sounds like he’s flying by the seat of his pants, ready to go off the rails at any moment – but it always stays perfectly in the pocket.

“From a compositional standpoint, it’s cool to hear what the rhythm section is doing underneath Dime’s solo. They keep building up in intensity, adding different layers and feels that all climax leading back to the chorus. It’s truly awe inspiring and speaks to Dime’s ability to not just write great solos but to also write great rhythm parts to solo over.”

Attila Vörös

“The Official Live: 101 Proof version of New Level. That was my first Pantera song and album (I was 11 at the time), and it changed my life. That solo speaks to me; it’s heavy, cheeky, funny and super-energetic, and it gives me the energy like nothing else.”

Phil Demmel

“Rise. It’s such a rad blend of 1/4, full and 1 1/2 bends. The Floyd Rose magic dives and pulls that follow the syncopated fills in the riff. All that coupled with the drum/bass accompaniment gives it such a live feel.”

Tommy Victor

“Drag the Waters. I like the way it starts out on its own during a break and then into a breakdown. It kind of reminds me of an old-school-type solo like Jimmy Page. It’s not all shredding; it’s got this biting blues thing going on. Very cool and very different.”

Jon Donais

“I heard The Sleep on the radio last week, and I didn’t want the lead to end. That’s a lead that just takes you away. It has skill, feel and is just as important as the rest of the song. A grade-A lead in my book.”

• Special thanks to Rita Haney for her invaluable help on this one!

As most longtime Dimebag devotees know, Rita Haney (aka “DimebagzHag” – her word, not mine!) was Darrell’s longtime soulmate and partner in crime. Since Dime was so tragically and senselessly taken in 2004, Haney has dedicated her time, energy, and passion to keeping the flame of his memory and legacy burning brightly.

Haney has been at the epicenter of Dime Hardware – the official online Dimebag Darrell merchandise shop – and the hugely popular (and annual) Dimebash and Ride for Dime charity events.

She’s also the driving force behind the recent release of the Dime Signature Warhead mini amp and Blacktooth Beverages, makers of the Dime-branded 7-Year American Rye Whiskey and other concoctions. And there are more official Dimebag offerings pending, including the much-talked-about line of Dimebag Guitarz.

If that’s not enough, Haney and her crew have been omnipresent at the popular Dimebag Hardware booth at major rock festivals for the past 15 years.

What drives you to keep Dime’s memory alive?

“For one, I think it’s easy to love Dime, and that’s the one thing I know I’m good at! And two, because of everything he did for me and what an incredible life he gave me. There were so many things he wrote down, designed, and recorded about what he wanted to accomplish; I have all that, and I don’t just want to let them sit there and go away. I want him to still be able to achieve all of his dreams. I think that’s what drives me.

“Plus, I fucking love it! I love being surrounded by anything that’s about him – it makes me feel like he’s still always here with me. It’s wonderful passing on anything about Darrell to fans old and new. He was an incredible person, and it’s the best damned job in the world to get to talk about him all day and all night! And it hasn’t slowed down any since we first started doing this; if anything, it feels like it’s increased.”

“I know it sounds weird, but there was this magic bubble around Dime, and it’s hard to describe how his presence could make you feel. No matter how shitty or boring the place was, his vibe was so alive… and it still is. Having that vibe around you just made you happy, and it still does when I talk or think about him.

“Sometimes the day ain’t going quite like I want it to, but whenever I think of him or do something about him – like this interview [Laughs] – it always puts a smile on my face.

“The key thing is finding that speck of beauty in the ugly. No matter what it is, you can always find something; that was the most valuable life lesson I learned from Darrell, because that’s how he lived his life.”

In 1990, a band from Texas unleashed their debut major-label release upon an unsuspecting metal-loving world. That band’s name? Pantera. The album? Cowboys from Hell.

The result was a sizable and powerful wave that quickly grew into an unstoppable tsunami once the band’s next two long-playing salvos – Vulgar Display of Power (1992) and Far Beyond Driven (1994) – hit the streets. At the epicenter of this Texas tornado was a six-string whirlwind who many consider to be the world’s last true guitar hero, a guy named Darrell Lance Abbott. He was better known as Dimebag.

Armed with a solid-state stack, an ungodly amount of gain and an angular Dean ML ax adorned with a lightning bolt, Dimebag took the guitar world by storm with the help of his fellow cowboys from hell, Vinnie Paul (drums – and also Dime’s brother), Rex Brown (bass) and Philip H. Anselmo (vocals).

And as jaw dropping as his highly creative, lightning-fast chops; innovative whammy bar work and searing yet soulful soloing was, the ace up Dime’s sleeve was his world-class riff-writing ability. Coupled with Pantera’s patented and genre-creating “power groove,” riffs-ridden songs such as Walk, Mouth for War, Becoming, 5 Minutes Alone, Cowboys from Hell and This Love are rightly hailed as timeless metal classics.

Sadly, after a live album – Official Live: 101 Proof (1997) – and two more studio offerings – The Great Southern Trendkill (1997) and Reinventing the Steel (2000) – Pantera unceremoniously imploded and parted ways in 2003. Dime and Vinnie went on to form the criminally underrated Damageplan.

Then, on December 8, 2004, a previously unthinkable, inexplicable nightmare happened. A deranged lunatic managed to get on stage with a firearm and take Dime’s life while he was playing. Millions of metal fans across the globe mourned in a state of shock and disbelief.

Thanks to his influential playing and timeless riffs, Dime’s legacy not only lives on, but continues to inspire new generations of aspiring guitarists. Darrell’s work also still impacts many of his friends and peers, to whom we posed the following question: “Why is Dimebag still so far beyond relevant 20 years after his death?”

Here are their answers.

Alex Skolnick (Testament)

“Dimebag is relevant for many reasons, but I think the one that best describes it is Pantera’s album title, Reinventing the Steel. By the time the band broke through in the early ’90s, most heavier bands were following the Judas Priest/Iron Maiden/Scorpions template of twin guitars.

“This included the ‘Big Four’ of thrash (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax), related acts (Testament, plus Exodus, Death Angel, Overkill and others) as well as the extreme-metal scene spawned by another fallen guitar hero, Death’s Chuck Schuldiner. Yet Dime figured out a way to match the heaviness and intensity of all of our groups – not just in the studio but live – with just a single guitar, creating a whole new approach to riffs and tone.

“Two guitars is still the norm because it’s still so rare for anyone to achieve that kind of heaviness in a single-guitar band. Yet Dime managed to do so, inspiring generations of players in the process.”

Mark Holcomb (Periphery)

“When I first heard Pantera in the ’90s, Dime was the first guitarist I’d ever known of that had the virtuosity to hang with the super-shredder, G3 crowd if he wanted to. Instead, he played in the heaviest band on the planet, and the emphasis was 100 percent on these massive riffs and songs. Then, when he had a window to show off his technical prowess via a solo, he’d just floor it – and it was a reminder of just how insanely gifted he was as a lead player.

“He epitomized the idea of writing powerful riffs and memorable songs, all against the backdrop of having this insane technical ability that he always had in his back pocket. That was a rare combination in the ’90s, but nearly all modern metal bands chase that duality now. It’s cool to be good at your instrument and write really heavy, caveman music, and I think it’s fair to attribute that, in large part, to Dime.”

Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black label society, Pantera Celebration)

“Pantera is and always will be the gold standard of the extreme metal/power groove genre they created. Obviously, Saint Dime sits at the table alongside the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen because, just like them, his playing will always be far beyond relevant.

“He breathes the same rarified air as Tony Iommi and Jimmy Page when it comes to world-class riff writing. Ultimately, I think that’s Dime’s legacy, just like with all the great guitar players we love. It’s what he wrote.”

Kerry King (Slayer, solo)

“Once you establish yourself onto the scene, most people can’t get enough of what you’re doing. And there’s generally a bunch of young axe-slingers looking to unseat you. But with Dime, not only was he taken away from us way too soon, but I’ve yet to see that next ‘it’ guitar guy.

“I’m sure there are some out there, but none that stormed the scene like Dime did. Very much like Rhoads, Eddie, etc., Dime was completely effortless and completely crushing, all at once.”

Rob Halford (Judas Priest)

“Darrell’s style of playing was a badly needed game changer in the guitar world. He created a powerful magnet that drew all kinds of guitarists into his uniqueness. His flair for breaking the mold will appeal to countless generations.”

Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest)

“In addition to having a perfect blend of melody, technique and feel, the whole sound of the band was a massive contrast to the hair metal that came before it. Pantera’s music never felt over produced and was always raw sounding.

“There were some exceptions, but for the most part it was the solos over crushing bass and drums. No rhythm tracks. I think it just made it raw and real. Along with his melodic sensibilities and technique, it stands up to this day.”

Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest)

“Darrell is still relevant because he helped pave the way for a new style of lead guitar playing, influencing many players along the way.”

Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down)

“Why is Dime still relevant? Because he is one of the greatest players of all time, hands down.”

Rex Brown (Pantera)

“Dime is one of the most recognized guitar players of all time. From his tone to his phrasing of his riffs, to the way he incorporated all of it together, it was in a class all of its own. It was so special being there in real time – and that spirit is still shining bright. He was a glowing beacon of light in so many people’s lives with his personality and generosity.”

Marty Friedman

“Dime is more than just a guitar player. He represents a good dude, a happy and fun guy to be around, a bro who lives and breathes guitar and heavy music. He was the opposite of the stereotypical egomaniac guitarist, and that’s what all of us hopefully aspire to be.

“On top of this, his playing is capable of melting your face beyond recognition! He left us with music that brings people immense joy, even when channeled through other super musicians who are compelled to spread his music throughout the world. That makes him extremely relevant in my book.”

Nita Strauss

“I can’t think of another guitarist who has the combination of stellar technique and reckless abandon that was exhibited by the great Dimebag Darrell! That’s something that so many modern guitarists aspire to but can never duplicate.”

Jim Dunlop (Dunlop, MXR)

“He was completely dedicated to his craft – his playing, riffs, arrangements, solos and tone. It was almost like you took Eddie, Randy and Jimi and put them in a blender, but what came out sounded like Dime and no one else.

“He was a master of not only his guitar but his entire rig; he’d take things like the MXR Flanger/Doubler and use it in a subtle but unmistakable way that was instantly recognizable as his sound and no one else’s. His playing took you on a journey, from the brutal sledgehammer world of Walk and Domination to the brooding beauty of This Love and Floods. He’d not only take you there; he’d leave you there – and you were all the better for it.

“Just like Randy, Dime was a master of crafting a melody within a melody, but in his own way. No one sounded or played like him, and no-one ever will. He was so damned pure and honest in everything he’d do.

“He was also one of the coolest people I’ve ever been lucky enough to hang with, and he genuinely loved and respected his fans. He never phoned it in, no matter how tired or hungover he was. He was always ‘on.’ The glass was never half-empty with Dime; it was so full, it was overflowing. You could see it in his eyes at every single show. No exceptions, ever.”

Mark Morton (Lamb of God)

“Dime’s relevance is rooted in his authenticity. Of course, his technical skills were top notch; but it was his ability to blend elements of Black Sabbath power, ZZ Top swagger and Van Halen fireworks into a voice that became uniquely his own that sets Dime apart as one of the greats. We love you, Dimebag!”

Blues Saraceno

“Dime represented all the best parts of all that music we love. The phrasing, passion, imagination, aggression, execution, tone, kindness and fuck-yeah attitude with just the right amount of Texas swing mixed in. Unduplicatable. The Abbott brothers were originals. Anybody who had the good fortune to have them in their lives was better for it. I sure know mine was.”

Jose Mangin (Satellite radio metal ambassador)

“His spirit. His attitude toward life and metal. He left a lasting legacy and was truly the most unique metal personality to ever come from our 54 years of music. His riffs, his music, his passion is what makes Dime still relevant. He’s the greatest metal guitar player of all time, and after all these years the world still feels the same. In fact, I think his reputation is even greater now than it was 20 years ago.”

Cody Jinks

“What will live on, along with Dime’s incredible music, is his love for his fans. As a fan, I saw how important it was to him to treat everyone right. Every day, I try to show my fans the love that Dime showed us. That’s as beautiful as his music.”

Matt Heafy (Trivium)

“Great guitar playing is typically measured in terms of what one can do on lead guitar; but rhythm guitar needs to be equally weighted in importance. Dime had written some of the most iconic rhythm riffs – whether as simple and understated (yet perfect) as Walk or as intricate and unique as the rhythm parts in Shedding Skin or New Level. Dime also wrote some of the most powerfully heavy riffs, like Domination and This Love. The list goes on.

“That doesn’t even scratch the surface of Dime’s lead playing. He was capable of shredding and out-shredding any of the virtuosos of the time while having this incredibly soulful solo style that was emotional, memorable and singable. He was masterful with tone, gear, showmanship, writing, rhythm/lead… He had it all and then some.”

dUg Pinnick (King’s X)

“With Walk, he made one of the most incredibly simple yet complex and groovy riffs that anyone has ever come up with. 20 years later, he’s still inspiring the next generation.”

Gary Holt (Exodus, Slayer)

“The riffs. Riffs live forever. Some of the most gloriously heavy breakdowns and so much more. The man could take three notes and create one of the most memorable riffs of all time, Walk. But also the way he lived – always up for a good time, always positive. People remember that.”

Terry Date (Pantera producer)

“Darrell was an extraordinary talent, somebody whose guitar was part of their body and who was miles above any other player of that genre. When you combine that with Dime’s charismatic personality, that made everybody feel like they were his best friend; it translates over generations. The legend carries on. Dime was totally unique. He was a one-of-a-kind guy.”

Charlie Benante (Anthrax, Pantera Celebration)

“Dime was continuously learning and developing skills and Ideas. He was so ahead of his time that guitarists are still blown away when they hear him for the first time. I don’t think anyone doubts that Dime was one of the last guitar players that revolutionized guitar playing and guitar style.

“For me, he was the rockstar guitar player. Besides Van Halen, it’s him. Dime’s personality was this larger-than-life party figure, but he was one of the warmest, generous and loving people I knew. That side of him comes out a lot in his playing too."

Ola Englund (YouTuber, the Haunted)

“There are guitar players that rip and tear, but few did it like Dime, and that’s why he’s always going to stay a legend. He lived and breathed guitar and poured his heart and soul into his craft. And with that he left a true legacy.”

Bill Kelliher (Mastodon)

“Dimebag will go down in history as one of the most badass Southern metal guitarists of our generation. His distinctive testosterone-driven riffs and face-melting solos will inspire legions of future metalheads to pick up the guitar. He was ahead of his time, bending strings and notes beyond the limits of human aptitude.”

Scott Ian (Anthrax)

“Darrell’s ability, tone, style, approach, musicality, aggression, rhythm chops and smile changed guitar playing in the same way Eddie did a generation before him. Darrell’s sound is unmistakable and his influence on the four decades that came after is inescapable.”

Tommy Victor (Prong)

“The technical proficiency of his playing is undeniable. It was pretty much spot-on consistently. A lot of guys through the years practiced to Dime because he was so good – his rhythm playing and his solos. But beyond that, I think he fused a lot of styles together.

“If you really listen to all his work, there’s blues, there’s old-school metal, there’s thrash and there’s hardcore punk there. Some of that New Orleans sound is in there as well. He accomplished the pure elements of rock into one package.”

Frank Bello (Anthrax)

“Dime was a gift to all us metal fans. I’m proud to say I was a friend of his and got to gamble, drink and tour the world with him. He was a really great person, and I think that’s what I think people miss. I’m glad there are those great videos [that show] how much fun he was to hang out with, because that was all in one package!

“Imagine this: an amazing guitar player, world-class riff-meister and great soloist – and then he’s this great guy on the other side. It draws you in; you were always drawn to Dime.

“It’s fun watching the new generation be turned onto Dime, because there’s a whole new flock of guitar players and metal fans that are finding out about him and wanting to know everything about him. And they should, because Dime was the real deal.”

Dean Zelinsky (DBZ Guitars, luthier, designer of the Dean ML)

“Darrell is one of the most influential players of all time and was also the most genuine person I ever met. He was kind to the core, had a huge heart and loved to entertain. While fans were watching this incredible guitar player onstage, they were falling in love with his infectious persona and smile.

“This transcends the music, it transcends time. He clearly inspired hundreds of thousands, possibly millions around the world to want to play guitar. Everyone wanted – and wants – to be like Dime. He was a pioneer in what metal became. His playing is unmatched, even today.”

Jake Bowen (Periphery)

“We’re living in an age where it seems legendary artists are getting harder to come by. By legendary, I mean artists who breathe unique energy or a signature sound into the scenes they inhabit. Darrell ‘Dimebag’ Abbott was a force on guitar very much in the way Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen and Randy Rhoads were.

“Like the aforementioned, Dime played his instrument in a way that is instantly recognizable, when you hear one note, one bend, or even just the guitar tone you know exactly who you’re dealing with.

“While we wait for the next generation of legendary artists to take hold, I believe people will look back to the past and realize that we had something amazing when Dime was with us. Hopefully the younger generation realizes this and figures out the formula to their own unique sound the way Pantera was able to.”

Satchel (Steel Panther)

“Why is Dime still so relevant? This is a subjective question, and I’m going to give my very opinionated opinion on this, because speculating is what we do when given speculative questions… and also, I give no ducks. And that right there, I believe, is the answer: Dime gave no ducks.

“And he played guitar like he gave no ducks. And that, you kids out there, doesn’t mean Dime didn’t care; he cared about the music, the tone, the riffs, the bends, the vibrato and the motherduckin’ conviction with which he played. That’s why he sounded like a beast every time he picked up a guitar. That’s why he put the time in to become a virtuoso and also why he never hit a bad note – because he played every note with so much conviction that it was impossible for it to be a bad note.

“He ducking cared a lot, but when he started playing, he gave no ducks. He didn’t give a duck who didn’t like it. He didn’t give a duck if it sold a million records. He didn’t give a duck if he never won a Grammy. He gave zero ducks. And he still sounds ducking killer 30 years later. We can all learn from Dime after all these years. Play guitar like you give no ducks. When your teacher asks where your homework is, tell her you have no ducks to give about homework.

“When your mom asks you to clean your room, tell her you ran out of ducks to give about cleaning your damn room. When the IRS shows up at your door looking for your receipts for 2018, tell them to ask someone who gives a duck. Then crank up some Pantera.”

Kayla Kent (YouTuber)

“The vibrato, the hick bends, his insanely clean legato and pick attack. Couple that with his original style in his music with the groove metal, and his original style aesthetically – using exclusively ML‑shaped guitars. He was original at his core in the best way possible, and he always stuck to his guns.”

Ben Eller (YouTuber)

“Attitude will never go out of style! Players like Dime and EVH had a sincerity and ferocity to their playing that will always be relevant and timeless because it’s the real deal, and people can hear, feel and smell [it]!”

Chris Caffery (Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

“There are very few guitarists who actually attached a sound to their legacy. Tony Iommi, Michael Schenker, Eddie Van Halen, Yngwie Malmsteen and Angus Young all had that special quality where it changed the history of guitar and almost created its own category. This is why I use the term ‘un-Dime-niable.’ After he came along and Pantera rose to the top of the scene, there was a new sound.

“Dime placed himself among Hendrix and Jeff Beck and any greats that can be used as one of the ‘he sounds like’ guitarists! Or the ones people will say, ‘I was inspired by…’ 20 years from now I can only see this legacy growing. There is and always will be a Pantera sound and style. Very few bands can say this.”

Chad Kroeger (Nickelback)

“Every generation needs a guitar hero to inspire the new flock of players. Thank God every generation will be able to look back at what Dime did for guitar playing and be able to call him a hero.”

Rabea Massaad (YouTuber)

“His approach to ‘heavy’ is pretty much timeless. The tight, palm-muted chugs and tonal choices in his riffs still don’t sound dated, they just sound heavy! On top of that, I think his style and attitude toward his playing is infectious.

“It was more than just ‘shred,’ he had soul in his playing, attitude and a charisma that made me wanna learn the parts and experience feeling what it’s like to try to play those parts. He influenced a lot of guitar players from more than one angle. Riffs and lead, writing and how to be a stand-up dude with a good attitude to being a guitar player.”

Chris Broderick (In Flames)

“1. His playing had so much of his personality and bravado in it that you can’t help but connect with it in a guttural way.

“2. Between his technical prowess and the unique blend of Texas shred, he and his brother could groove so hard!”

Dave Davidson (Revocation)

“As I sit here listening to Vulgar Display of Power, pondering Dime’s legacy, a few words come to mind. Attitude. Virtuosity. Soul. Dime had all those qualities and more. His blend of aggressive riffing and guitar acrobatics were combined so perfectly that his music continues to resonate with fans of metal, young and old.

“Dime had a unique voice on the guitar; you can hear five seconds of a riff or a solo and can just tell it’s him by his tone and feel. If you’re just picking up a guitar today and want to play metal, you’re going to be influenced by him in some way. His influence was that great on the genre. Thanks for the inspiration, Dime; you changed the way I looked at the guitar.”

Sully Erna (Godsmack)

“Most people would say Dime is one of the best metal guitarists in the world. That’s a bit vague for me. I’d put Dime in the top three against any metal guitarist. But it’s beyond his playing that makes him an icon.

“His character and loyalty as a friend, brother and human being is what separates him miles from any other person I’ve ever met. And when you have talent and genuine care for people and life, that’s what makes you unforgettable!”

C.J. Pierce (Drowning Pool)

“Dime was a one-of-a-kind, natural talent, a completely original musician like no other. His writing style and solos define Southern metal at its finest. I believe it says in the dictionary the definition of metal is Pantera! The music Dime created with Pantera pushed the limits and will forever live on and be relevant.”

Eric Peterson (Testament)

“Dime’s riffs are still heavy hitting, perfect riff frequencies that abduct you to the bone and reflesh you! My favorite thing about his solos is they don’t 'over shred'. They fit the vibe of the songs, and he wasn’t afraid to make some noise, either! Don’t get me wrong though; there is shredding going on when needed, it’s just very well-controlled and always fits the demeanor of the songs.”

Attila Vörös (YouTuber)

“It’s the way in which Dime could express himself through his playing. His riffs and leads are like a language everybody can understand, simply because it’s never just notes being put after one another; it’s always done with intention and depth. Dime was totally real and honest, and people feel that.

“Then, of course, there’s the person he was, which, needless to say, touched and resonated with so many – and still does. Dime was like a big brother, even though I never met him.”

Jon Donais (Anthrax, Shadows Fall)

“Dime is what a I call an MVP guitarist. He had the riffs, songs, solos and the rockstar charisma and presence. It’s rare to find someone who can check all those boxes.”

Phil Demmel (Category 7, Kerry King)

“Dime, EVH, Rhoads, SRV and Hendrix were dedicated to their craft from all angles, including technique, note selection and performance. But it’s the instrument and the equipment that is their conduit to the listener and makes him so relevant. Players are chasing his guitar setup and his tone, and that’s all thanks to him putting in the time to develop that signature sound.”

Billy Graziadei (Biohazard)

“In 20 years, there hasn’t been a single person who comes close to touching Dime. He is to our generation what Jimi Hendrix was to his! Beyond his killer guitar skills and style, Darrell put so much heart and soul into everything he did! He set the bar so high that there will never be anyone that can come close to filling his shoes! He is the best there ever was.”

Rita Haney (“Dimebagzhag”)

“I think it was his outlook on life and his way of life. He was totally genuine, and that came out in every single thing he did, including genuinely caring about people. To me, his 333 percent genuine heart is why he still matters so much today.”

Matthew Salacuse’s cover photo for Guitar World March 2003 is one for the ages. Not only does it capture two of metal guitar’s leading lights, Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell, comrades in arms with their camo signature guitars, it speaks to a more innocent era when such photo shoots could be enlivened by a little mischief – and, yes, some alcohol.

Recollections? Wylde says he can’t remember a thing. But he does remember the whole thing got him in big trouble with wife…

I’m gonna start off with a really dumb question. Why did you choose to use your Camouflage finish, bullseye Gibson Les Paul Custom for this one?

“Come on now, Father Nick! [Laughs] Surely the cover photo answers that one! Dime had this military theme idea mapped out, so I just rolled with it and brought my camo-bullseye Les Paul for beyond-obvious reasons.”

I believe you nicknamed that guitar “Stormin’ Norman” after the Gulf War Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, yes?

“You are correct, sir!”

And, as per your usual pickup MO, it was loaded with your Signature EMG active pickups – an 81 in the bridge and an 85 in the neck position.

“Once again, you are correct, sir!”

You ended up using that guitar to record the outro solo on Reborn from Damageplan’s 2004 album, New Found Power, while you were there. Did you have any idea about that beforehand?

“No. In typical Dime fashion, it was totally off the cuff. He asked me if I’d like to throw down a solo, so we knocked it out.”

A lot of people, including me, were more than a little surprised that you let Darrell dye your beard green, but you went along with it without even a second of hesitation.

“Totally. That was pure Saint Dime comedy, bro. He was such a sweet guy; how could I possibly say no? I just went, ‘Sure, why not? Go for it!’ We had a blast doing that photo session with the painted beards and the camo stuff.”

What other recollections do you have of that day?

“Recollections? I don’t remember any of it! [Laughs] First off, as you know, we were slamming back the Sarsaparillas and adult beverages the whole time we were there, so I had to have a spare liver and pancreas on ice, available at all times. Then I missed my flight, and that’s when the comedy really began; it totally turned into the Keystone Cops at that point!

“I was supposed to fly to New Jersey the next day for the [Christmas] holidays with my wife and kids, but that obviously didn’t happen. I finally made it to Jersey a couple of days later, but I definitely wasn’t getting any foot massages or shoulder rubs for quite some time after that debacle.

“I was in the doghouse, but luckily Dime was able to smooth things over because Barb [Zakk’s wife] could never get mad at him. So yeah, I played the Dime sympathy card on that one. [Laughs]”

A while ago, a limited-edition version of the Dimebag mini Warhead 40-watt head was unleashed – with only 333 being available. Dime evangelist, YouTuber and all-around good guy Ola Englund did a video on the compact crusher, and as hoped, it sounded really freaking good and looked pretty darned good, too. Plus, the price was, er, right. And, as the Swedish six-stringer sensibly predicted, the 333 sold out instantly.

That said, if – like me – you’re a Dimebag Tone Chaser, and you missed out, don’t fret; a regular production model is coming soon, and it will not be limited. In fact, I just got my eager mitts on one. Here’s the skinny.

It’s a one-channel, 40-watt, solid-state head with a series FX loop on its rear panel. Its front panel controls are the “usual suspects,” namely, from right to left: Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Master Volume. On plugging in – without any stompboxes – I was easily able to dial in a nice, tight, Dimebag-like tone with that signature upper-frequency “fry.”

The amp’s fast, punchy response immediately inspired me to butcher all the Dime riffs I know, and I had an absolute blast doing so. Its sleek, black, snakeskin vinyl is a nice touch, too.

According to the Dime camp, this amp is a two-year “labor of love.” Dime’s OG gear was used, and their tonal benchmark/goal was “the Randall RG100 [head] with the parametric and 6-band [graphic EQ] built into the preamp with Darrell’s main settings.” And, obviously, Dime’s legendary tech, Grady Champion, was intimately involved. Respect.

My conclusion? Mission accomplished, team Dime. This is a good-looking, compact, no-frills, Dimebag-inspired tone machine that boasts his iconic signature and a price tag that might surprise you ($529 at the time of writing).

As Champion summed up so succinctly, “Dime would be so proud of us right now. Getcha pull!”

• For more information, head over to Warhead Amps.

Record producer Terry Date has worked with a who’s who of hard rock and heavy metal, lending his expertise and sensibilities to acts like Soundgarden, Dream Theater, Deftones, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit.

However, his work on Pantera’s first four major-label albums – Cowboys from Hell (1990), Vulgar Display of Power (1992), Far Beyond Driven (1994), and The Great Southern Trendkill (1996) – is particularly notable for capturing Dimebag Darrell’s mastery and distinctive tone on record.

As Date reveals in the latest issue of Guitar World, recording Dime's legendary solos was a fairly linear process. However, it did involve keeping an open mind to different tones, and a healthy dose of experimentation to achieve the best result.

“Our basic formula – the way we worked on his solos – was always the same. We would dedicate four tracks [on tape] for the lead and get three really good takes of the whole thing,” he explains.

“We would then go through them and comp the best parts of each of those takes onto the fourth track. It was always a comp situation.”

The super-producer also recalls a memorable anecdote from his studio time with Dimebag, when the Pantera guitarist wasn’t quite achieving the tone he had hoped for and decided to take matters into his own hands.

“I remember one time he wasn’t getting a sound he liked for a solo, so I said, ‘Maybe we get a different pedal.’ Dime goes, ‘Gimme 15 minutes.’ He ran home and came back with a grocery sack full of old, rusty pedals he had lying around his rehearsal place at his mom’s house.

“He just plugged them all in, turned them all on, and goes, ‘How does that sound?’ And, I said, ‘That’s perfect!’” he says with a laugh. “It was that kind of shit.”

For more from Terry Date and the ultimate Dimebag Darrell tribute, pick up issue 587 of Guitar World at Magazines Direct.

Dimebag Darrell’s legendary guitar playing and pioneering heavy metal style is powerful enough to bring a tear to anybody’s eye, but for Rex Brown, the late Pantera electric guitar hero’s playing once made him cry for another reason altogether.

In the new issue of Guitar World, the Pantera bassist and former Dimebag bandmate was asked – alongside a huge array of other big-name guests – for his favorite Dimebag guitar solo.

Brown didn’t have to think hard for his answer, and cherry-picked Dimebag’s lead effort from Pantera’s famed cover of Planet Caravan by Black Sabbath, which featured on Far Beyond Driven in 1994.

However, as he recalls, the solo ended up bringing a tear to his eye when he had to fight Dimebag from cutting it altogether.

“Planet Caravan,” Brown answers when asked. “[Dimebag] thought it sucked, and I told him to leave it alone, so he comped it and stayed with that one. I was literally in tears.”

Brown’s affection for Planet Caravan shouldn’t come as a surprise. In fact, he’s previously spoken at length about just how much he appreciates Dimebag’s display on that particular track, and admitted he had to “leave the room” while he was recording because of how good it was.

Speaking to Tone-Talk in 2022, Brown recalled, “We actually learned the song in about 15 minutes. I played fretless bass on it, and played synthesizer on it. Vinnie played the bongos.

“Now this is very, very important. Dime, when he went to play that lead, the first one, I had to leave the room because it was so fucking good.

“Planet Caravan, it’s like an E9 kind of a chord, and just the way that Dime played, it was the perfect chording for him to play over,” Brown expands. “And the way he put those notes together, just off the fly. You know, he always came in with something, but we cut this so quick that, I think we’d gone out to dinner and he just came back and let it let that one have it.

“It was like... I won't say Eruption, because that changed fucking everything for everyone. But I will say that it was one of those moments for me, of listening to that and being right next to my best friend [who] just played it. So [I] keep that in my heart.”

Visit Magazines Direct to pick up the latest issue of Guitar World, which features a full tribute to Dimebag Darrell.

Heavy metal veteran Nick Bowcott of Grim Reaper fame has reflected on his friendship with Dimebag Darrell, and recalled the time Eddie Van Halen promised to personally paint a Charvel EVH Art Series electric guitar for the Pantera titan.

Dimebag’s respect and affection for Eddie Van Halen is well-documented. Not only did he and his brother, Vinnie, recite the words “Van Halen” before shows together, Dimebag also routinely listened to Eddie’s playing before heading out on stage.

Further still, the Pantera guitarist met Eddie at a Van Halen gig weeks before he was killed during a Damageplan concert, and was later buried with Van Halen’s original black-and-yellow-striped Bumblebee guitar, which can be heard onVan Halen II.

It was a fitting tribute: Dimebag utterly adored that particular guitar. In fact, he loved it so much that, during his meet-up with Van Halen, he asked Eddie and his team if he could buy one of the limited-edition Art Series EVH guitars, which were created by Charvel and inspired by the OG Bumblebee.

Eddie agreed, but under one condition: that he personally stripe it himself.

Bowcott – who worked with Marshall and EVH throughout his career – was a friend of Dimebag’s, and as he explains in a new interview with the Van Halen Stories Podcast, Dimebag phoned him up after the encounter to tell him “the whole story about how great Ed was”.

“He tells me this whole story about how he and Vinnie flew out to meet Van Halen at Eddie’s invitation,” Bowcott begins. “Eddie had just done the Art Series. People were putting in preorders and they sold out instantly because there were only a certain amount of each.

“Dime said to me, ‘If you could get one of those, which one would you get?’ I said, ‘It would have to be a black and white one. What about you?’ He goes, ‘For me, it has to be the Bumblebee,’ because Van Halen II was his record.”

As Bowcott relays, Dimebag then told him how he asked Van Halen’s tech Matt Bruck whether it’d be possible to get a Bumblebee Art Series guitar to add to his collection.

“He said, ‘We were with Matt, and I said, ‘I know they’re all sold out, but if someone cancels and there’s no one ahead of me in the queue, is there any chance I could be on that list for one of the black and yellows? I’ll pay whatever. I know it’s a slim chance, but is that possible?’

“Matt said, ‘Yeah, let me speak to Ed. I'm sure we can put you on the list.’”

Not long after, Dimebag reconvened with Van Halen and Bruck backstage, and was given a piece of good news. He wouldn’t just be getting an Art Series guitar – he’d be getting one personally painted by Van Halen himself.

“[Eddie Van Halen] goes, ‘I hear you want to get a black and yellow Art Series?’ Dimebag goes, ‘Yeah, Ed, but I don’t want to jump the queue. I know they’re sold out, but if someone cancels and there’s not someone ahead of me… I'll pay the full list price, because I know it’s collectible.’

“[Van Halen] goes, ‘Number one, you can have one. Number two, you’re not paying for it. Number three, there’s one condition: you have to come to my house and I’ll stripe it for you personally.’”

As Bowcott notes, the exchange tragically never happened. Mere weeks after that meeting, on December 8, 2004, Dimebag was murdered during a Damageplan concert. At his funeral, Van Halen arrived with the original Bumblebee, which was buried with the late Pantera guitarist.

Recently, Guitar World unearthed the final interview that Dimebag carried out with a local school newspaper.

NAMM 2025: Rex Brown has rejoined Spector as a signature artist mere months after the Pantera bass guitar player launched an Epiphone signature guitar.

The NY-based luthier has championed Brown’s “unparalleled talent,” calling him a “pivotal figure in the heavy metal scene”. Notably, the high-profile return comes after the long-awaited release of his first Epiphone build earlier this year.

The bassist’s low-end contributions were a key component of Pantera’s success, underpinning Dimebag Darrell’s groove metal fireworks. Spector basses were his weapon of choice for the band’s last three records, Far Beyond Driven, The Great Southern Trendkill, and Reinventing the Steel.

Brown switched up his rig for his latter days with Down, the doom-laden project he started with Phil Anselmo in the wake of Dimebag’s death, 20 years ago this December. He pivoted to Warwick for a signature in 2015 and dropped his first Epiphone Thunderbird signature at the start of 2024.

However, when Pantera reunited in 2022, Brown brought his collection of Spector basses along for the ride as he entered his fourth decade of using its instruments, which have starred at the shows alongside his Epiphones.

“Spector Basses have been a staple of my sound since ’93,” Brown beams. “I’ve been fortunate enough to play ’em and beat the hell out of ’em for all of these years. The tonal mixtures of their basses have grown into legend. I couldn’t be happier to come back to Spector after all these years, a company on the cutting edge of brilliance.”

“Rex Brown and Pantera changed heavy music forever, becoming icons in the metal genre,” says Spector’s Taylor McLam, believing it was “instrumental in achieving the band’s signature sound”.

Intriguingly, a final comment from the luthier – “I’m excited to see what we can create as we head into 2025” – and a press tease that says, “This collaboration promises exciting future endeavors, including the development of signature models in 2025” – all but confirms that another Rex Brown signature, perhaps one that harks back to the height of Pantera’s powers, could be in the pipeline.

As for how this all affects his relationship with Epiphone and Gibson, it remains to be seen. Dual-brand partnerships are not uncommon these days, so Brown could perhaps continue to endorse both companies in the new year.

Visit Spector for more.

Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell was never shy about his love of Kiss, and how Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley in particular inspired him to pick up the instrument.

Dimebag even went as far as getting a tattoo of Frehley, in his “Spaceman” makeup, on his chest, and was buried, after his tragic murder in 2004, in a “Kiss Kasket,” donated to his family by Gene Simmons.

Though not quiite as devoted a fan as Dimebag Darrell, Skid Row axeman Snake Sabo was also hugely influenced by Frehley, incorporating the latter's showmanship and swaggering riffing and soloing style into his fretwork with the band.

Both guitarists were recruited by Guitar World in 1993 for a roundtable of sorts with Frehley – before which Dimebag and Sabo even went to the trouble of donning Spaceman makeup themselves.

During the subsequent discussion, Sabo and Dimebag eagerly questioned Frehley about his time with Kiss, his favorite guitar, and his soloing philosophy, while also discussing their own relationships with his playing.

Sabo, echoing many guitarists of his generation, cited Kiss as his “first rock experience.”

“They made me want to play guitar,” he told Guitar World at the roundtable. “In fact, I used to get into fights with kids at school who thought Ace wasn’t as good as Jimmy Page. I’d fight for his honor.”

Dimebag, meanwhile, told Frehley with a laugh, “I used to take the Double Platinum album and trace the embossed pictures inside to see what you guys might look like without makeup.”

On a more serious note, though, just months earlier, Dimebag revealed to Guitar World in a different interview why Frehley's lead break on Shock Me was one of his all-time favorites, and which of its elements he did his best to apply to his own playing.

“Ace is god, and the Shock Me solo is killer,” he said. “The studio version has so much production just in the lead section. I also love the effects on it, especially the phaser on the last note.

“Man, I get all wound up just talking about Kiss! Ace's vibrato is what really grabbed me, and I always try to apply that to my playing. He could squeeze so much out of a single note that one note could take the place of 12.”

Despite their own respective rises to stardom in the '80s and '90s, both Dimebag and Sabo recalled well many years later the permanent imprint Frehley left on them.

“Life happens,” Sabo told Guitar World in 2022, “but there's still that 16-year-old kid within you who wants to stand in front of a mirror with your guitar, pretending to be Ace Frehley.”

After well over a year of waiting, Dimebag Darrell’s legendary Warhead guitar amp – which was at the foundation of the late guitar great’s influential metal tone – has finally been resurrected.

News of the Warhead’s revival first made its way online in July 2023, when it was confirmed Dimebag’s flagship Randall amp would be making a much-anticipated comeback.

However, that initial announcement teased that the Warhead would return at some point by the end of 2023 – a timescale that, obviously, wasn’t adhered to.

But now the Warhead is officially back – but it’s taken on a form that many probably weren’t expecting.

Rather than resurrecting the fully fledged amp head, the Warhead has been reimagined as a smaller, portable 40-watt lunchbox amp, which has been masterminded by KHDK Electronics’ David Karon.

Karon – who worked at amp’s original maker Randall, and had collaborated closely with Dimebag on his amp designs – partnered with Dime’s former guitar tech, Grady Champion, and Rita Haney to make this new Warhead.

What's more, the new Warhead was officially signed off after it was put through its paces and rigorously tested by Zakk Wylde during Pantera rehearsals.

In a launch video, Champion says the compact repro of the original Warhead amp was built by closely studying some of Dimebag’s original gear, and was a true “labor of love” to get over the finish line.

“It’s like having a little piece of Dime with you everywhere,” Champion notes. “Dime would be so proud of this right now.”

Launched under the new dedicated Warhead brand umbrella, the Warhead lunchbox amp arrives with a no-nonsense control set that comprises Master, Gain and Presence parameters, as well as a three-band EQ.

Under the hood, it promises “authentic sound engineering” with the same pre-EQ circuits and identical settings to deliver “pure, unfiltered Dimebag tone”.

“You’re getting the same 40-watt, single-channel, solid-state power amp, crafted with input from Dimebag’s closest crew,” a statement on the Warhead website says. “Building on the heritage of the original early 2000s Warhead, the new mini amp is a heartfelt tribute and a celebration of Dimebag Darrell’s timeless influence.

“More than two years in the making, it is a true labor of love and our homage to the man who has deeply touched all our hearts.”

The Warhead’s original limited launch edition has already sold out, but the standard Black Edition is available to pre-order now ahead of a November shipping.

Notably, the Warhead weighs in at $529, which, by today’s standards, doesn’t make it just a competitively priced high-end lunchbox amp, but also one of the most affordable – and conveniently sized – signature amps you could hope to find.

Head over to Warhead to find out more.

Pantera began life in the early ’80s as a glam metal band, before recruiting Phil Anselmo on vocals and becoming the much heavier band that forged the groove-metal genre. 

Much of the band’s weight can be attributed to Dimebag’s rhythm guitar work. His combination of aggressive tone along with precise muting made way for tight, powerful phrases. 

To fill out the sound, Dimebag interjected high melodic motifs and low, chromatic power chord sequences alongside the main riffs. This brought variety to his rhythm parts while giving the impression of a second guitarist filling in the gaps.  

Get the tone

Amp Settings: Gain 7, Bass 5, Middle 3, Treble 8

For an aggressive tone, use your bridge pickup and add a decent amount of gain on your guitar amp. Dimebag had a lot of bite to his sound, so leave your bass setting at 12 o’clock, cut some of the middle and boost the treble on your amp’s EQ. To keep things tight, turn your reverb off.

Example 1

This study uses swung eighth notes to create a heavy shuffle feel. Alternate picking is used for the main phrases, as this helps to maintain the groove at high tempos. Down picking is reserved to add weight to the chromatic powerchord sequences or single-note lines at the end of each phrase.

Example 2

This study uses eighth-note triplets to establish pace, while the blues scale brings familiarity to the fills.

To get the pinched harmonics in the fourth bar, angle your pick at 90 degrees towards the floor, and brush against the string with the side of your thumb after the plectrum strikes the note. Experiment with where along the string the harmonics jump out best.

Take note of the slides within each phrase, as they maintain the fluidity while changing fretboard position.

February 10, 2024, marked the 20th anniversary of Damageplan’s New Found Power – the only album by brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul Abbott outside of Pantera. It began as Dimebag’s solo album but grew into a band effort when Paul joined on drums, and the siblings brought in vocalist Patrick Lachman and bassist Bob Zilla.

New Found Power was recorded over 18 months at the Abbotts’ Chasin’ Jason studio with help from producer/engineer Sterling Winfield, who had years of experience with Pantera. He’d met the musicians in 1993 and came to know them as colleagues, friends and family – a personal and professional relationship that he describes as “a seamless melding of the two things.

“One minute we were living the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle; the next we were playing putt-putt, going to the movies, or having dinner at home – Vinnie was an unbelievable cook. Dime and Vinnie walked and talked rock ’n’ roll. They were consummate professionals, but they were everyday people, too.” 

Winfield considers New Found Power one of his most difficult projects for many reasons. It received minimal label support and came to a close with the tragic death of Dimebag Darrell on stage with Damageplan in 2004.

20 years on, Sterling Winfield has looked back at the making of Dimebag’s final album, and his friendship with the brothers. What follows are his recollections in his own words.

The making Damageplan’s New Found Power, by Sterling Winfield

Dime had wanted to do a solo project for years. He’d been stockpiling songs and had some good demos. Originally he was going to have guests play on it, and I was excited about the prospect of working with all these different musicians. 

We’d get together at Chasin’ Jason and Vinnie came by every night to see what we were up to. He was like, “I sure want to play drums on this.” Dime would say, “I don’t want it to sound like a Pantera record. This is my record.” They would have these brotherly discussions.

We used a drum machine for some of it and one of Dime’s buddies drummed on one or two songs. Finally, Dime told Vinnie, “I need you, but we’re going to do this my way.” Vinnie was totally onboard.

Whenever Dime and Vinnie got together in the studio, there was an unspoken organic thing that happened. They each knew how the other one worked and which musical direction to head in if one of them got stuck. As soon as Vinnie came in, things started moving forward at a quicker pace.

In 2002, we were about four songs into the project. Down was on tour; Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown weren’t answering calls. It was very odd and it got worse and worse. Things were said in the press; we didn’t know what was going on. 

That was the turning point: the brothers knew they couldn’t move forward with Pantera, and they made the very difficult decision to dissolve Pantera and continue with a new band, which became Damageplan.

It went from, “This is a fun thing we’re doing” – and Dime saying, “This is something I need to do on my own” – to, “Everything just got real serious. This has to be the best we can do.” Which it always was when working with Dime and Vinnie.

The atmosphere in the studio went from jovial to headstrong, tenacious and determined. They wanted to show the world, show the fans, that they could do this on their own.

At the same time there was a lot of sadness. Pantera was Dime and Vinnie’s baby. They nurtured it for a long time, and to not have it there anymore was difficult. On top of that, in the midst of the sessions one of our very best friends, Dave Williams of Drowning Pool, passed away.

We took a month off to deal with the loss, grief and sadness surrounding us. It was a tumultuous time, but musicians and artists know how to channel those emotions into their art.

The album took a long time to finish because there was so much second-guessing and worrying about sounding like Pantera. Dime and Vinnie were unbelievable musicians who could play anything they set their minds to, but many times we had to steer away from what sounded even a little like Pantera. 

We did things intentionally to take the guys out of their comfort zones, but that took longer than what they had done normally for decades. We tried different guitars and amps, along with Dime’s usual Washburns and Randall RG100s, different rig setups, and a smaller drum kit for more punch in the low-end. We tried sequencers and effects for flavors. It was a conscious effort to steer away from anything Pantera would have done.

When the album came out, it had no critical success and it certainly didn’t get any help from the record label. They wanted another gold album from Pantera, but Dime and Vinnie told them at the listening party that there was no more Pantera; this was the direction the Abbott brothers were moving in.

The label did the minimum, probably thinking it would lead them to reform Pantera to continue making money – but that wasn’t going to happen. Dime and Vinnie weren’t doing it for money. They were doing it to prove a point and doing it for the fans.

Pantera fans are brutal. They’re rabid, honest, loyal – and they felt wronged and betrayed that all this bullshit had gone down and they were left with Down and Damageplan. So there was little support for the album from fans or label, with people thinking, “Pantera will be back.” And boy, they were not.

To this day, New Found Power is one of the best things I ever worked on. It’s some of Dime and Vinnie’s best playing, period. I believe it stands the test of time. As disliked as it was by loyal fans back then, today I run into some of them and they’ll say, “I went back and listened, and it’s a badass record. It’s one of my favorites.”

That album is like a time capsule for me. I listen to it and immediately go back to sitting in the studio with those guys. It didn’t sell a whole bunch or get a lot of attention – but I don’t care. I got to be a part of it and I’m still honored.

Dime was taken away from us that year and it was a bad time for all of us. It’s not something you want to remember; it’s not something you want to deal with, but you do. You have to talk about it, otherwise you’ll never get through it.

There’s nothing we can do about the past except try to move forward in a better way, and that’s where I am now. I look back and remember all the fun, happy stuff I got to be a part of. I’m grateful that they welcomed me into their world.

Darrell Lance Abbott was born in Texas in 1966 and was tragically murdered onstage in 2004, age 38. ‘Dimebag’ Darrell made a huge mark on metal between 1990 and 2000, when Pantera popularised groove metal. 

His guitar style features tight, syncopated metal riffing with inventive lead playing. In this lesson we will look at some of the key approaches Dimebag used for his lead work and will focus on fast blues scale-based alternate picking, sweep picking and legato licks, wide stretch shapes and singing natural harmonics.

Example 1 shows two approaches Dime used with the E blues scale (E-G-A-Bb-B-D]. The first half of the lick is an alternate-picked pattern using six repeated notes and some string skipping to add a wider interval jump. The second half employs pull-offs and upward sweep picking for a southern, country-influenced descending pattern.

Our second example demonstrates a wide stretch descending legato sequence. This lick uses a three-notes-per-string fingering by combining two traditional pentatonic shapes, with some additional chromatic passing notes to add some extra colour.

Example 3 shows how a repeating lick can be used to create rhythmic interest. In this case an eight-note melodic pattern is played in a 16th-note triplet feel, which means each repeat of the phrase falls on a different beat.

Our fourth example has an F# Phrygian dominant (1-b2-3-4-5-b6-b7) flavour and focuses on the use of single-string stretches.

For the final example, we look at Dimebag’s trademark harmonics. To perform these, make sure you use a lot of gain and perhaps try Dime’s trick of engaging a wah pedal in the ‘toe forward’ position to help isolate the harmonics. Here we’re on the third string, but the concept works with any string. Start by placing your fretting finger directly over the fretwire at the 5th fret, then pick the string and release the finger simultaneously.

The natural harmonic should sound clean and sustain healthily; although you can use a delay effect to increase the sustain too. The key to clean harmonics is accuracy, with a tolerance of less than a millimetre and the nearer the nut you move, the more accurate you will need to be.

Once you can locate the ‘node’ points you can introduce the whammy bar to add scoops, pitch bends and vibrato to manipulate the harmonic. You could also try depressing the bar to slacken the strings, then quickly returning your whammy bar to its original position. 

The quick ‘snap back’ of the string, coupled with a finger touching the harmonic is the typical Dimebag technique, but will require practice to perfect.

For all the examples, start slow and relaxed, and focus on accurately placing your fingers. Only then you can gradually speed up in small increments in order to build up the required speed and dexterity. 

Get the tone

Amp Settings: Gain 9, Bass 7, Middle 5, Treble 7, Reverb 2

Dimebag’s tone was famously provided by solid-state Randall guitar amplifiers and is characterised by a lot of gain with plenty of low end for punchy palm mutes and boosted highs for cutting pick attack, while the mids are scooped. For our examples, we’ve added a stereo doubler and a subtle chorus pedal in order to widen the sound.

Example 1. Blues scale picking and slurring

Start by alternate picking the initial six-note blues scale pattern, making sure your downstroke is synchronised with your first finger. In bar 2 use upstrokes in a sweep picking motion to play the descending figure.

Example 2. Descending legato

After pulling off with the fourth, third and first fingers on the first string, use a fretting-hand fourth-finger tap to play the 16th fret before returning to the first string and continuing through the wide stretch scale shape in a sequence of three.

Example 3. Sextuplet based blues scale phrasing

This F# blues scale lick is based on a repeating eight-note pattern using even hammer-ons and pull-offs. Play the eight-note pattern in a sextuplet phrasing so the lick moves against the back beat in a rhythmically interesting way. See if the economic picking motions shown work well as you increase from slow to 120bpm.

Example 4. Alternate picking on a single string

Use alternate picking throughout this single-string lick. This example will progressively increase your fretting-hand stretch throughout. Keep your thumb low on the neck (ie in the middle of neck’s back) and experiment with angling your hand to find the most comfortable position for you.

Example 5. Screaming harmonics

Use the first bar to locate the harmonics on the third string and lightly touch the string at the node points indicated, using your pick to sound them. For bars 3-4 use your whammy bar to scoop into each harmonic. You can pick the notes, or use your finger to touch the harmonics too.

It’s fair to say that Kirk Hammett is known for his prodigious wah pedal usage, so much so that the Metallica man has had two signature Cry Baby pedals. However, he recently revealed that, when it comes to studio use, his signature model is not his go-to – that honor belongs to the DB01B Dimebag Cry Baby From Hell wah.

In his recent interview with Rick Beato, Hammett explains that he has a wah collection in the region of 200 units, but is asked if there is one ‘magic’ box that he returns to.

“There is one and I only have one of them and I break it out every single time and go into the studio and it's the Dimebag wah,” explains Hammett.

It’s clear from the interview footage (around 1.19.32) that the unit has special significance for Hammett, who alongside the rest of Metallica, had a friendship with the Pantera man dating back to 1985.

“I love Dimebag. I loved him as a guy, I loved him as a person. I loved him as a player. To do this day, I have a lot of emotions towards him and his brother,” says Hammett.

“But he made a wah that has this pickup selector and you can toggle through all these things. It’s the greatest idea and on top of that, there’s a boost. When I was looking at this wah, I thought that ‘this is the wah I should have made.’

“When Dunlop said, ‘Let’s put out your version of the wah, I really wanted to just copy it, but I didn’t – just out of respect for Dimebag. But that’s the wah for me. It’s the Dimebag wah. It’s the greatest wah that’s ever been fucking made.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Hammett addresses criticism from some guitarists for a perceived over-dependence on the wah, but he remains unapologetic.

“I can't get away from it. I love the wah,” laughs Hammett. “It shapes the notes, like my voice… It’s an easy thing for people to tease me for, but whatever: I fucking love it, I get great results and I think it sounds great.”

Back in June, Hammett recalled his last encounter with Dimebag Darrell, during a fraught festival appearance.

The long-awaited return of Dimebag Darrell’s signature guitars is edging ever-closer, and now thanks to yet another tease from Dean Zelinsky – the man charged with bringing the late Pantera legend's models back – it seems as though plans for guitars’ triumphant return are grander than we first thought.

Zelinsky, the founder of Dean Guitars and owner of Dean Zelinsky Private Label, has been rather forthcoming with the return of Dimebag’s guitars over the past few months. Back in January he posted a picture of a Razorback, along with the not-so-cryptic hint that he was “working on it”.

That was enough to send the rumor mill into overdrive, with many commenters theorizing Zelinsky – the man who worked closely with Dimebag for his initial signature guitars – was indeed reviving the Razorback after Dimebag’s estate sued Dean Guitars.

Said rumors were all but confirmed in a later tease that seemingly showed off the new “Dimebag Guitarz” brand name and logo.

But it looks as though the Razorback – a spiky, modified version of the original Dean ML that Dimebag designed shortly before his death – isn’t the only six-string that’s getting a reboot.

In a now-deleted story (spotted, saved and shared by YouTuber and Solar Guitars founder Ola Englund) Zelinsky showed the body of what appeared to be a Stealth.

The Stealth’s return will no doubt be a highly popular development among Dimebag fans, and one that – in hindsight – seemed perfectly reasonable, perhaps even expected.

After all, there would be no Razorback without the Stealth or the ML. That latter model was first designed in 1977 by Zelinsky himself and would later be popularized by the Pantera guitarist, whose “Dean From Hell” variation of the guitar is one of the most famous six-strings in heavy metal history.

The signature Stealth – which was actually a Washburn model at first – was modeled after the Dean ML, and while not as radical as the later, ultra-pointy Razorback from ‘04, still gave the original template a subtle sharper, angular overhaul.

As such, the Stealth marks a key bridge point between the standard ML and the Razorback, and its inclusion in the upcoming Dimebag Guitarz catalog is certainly a welcome one.

But the Stealth that has been teased by Zelinsky isn’t just notable for this reason alone – instead, the all-new reboot seems to be sporting a laser-etched snakeskin body effect, not too dissimilar to the aesthetics of some of Zelinsky’s other Private Label creations.

We know both a Razorback and Stealth are in the works over at Dimebag Guitarz, but it’s also possible that completely all-new designs are also in the pipeline, too. 

After all, when Dimebag’s estate sued Dean and announced their intentions to produce his guitars elsewhere, a statement from Rita Haney (Dimebag's longterm girlfriend and estate trustee – referenced “Darrell’s guitar notes, lists, letters, and drawings (some not yet released)," and noted they wanted to “see Dime’s words followed through and to have his legacy reach the level he intended."

An official announcement is still yet to be made from Zelinsky or anyone else regarding the new brand, so keep your eyes peeled on Dean Zelinsky’s Instagram page for future teases and updates.

The Stealth isn’t the only piece of Dimebag gear that’s set to be reissued. Last month, it was announced Dimebag's signature Warhead amp will be returning this year.

It’s been confirmed that Dimebag Darrell’s flagship Randall signature guitar amp – the iconic Warhead – is going to be revived later this year.

Now, it’s a pretty bare-bones confirmation, to say the least. The only detail available at the moment is a post on the official Dimebag Darrell site, which directs people to a dedicated Warhead Amps website.

There, an image of Dimebag wielding his Dean From Hell awaits, with the Warhead logo and a tantalizing “coming soon” teaser completing the list of information we currently have to go on.

As we said, there’s really not much to pick at – other than the fact the Warhead actually is returning – meaning there’s still room for speculation as to what form the Warhead will take when it officially arrives.

Dimebag had two versions of the Warhead amp built: the flagship unit and the streamlined X2 iteration. 

While the logo strongly suggests it’s the former that’s set to be reissued (the X2 opted for a flat metal faceplate instead of the logo), it’s worth noting that Dimebag’s tech Grady Champion once told MusicRadar that the guitarist only used the amp for its clean tones.

So, whether the reissued Warhead will be a like-for-like recreation of that original unit or something that combines the two examples, remains to be seen.

Whatever form it takes, it will be reviving one of the most iconic amps in metal history. Indeed, Dimebag had used the Randall RG100, RG100 HT and Century 200, before collaborating with the brand for both the Warhead and Warhead X2. A variety of Randalls can be heard on Pantera's most famous records, including Vulgur Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven.

Either way, those wishing to keep up to date with the amp can sign up to a mailing list on the new Warhead website. 

The Warhead isn’t the only piece of gear from Dimebag’s collection that might be getting a reissue in the foreseeable future. After Dimebag’s estate sued Dean Guitars, it was speculated that the brand's founder Dean Zelinsky – now operating his own brand, Dean Zelinsky Private Label – could be reviving the signature line.

Such speculation increased when Zelinsky shared snaps of a new Razorback earlier this year with the caption, “Working on it”, which followed a post of a custom tour bus that flashed the brand name “Dimebag Guitarz”. Not only that, Zelinsky also had the original Dean From Hell on his workbench earlier this week.

Nothing is official just yet, but all evidence points towards the strong possibility that Dimebag’s Estate has linked up with the former Dean CEO for a new brand dedicated to Dimebag’s iconic guitars.

It’s also becoming more apparent that it is Zelinksy who will be heading up the revival of Dimebag’s signature models as opposed to Zakk Wylde, who once refused to rule out the possibility that his own brand, Wylde Audio, could do the job.

“If we were to ever do something like that, you know, obviously we'd talk with [Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend and trustee of his estate] Rita [Haney] and [ask] whatever she wanted to do,” noted Wylde, who recently wielded a Dean From Hell-inspired Wylde Audio Warhammer.

As such, the best place to keep up to date with those upcoming Dimebag models is Dean Zelinsky’s Instagram page.

The heartfelt words Wylde wrote in his popular Guitar World column, “Brewtality,” in early 2005 sum up his feelings for Darrell as a player and a person. “In my mind Dime was, without question, the best metal guitarist in the world – you’ve got Jimi Hendrix, you’ve got Eddie Van Halen, you’ve got Jimmy Page, you’ve got Randy Rhoads, you’ve got Tony Iommi, and you’ve got Dimebag Darrell. He belongs in those hallowed ranks without any shadow of a doubt. 

“On top of his talent, though, Dime was also a beautiful guy. He was totally devoid of ego, as genuine as the day is long, and also the kindest person I’ve ever met. Every time he walked into a room; he’d light it up like the ray of sunshine he was. Dime was an angel that the good Lord sent down to brighten our lives and make us happy, but now he needs him, so he’s taken him back. 

“I never had a brother, but Dime was as close to blood as possible, and my love for him was, is and always will be beyond unconditional and forever. The bottom line is this: Dime’s influence will be felt forever, and his memory will never, ever die. He lives on in every guitarist’s veins ’cause that’s what guitar playing is: one big brotherhood.” 

And speaking of brotherhood, nearly 20 years later Zakk is now playing guitar on the Pantera tribute/celebration tour alongside Dime’s bandmates Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown with Anthrax’s Charlie Benante on drums. At every show, Wylde wears a denim vest featuring large “St. Dime” and “St. Vinnie” patches on its front. 

Like I said, Zakk definitely wears his heart on his sleeve – or perhaps I should say, his chest.

One of the last times the two of us were together with Dime was for the “Booze Brothers” private guitar lesson that was part of Guitar World’s March 2003 issue. In it, you said hearing a great player inspired you “to wanna practice 24/7, and it still does to this day.” When you were learning Dime’s guitar parts for the Pantera shows, what aspects of his playing inspired you?

“Every single note, Father Nick – every single note! [Laughs] In addition to the hits like Walk, I’m Broken, Cowboys and This Love, we also do some deeper tracks like Yesterday Don’t Mean Shit [Reinventing the Steel], Strength Beyond Strength and Use My Third Arm [both from Far Beyond Driven]. While I was learning them, I realized a lot of the chord changes and note choices Dime would make were pretty dissonant – just for the flavor of the soup, if ya know what I mean.

“I kept thinking, ‘Wow, that was interesting. I would’ve never made that chord change or gone to that note; I wonder why he chose to go there for this section.’ And obviously, some of Dime’s chord voicings are really interesting, too. He used a lot of root/major 3rd, root/minor 3rd and inverted chords instead of just playing a normal root/5th power chord. It’s definitely been a very cool experience.”

Dime also incorporated a lot of chromatic movement and blues bends, which, alongside the traits you’ve just mentioned, helped add extra tension, excitement and darkness to a riff or chord sequence.

“Without a doubt. There are definitely certain little bits of trickery and some Doug Henning [a famous Canadian magician who passed away in 2000] magical things going on in Dime’s stuff. Rex showed me a couple of things I wasn’t 100 percent sure about, like when Dime goes to G# in Becoming instead of a G, which is what a lot of people think he played, and I was like, ‘What sort of sorcery is this?!’ [Laughs]

“It’s all about adding Tabasco sauce or whatever type of flavoring you want – whether it’s cilantro or sour cream. It all depends on what you’re writing and what you’re aiming for. It’s like Tony Iommi putting the flat five in there because it makes a riff sound darker. Whereas Jimmy Page would sometimes use the major 3rd [hums the interlude riff of Bring It on Home from Led Zeppelin II], which is more of an uplifting thing. There is no right, and there is no wrong.” 

How did you approach learning Dime’s riffs and solos?

“I learned Dime’s stuff the same exact way I do when I play with Ozzy, Zakk Sabbath, Generation Axe [with Steve Vai, Yngwie Malmsteen, Nuno Bettencourt and Tosin Abasi] or the Experience Hendrix stuff. You’ve just gotta sit down, do the work and learn how to play the song and solos – whether they’re by Saint Dime, Saint Randy, Lord Iommi or Saint Jimi, plus of course, Jake [E. Lee]. It’s no different. There’s a big difference between listening to and loving a song and actually being able to play it. You’ve just gotta put in the time and work – there’s no iPhone app for that, brother! [Laughs]”

Did you do it the “old school” way by listening to Pantera’s albums with guitar in hand, or did you use transcriptions and videos?

“I did all of the above, including watching YouTube and everything like that. I remember checking out some videos by Ola [Englund] just from Googling ‘how to play’ certain Pantera songs. Back in the day, you’d ask your friends if you couldn’t figure something out.

“Like I call you up and go, ‘Nick, you worked with Dime on his Guitar World column; what’s he doing on this section? I can’t make it out.’ But nowadays you can just go on YouTube and find some slamming player who’ll show you how to play Eddie’s tapping part in Eruption or whatever. So I definitely did a lot of that.”

I imagine the rehearsal boot camps were invaluable. Playing newly learned songs along with the recorded versions is one thing, but performing them in a band situation is a completely different beast, especially when they’re Pantera songs.

“Rehearsing those songs with the fellas is obviously really important; the training wheels are definitely off at that point! [Laughs] Like you said, playing along with the album is one thing, but being able to play those same exact songs by yourself or with other players is completely different. It’s like trying to drive someplace you’ve been before but without your car’s GPS. Good luck with that! 

“For me, it’s a matter of retaining everything: learning all the parts and then remembering how many times they’re repeated before moving on to the next one. I deliberately write Black Label stuff as caveman as possible. But, as you and I know, a lot of Pantera’s material ain’t like that at all; it’s definitely not meat-and-potatoes-type stuff! 

“Once again, you’ve gotta put the time and work in. There is no substitute for that, and there are no shortcuts. You can’t avoid it, Father Nick… you’ve just got to go to your room and do your homework like a good boy! [Laughs]”

And then, of course, there are those stellar solos.

“Dime’s solos are like prime steaks: ribeye, filet, porterhouse, sirloin, New York strip… They’re all different and they’re all great, so bring them all on! It’s kind of like the Ozzy thing, because for me they’re all fun to play. Obviously, I love doing Randy’s leads, but I also get to play the [Jake E. Lee] solo in Bark at the Moon, which is amazing, too. With Dime’s leads it’s the exact same thing. 

“I mean, we start the set with A New Level, and Dime was just shredding through the whole solo – and that’s right out of the gate! Obviously, his solos in songs like Walk and This Love are Mr. Crowley-type leads where you have to play them the way it is on the record. They’re songs within songs, straight from the Saint Rhoads school of song and solo writing.”

To quote Dime from “The Booze Brothers” private lesson you guys did together in the March 2003 GW, “When it comes to leads, Zakk plays a pretty hardcore right-hand game. He picks a hell of a lot more than I do, whereas I tend to slur a lot more than he does. Both approaches are equally cool, though; they just have a different attack and feel.” Did you find that learning his solos made you change your usual picking approach in certain places? 

“As far as picking technique and stuff, I’m more staccato whereas Dime’s more legato. That’s just the way I play. That said, there are certain parts where it has to be legato, so you just do it, otherwise you’re not going to get that sound. If Saint [Allan] Holdsworth wanted to pick every note, he could have, but it wouldn’t have given him the flavor of soup he was looking for. He wanted it to sound breathy, like a saxophone, not staccato.” 

Due to your unique playing style and approach, at the end of the day, you’re always going to sound like you and, in my humble opinion, that’s a wonderful thing. 

“Without a doubt, and that’s the beauty of the guitar. Stevie Ray Vaughan playing Voodoo Child sounds like Stevie Ray Vaughan playing Voodoo Child – he has such a unique touch, sound and style, he just can’t help it! It’s the same thing as hearing Randy playing Black Sabbath stuff – it sounds like him and it’s awesome.” 

I spoke with Ola [Englund] and Grady [Champion, Dime’s guitar tech] and, like me, they both feel Darrell would’ve loved the fact that you’re honoring him by playing his songs and solos “the Zakk way.” And, just like you playing his material with Phil, Rex and Charlie, I’m sure Dime would be totally reverent to what you recorded but play it in his own unique, inimitable style.

“Yeah, without a doubt. All the notes in the No More Tears solo would be right, but it would still sound like Dime playing because it would have his touch – you couldn’t escape that, and you wouldn’t want to. That’s the beauty of it; it would be his interpretation of the parts he learned.” 

I noticed that in all the footage and photos I’ve seen of the first six South American shows, it looked like you were only using one guitar: a Wylde Audio Warhammer tuned down to C# and armed with a Floyd Rose plus your usual EMG 81/85 pickups. 

“I just used one guitar through the whole show for that first run. That was it – plug in and off we go!”

I know Dime gave you some guitars; can we expect to see any of those making an appearance at any of the upcoming shows?

“I definitely want to bring them out, but I didn’t want to travel with them on a lot of flights like we were doing in South America. I was like, ‘Man, if these things disappear, I’ll be pretty bummed out.’ The guitars Dime gave me are literally ‘one of one.’ There are no replicas, and even if there were, the whole special part of it would be me bringing the real thing out on stage.”

From what I can gather, the rig you’ve been using thus far mainly consists of the usual amps, cabs and pedals you normally use.

“That’s right, I’m using the rig I use with Black Label, Ozzy, Zakk Sabbath, Experience Hendrix and Generation Axe – my Wylde Audio tops, my Marshall cabinets and my usual pedalboard. Because Dime used solid-state amps in Pantera and I use tube stuff, I wasn’t sure if it would sound right.

“So when I was getting ready to rehearse with the fellas, I was thinking of finding out what Randall heads Dime used and then buying a whole bunch of them on Reverb or eBay. But when we got down to rehearsals, I used my rig and it worked out just fine. Obviously, I had to get a [DigiTech] Whammy pedal for Becoming, so I’m now the proud owner of one of those. 

“And I had to get noise gates too because I don’t use them. I just Googled ‘best noise gates’ and the Dunlop one [Dunlop MXR Smart Gate Noise Gate M135] came up so I bought a couple. Those pedals are amazing; I can stand right in front of my rig with it screaming pure lightning and it doesn’t feed back when I’m playing stuff like 5 Minutes Alone, Walk or the verse riff in Cowboys. There’s nothing, just silence. 

“Those gates definitely do their job, and that ‘silence’ is such a huge part of the Dimebag soup. I mean, with Dime there was never enough distortion! [Laughs] He just wanted his tone as massively distorted as possible without having to turn down; that was a big part of Dime’s sound.”

Do you dial in your amps differently for the Pantera shows?

“No. It’s just balls to the wall. Thank the good Lord and John Paul II for those noise gates, though. Without those bad boys I wouldn’t be able to get through the Pantera show; I’d be tap dancing on my pedalboard like I was in Riverdance, switching my OD pedal on and off all the time! [Laughs]”

You pretty much leave your overdrive pedal switched on the whole time, right? It’s an integral part of your sound.

“It’s always on except for in This Love and Planet Caravan, where I just turn the pedal off, turn the volume on my guitar down and there’s my clean sound. I don’t channel-switch or anything like that – I never have. I just use stompboxes right into single-channel heads. There’s fewer things that can go wrong with a simple setup like mine.”

In addition to your long-serving guitar tech, Stephen Murillo, you’ve also got Dime’s wingman, Grady Champion, working with you on the Pantera shows. 

“Yeah, Grady’s part of the show. He’s back there in the kitchen cooking things up, getting things ready, operating the Whammy pedal, tweaking the gates and stuff like that – just like he did with Dime.” 

A lot of people have been commenting on how your arms have been looking impressively chiseled of late. I’m asking for a friend – what’s the story there? 

“The music business isn’t what it used to be, so now I’m doing a part-time gig at Chippendales! I’ve been giving Barb lap dances as well, so I’m making money on the side doing that. A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do!”

With several shows already under your belt and many more to come, what are your thoughts and takeaways from the Pantera experience so far?

“I always knew Dime was great, but now [that] I’ve really studied a bunch of his songs and solos, he’s even greater-er-er than I even realized. He definitely sits at the table with his heroes and breathes the same rarified air as Tony Iommi because, just like Black Sabbath, Pantera created a genre of music; they were the precision machine that’s still considered its benchmark to this day. 

“It’s not just about Dime’s chops and how great his technique was; it’s about what he created. That’s his legacy – and it’s way, way bigger than just being a great lead player. 

“Also, Pantera’s music is so powerful and special; it’s perfectly designed for live shows and festivals – it really is. The crowd reactions have been just insane. Dime and Vinnie would definitely be loving it – seeing what they were a part of and what they created.

“As you and I know, every day with Dime and Vinnie was Friday or Saturday night. They enjoyed life to the fullest. So, I always tell everybody this: if you want to celebrate Dime and Vinnie, you should be thankful every single day and kick as much ass as you possibly can! 

“I enjoyed many Dimebag debacles that got me in the doghouse with the wife! [Laughs] And then I’d always have to send him in to talk with her to smooth things out – ’cause I knew she wasn’t going to yell at Dime ’cause he was such a charming sweetheart of a guy!

“At the end of the day, I’m far beyond honored that I got asked to help to celebrate the incredible greatness of Saint Dime and Saint Vinnie. I guess you could say I’m on a mission from God, just like Jake and Elwood! [Laughs] 

“Joking aside, we’re just four friends celebrating our buddies’ memory and the amazing thing they created that brings so many people joy and happiness – just like their heroes did. That’s why we still listen to Randy, Eddie, Sabbath, Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Pantera – because it brings you to your happy place. It’s a beautiful thing and to me, every show we’ve done in honor of Dime and Vinnie has been beyond special. Far beyond…”

In the Pantera-loving metal community, Grady Champion needs no introduction. As far as the fans are concerned, he’s an integral part of the larger-than-life Pantera family. Although Grady continued to be a much-in-demand guitar tech long after Pantera effectively disintegrated in 2001, he retired from the road not so long ago – or so he thought. 

“You know me, Nick – I was totally over and done with touring,” Grady says. “Now I’m back out there for Darrell… with permission from my wife and kids, of course!” [Laughs]

In fact, when Grady announced he was joining the crew for the Pantera celebration shows, many fans were overjoyed as they felt his involvement added further credibility and credence to an already exciting venture.

“I got a little worried when I made that Facebook post about me going out – and it almost immediately hit Blabbermouth and all that shit,” Grady says.

“I was like, ‘What the fuck, dude? You don’t have anything better to write about?’ It made me a little uneasy, but I guess it’s a thing and I’m incredibly humbled that people think I add credibility to it. I’m sure my name adds more than my guitar-tech wizardry does, though; I’m no Drew Foppe [Deftones, Shinedown tech], that’s for sure!”

When you first turned up to the rehearsals in late 2022, how did you feel?

“It was weird. Because I did shows for so long after Pantera, half of me was in ‘It’s just another show’ mode. But then when I started absorbing what was actually going on, the gravity of it would start to hit me and I’d be trying my damnedest to get back to being ‘show mode’ guy. It was a pretty mixed bag.”

Was there a moment when you realized the shows weren’t just going to be good, but great?

“Yeah. It happened when we had full production going on. They started Planet Caravan and I went out front so I could soak in the whole vibe. I sat on a couch watching them play while the tribute video came on and I just started crying really hard – not just tearing up and stuff, but uncontrollable sobbing for at least 30 seconds. I literally couldn’t stop myself.

“Things changed for me after that. It was always a good vibe with everybody at rehearsals up to then, but it wasn’t ‘the full Monty.’ That was definitely a defining moment. I’ll not forget that one.

“When everyone was leaving, I just grabbed Zakk, hugged him and went, ‘Thank you, man. Thank you so fucking much for doing this and representing your brother – it means so much.’ He just looked at me like I was crazy and smiled as if to say, ‘You don’t gotta thank me, bro. I know why I’m here.’ All I could say was, ‘You don’t have any idea what this means to me. I guess I’m basically thanking you for myself.’”

I know how much doing this for Dime means to Zakk, and it’s palpable.

“You can see it in his face and the way he does stuff. You can see his passion, his ‘want’ to be there, and his deep love and respect for Darrell – and that’s the reason I’m there too. It’s really refreshing to know why Zakk’s there.

“He comes in every single day, laser focused, ready to work with a ‘Let’s do this, let’s kill this’ attitude. It’s amazing to me; there’s no wavering with the guy. He comes walking up to the stage, we hug, I put the Ultimate Warrior next to Godzilla, we all high-five and then, man, he just goes to work. 

“He’s having fun while giving it everything he’s got and then some. Zakk’s an awesome, all-around dude and I’m so thankful I’ve had the opportunity to do this again.”

There were some rumors about Zakk possibly using some of Dime’s backline gear, but outside of a few effects, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

“I heard that one too! [Laughs] I actually did make a Dime rig that I took to New Orleans for rehearsals. I hooked it up for a little bit, Zakk tried it, and he was like, ‘Bro, I don’t know.’ I also tried one of Dime’s MXR Six Band [graphic] EQs in his signal chain, but that didn’t work for him either. He was super cool about everything; he’s just gonna do Zakk. Imagine that! [Laughs]” 

To misquote a BLS song, there are no phony smiles or fake hellos with Mr. Wylde.

“You always know exactly where you stand with Zakk. It’s black or white – there’s no gray area with the dude. That’s one of the many reasons I love him. We did add a few things to his signal chain, but when all’s said and done, Zakk’s out there to represent Dime and his music, and not be a Dime clone, ’cause he’s not. He’s Zakk, and he’s out there on that stage representing his brother, paying homage to the brothers, and giving it 333 percent. That’s all that matters to me, and it couldn’t be cooler. 

“I hate all those internet ‘experts’ expecting Zakk to clone Dime note for note, sound exactly like him, use his guitars, blah, blah, blah. So many people think that’s the way to go, but it’s not. That’s not what this celebration is all about. It’s having fun, playing Pantera’s music to a crowd and doing it your way. People have to understand it’s a tribute, it’s a celebration, and he’s there for the brothers.

“Zakk’s got enough fame and he’s also got a bunch of other irons in the fire. The fact he’s put it all on hold to do Pantera is an amazing tribute to Dime and Vinnie. He’s doing what he wants to do and it’s totally genuine. There isn’t anyone Dime would rather have doing this, either. And he’d want Zakk to play like Zakk because of the mutual respect those two had for each other as players and as people. 

“What’s funny is the few people I’ve seen who can supposedly do Dime note for note still miss the mark for me. Even if you’re nailing every riff and solo note for note, in time and at the right tempo, I can always tell. People think they’ve got it nailed, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s good, but it’s not Darrell.’

“Zakk’s made other sacrifices to do this too, like when it comes to me doing stuff for him while he’s playing. He’s always done all his effects switching; he’s never had anybody controlling anything. So for him to have me switching and changing stuff back there, that’s a huge adjustment for him. He’s just gotta have complete faith and go, ‘Hey, I’m out here jamming – I hope Grady gets it!’”

With Dime you’d control his Whammy pedal, ride his noise gate for him and also tweak the MXR Flanger/Doubler while he was on stage. I’m guessing you’re doing the same for Zakk?

“Yeah. As well as the Whammy pedal, I’ve got a flanger, a chorus and two gates running back there. Whenever Zakk divebombs, I stick the [MXR] EVH Flanger on it, which adds a really cool growl. I’ll hit the pedal’s EVH button [the one that duplicates Van Halen’s Unchained setting] whenever we’re doing bombs, but sometimes I’ll manually adjust the Rate and Width knobs to where it does a trill effect for a song like I’m Broken, or a faster police-siren-type sound. 

“I used to just fuck around with Dime on the [MXR] Flanger/Doubler and make him laugh, and that’s basically what I’m doing with Zakk, too. I’m back there having fun, while he’s out there on stage doing the exact same thing. Every so often, Zakk will look at me and smile, and I’m thinking, ‘Have a good time out there, brother – I’ve gotcha.’ 

“The chorus pedal is the same MXR [Wylde] one Zakk always uses. Actually, I’ve got two of them back there. One is for his main [stereo] chorus sound; I don’t touch that one because that’s part of Zakk’s tone. I use the other chorus pedal for stuff like This Love and to add some flair in certain places. I put the depth all the way up and a slow burn on the rate, just to fatten it up even more. The only thing we’re not doing that I did for Dime is reverb. There’s no reverb because Zakk’s out there with his own delay [MXR Carbon Copy].

“The gates are the [MXR] M135 Smart Gates, and I’ve got one in front, right after the wireless switchers, and one in the back. Zakk often stands with his volume knob wide open and his overdrive pedal on when it’s quiet, so the gate on the front end shuts his EMGs up, because Pantera is tight and quiet in those spots.”

It sounds like you’re having a total blast while working your tail off.

“It’s awesome to be part of the team and in the Pantera family again. I feel really good about being out there; it’s a great vibe with everybody. I also feel like something of a father figure to a lot of the new crew guys too, and I must admit I get into ‘dad mode’ real easily: [Laughs] ‘Don’t stress on it, son; we’ll get it done and then we’re gonna have a great rock show!’”

In the vast ocean of metal guitar content that lurks within YouTube, Swedish six-stringer Ola Englund (the Haunted, Feared) is a major force, and deservedly so. 

He’s also a huge Pantera fan – and many of his Dime-centric videos have amassed impressive views. In fact, they’re so good that Zakk Wylde watched some of them when learning parts for the current Pantera celebration tour. 

“It’s funny to hear that a player I look up to would even bother checking out my stupid videos,” Englund says. “It’s come full circle in a way… Dimebag was my first real guitar hero. I heard the riff for Walk when I was 15, and that was it. Best guitar tone and riff I’ve heard! I busted my ass that summer to be able to buy a Washburn Blackjack when I turned 16. There was no turning back after that.”

What are your thoughts on the Pantera celebration tour and lineup?

“Like a lot of people who love Pantera, when I first heard about it, it felt like a double-edged sword. I was like, ‘But you can’t do it without Dimebag and Vinnie – Dimebag and Vinnie are Pantera.’ But, at the same time, Phil and Rex are also 50 percent of Pantera. Plus, as a fan, I felt this was the closest I’d get to seeing my favorite band again. You can be a gatekeeper, but we also need to keep the legacy of Pantera alive, the legacy of Dime and Vinnie. The best way to do that is to pay tribute to the brothers. 

“When I heard the lineup with Charlie [Benante] and Zakk, I felt, ‘That’s the right way to do it.’ I’d probably say it’s the only way to do it. As a fan, and I’m speaking for 15-year-old Ola here, Zakk is the only option. I don’t want to see anybody else. Knowing Zakk and Dime were such good friends and that they spent so much time together, there’s no-one else who can do this like he can.”

A lot of people have said you should be playing guitar in the Pantera tribute. 

“I’m extremely flattered by that, but no! It has to be Zakk. He’s the guy. He’s the rock star. There are plenty of guys who can play Dimebag guitar on YouTube, but they’re not rock stars; they can’t handle those shoes. Zakk can. 

“Also, I want to see the band – I don’t want to be up there! I want to be in the pit listening to that stuff being played live again; 15-year-old Ola has been longing for this. I can’t wait!”     

Earlier this week, electric guitar virtuoso Nita Strauss kicked off a North American tour in support of her soon-to-be-released second solo album, The Call of the Void.

As one would expect, the Ibanez-wielding guitar hero's first couple setlists leaned heavily on the new album, and her 2018 solo debut, Controlled Chaos.

To round out her first couple of Summer Storm tour sets, though, Strauss – who has served high-profile stints as a six-string sidekick for both Demi Lovato and Alice Cooper – has been saluting one of her own guitar heroes, Dimebag Darrell, with a rousing cover of Pantera's groove metal/outlaw anthem, Cowboys From Hell.

You can watch Strauss perform the song with her band – which includes Kasey Karlsen on vocals – at the The Loft in Atlanta, Georgia earlier this week (June 14) below.

Armed with her Ibanez JIVAX2 'Ghost' signature guitar, Strauss generously shares the lead spotlight with her live guitarist, Johnny Young, before taking center stage.

A metal audience probably doesn't want to hear a 20-minute jazz-fusion take on Cowboys From Hell, and indeed Strauss doesn't stray too far from the iconic source material, though her sharp phrasing and ever-impressive technical acumen are on full display throughout the cover.

It's not the first time Strauss has channeled Dimebag's influence onstage, either. At the 2018 Sweetwater Gearfest, Strauss performed an emotionally charged version of another one of Pantera's trademark tunes, the hard-riffing Walk, in tribute to the band's drummer, Vinnie Paul, who passed away while the festival was occurring. 

Between the release of her new album, her ongoing solo tour, and her forthcoming dates with Alice Cooper – whose band she re-joined earlier this year after taking a temporary leave of absence to tour with Lovato – Strauss has one busy summer ahead of her.

The Call of the Void is set for a July 7 release via Sumerian Records. To preorder the album, and see all of the guitarist's forthcoming tour dates, visit Strauss's website.

Metallica's headlining set at the 2004 Download Festival is most famous for not featuring the band's drummer and co-founder, Lars Ulrich, who was hospitalized the day of the show.

In a newly-published oral history of the Download Festival, though, Metallica lead electric guitar player Kirk Hammett revealed that that fateful day also proved to be the last time he ever saw Pantera guitar legend Dimebag Darrell, who was tragically murdered onstage in Columbus, Ohio – while performing with his post-Pantera group, Damageplan – just months later.

Hammett – who spent the last hours before the band's Download set frantically speaking to potential replacements for Ulrich – expressed regret at not taking the time to have a full conversation with his fellow metal guitar hero.

“I couldn’t do anything for the next three hours except talk to drummers,” Hammett told The Guardian. “I remember seeing Dimebag wave at me from a distance backstage – I looked at him and mouthed, ‘We are completely fucked.’ 

“He came over laughing and just said: ‘You guys have got this.’ And that was the last time I saw Dime. I still regret not taking the time to have a full conversation with him.”

Ulrich's spot that evening would ultimately be taken by Slayer sticksman Dave Lombardo, and – primarily – the late Joey Jordison from Slipknot.

“Joey could play all sorts of things,” Hammett recalled. “I remember saying to him: 'Bro, you’re gonna have to play a bunch of these tunes tonight' – he was beside himself, he was so happy. 

”At the end of the set, I turned to Joey onstage, and I asked him if he could play Enter Sandman. And I saw through his mask [from Slipknot's stage show] that he had tears in both of his eyes. He was crying because it meant so much for him to be playing Sandman with us at Download. I’ll never forget that.”

When Zakk Wylde was first announced as the guitarist for current lineup of Pantera, it was initially mooted he would use guitars that were given to him by Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott himself – that didn’t turn out to be the case, as Wylde stuck to his own guitar company’s Wylde Audio Warhammers. But the Ozzy Osbourne guitarist is now paying tribute to his old friend in the best way possible.

Photos from the band’s recent European tour dates have showcased Wylde brandishing a new version of his faithful Warhammer with a lightning bolt graphic that recalls Dimebag’s legendary Dean From Hell design.

In an Instagram post shared prior to the tour, Wylde offered a closer look at the guitar, which even features a silhouette of Dimebag on the rear of the headstock.

Besides the guitar being a sweet homage to his drinking and guitar buddy, this new Warhammer is particularly notable because it looks like it could become a production model.

We say ‘become’, but Wylde’s personal example already appears to be a production-line guitar – it’s made in South Korea and features a serial number: WA16020375. You’re extremely unlikely to see a serial with that many digits on a custom-built guitar.

There’s currently no comment on the guitar from Wylde’s camp, which indicates further developments down the line. What more, there are no Warhammer models listed on the website of Wylde Audio parent brand Schecter at the time of writing.

While the visuals tip their hat to Dimebag, the new guitar is spec’d to Wylde’s tastes – you can spot the usual EMG 81/85 pairing, Grover tuners and Floyd Rose locking tremolo.

But that could be subject to change if the tribute design heralds the start of a new Dimebag Darrell line built under the Wylde Audio brand.

Back in 2021, Dimebag Darrell’s estate sued Dean Guitars, parting ways with the company most associated with the late Pantera guitarist. After the story broke, Wylde was asked whether Wylde Audio would ever produce Dimebag guitars – tellingly, the guitarist didn’t say no.

“I remember when that first came out, but I didn’t know the whole skinny on that," Wylde said of the lawsuit. "But I mean, Dime's always been associated with them. I mean, actually, he brought them back into business when they were out of business. He brought them back into business just because of his popularity, and him playing that guitar. 

"But, if we were to ever do something like that, you know, obviously we'd talk with [Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend and trustee of his estate] Rita [Haney] and [ask] whatever she wanted to do.”

Wylde Audio might not be the only company working on new Dimebag designs. Back in January, Dean Zelinsky – the founder of Dean Guitars and now owner of boutique electric guitar brand Dean Zelinsky Private Label – shared a photo of a new Razorback design with the caption “Working on it…”

Given Dimebag’s relationship with both Zelinsky and Wylde, we could end up with hand-crafted and production-line guitars from two separate companies – or Zelinsky’s input on the Wylde offerings.

The designer of the original Dean From Hell lightning storm motif, Buddy Webster aka Buddy Blaze, previously took Dean to court over the design, but the case was ultimately dismissed. Webster passed away in August 2021.

Kayla Kent – the YouTube shredder/Pantera mega-fan who first caught guitarists’ attention with an eerie ability to channel the sonic spirit of Dimebag Darrell – is up to her usual tricks.

However, her latest video takes the Dimebag channeling one step further: it’s one thing to cover a player’s solo with pinpoint accuracy, but it’s a completely different story when trying to embody said player with a piece of original composition.

It’s an exercise that many attempt and very few succeed at, but Kent might just have proven beyond all doubt that she’s the best in the business at harnessing Dimebag’s iconic tone and style by doing just that… over a Megadeth track.

In a video titled, “What if Dimebag Darrell did the Symphony of Destruction solo?”, Kent journeyed into an alternate universe where Dimebag did join Megadeth – yes, that was once actually a possibility – and ended up cutting the lead effort for the 1992 hit, rather than Marty Friedman.

To say it’s scary accurate would be putting it mildly. With her sticker-adorned Kramer JK8000 – which itself oozes the style of Dimebag’s Dean ML – the shredder serves up a suite of Pantera-appropriate pinch harmonics and furious scale runs, as well as some whammy bar plunges to boot.

We aren’t the only ones completely in awe of Kent’s effort. “If someone told me that this was an unreleased solo that Dime recorded for Symphony, I’d believe you,” one commenter wrote. “It’s like you harnessed Dime’s spirit for this.” “Amazing,” wrote another. “Old school Dime vibe.”

It seriously raises the question whether any working guitarist is better than Kent at conjuring Dimebag’s sound and style. Sure, Zakk Wylde is doing a fine job as Pantera’s new guitarist – Kent has even covered his own take on the Cowboys From Hell solo – but he’s doing it Wylde style. Kent’s sound is Dimebag reincarnated.

As for how she nurtured her remarkable ability, Kent once told us it may have had something to do with the way she learned Pantera songs as a fan in the first place.

“I genuinely adore [Dimebag's] playing and Pantera's songwriting,” she said. “I learned a ton of Pantera songs by ear, and I wonder if maybe that is more accurate to picking up Dime's nuances than doing everything by tabs.

“I'm too frustrated by tabs that I'll only bother to look at them when there's a complex lick that I really want to get right,” Kent continued. “As a result, I'm sure I play a bunch of his stuff ‘wrong’, but if it sounds good then I'm okay with that.”

Conversing with commenters on her latest video, Kent hinted that original material will be arriving “soon” – and, owing to the caliber of her chops, and now-evident composition skills, we just have a feeling it’s going to be ace.

Head over to Kayla Kent’s YouTube channel to peruse her videos.

The names of Zakk Wylde and Dimebag Darrell are closely linked, now more than ever. Not only is Wylde currently honoring the late heavy metal icon as part of Pantera’s ongoing tour, the pair were also close friends, having first met way back at the 1994 Monsters of Rock Show in England.

You’d think, given their offstage friendship, heavy metal bond and shared appreciation for the electric guitar, that the two titan would have been trading licks every chance they got.

Well, according to Wylde, that wasn’t the case. In fact, the Black Label Society axeman said he and Dimebag never even jammed together when they weren't onstage.

At least, that’s what he revealed in the latest issue of Guitar World, which contains an in-depth exploration of Wylde’s Pantera exploits past and present. It was after recounting his appreciation for Dimebag that he dropped the surprising revelation, saying the pair prioritized having “a good time together” over anything else.

“It was a combination of everything,” Wylde responded when asked about the source of their friendship. “Between the playing, the drinking, how we matched our stilettos and our fishnets with our eyeliner and our rouge – all the typical stuff that brings fellas together. [Laughs]”

As for any potential jamming, though, that was strictly second fiddle to the duo’s other alcohol-related activities. In other words, jamming cut into “drinking time”.

When asked if they’d jammed over the years, Wylde replied, “No. Why would we do that? Let’s see. We could be at an Irish pub somewhere laughing our asses off or we could be working on writing some new music. Hmmmm. I think we’ll be at the Irish pub! [Laughs]”

But boozing wasn’t the only thing that stood in the way of jam sessions, with Wylde also pointing out the geographical obstacles that were imposed on the two drinking buddies.

“Seriously, man. There was no time to jam,” he continued. “They live in Texas. I was out in California. Whenever we got together it was just to have a good time.”

Such obstacles, however, proved to be no match for the pair’s penchant for getting hammered together – while regaling Guitar World with the tales of his and Dimebag’s drinking escapades, Wylde recalled how he and his pal would drink together over the phone.

“When we started hanging out, of course, we drank, but most of the time drinking with Dime would be over the phone,” he explained. “We talked on the phone all the time for several hours just drinking away.

“We’d make each other cry, we’d be laughing so hard. But every time we got together it was always hilarious – nothing but pure comedy. And sometimes we caused mayhem.”

Such “mayhem” included trashing a car that Pantera producer Terry Date had borrowed from his friend, getting so drunk at Dimebag’s house he missed a flight home to help his wife care for their two newborn kids, and “just tons of silliness and stupidity”.

Despite the emphasis on such extra-curricular activities, part of the conversation was indeed reserved for the gear side of Wylde’s ongoing Pantera stint, for which he used a Guitar World buyer’s guide to select the one pedal he needed to channel Dimebag’s tone.

To read the full interview with Zakk Wylde, head over to Magazines Direct to pick up the latest copy of Guitar World.

James Hetfield has been recalling the influence of Dimebag Darrell on his musical output and credited the Pantera and Damageplan guitarist with introducing him to solid-state amps.

Hetfield was being interviewed by SiriusXM’s Jose Mangin on his Metal Ambassador podcast when he was asked about Dimebag. The presenter notes the pictures of the two of them “are legendary” and that the Pantera man was “a gigantic fan of Metallica and covered your songs before he met you guys.”

“Well, what a blessing to have been in his life and him in my life," Hetfield replies. “Yeah, some of those early days... just traveling down there to the Dallas area and meeting with those guys and just hanging out.

“Dimebag introduced me to the solid-state amp. I remember he had this freaking amazing crunch going on. It was like, 'What is that?' You know? So yeah, [we] inspired each other. He inspired me as well. No doubt.” 

Hetfield and Dimebag initially met on the road when Metallica toured the US in 1985. At that time Pantera were still finding their feet as a glam metal-influenced underground band in Dallas, Texas. 

Lars Ulrich recently recalled the bond between the two acts, telling Revolver: “We’ve had a relationship with them for decades and decades.”

For his part, Hetfield has since come to rely on solid-state amps, although not for the crunch sounds that he so admired in Dimebag’s rig. Instead he has long favored Roland’s Jazz Chorus combos for his clean tones. 

Over on the distortion side, Total Guitar recently interviewed producer Greg Fidelman about the amps on Metallica’s new album 72 Seasons, and he notes Hetfield used a “legendary” Marshall amp modded by Eddie Van Halen’s ‘amp wizard’, José Arredondo.

“James has combinations of multiple amps and the balance between them changes from song to song,” says Fidelman. 

“There’s always a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ that he’s had forever, and then this José [Arredondo-modded] Marshall – at least a combination of those two. There’s also usually a Wizard 100-watt head that’s usually got a Klon Centaur pedal on it. 

“He also has a Diezel head. When we need to find a bigger bottom-end, especially on the slower songs, we can bring that in. It has huge low-end that the other amps don’t have.”

To read the full Fidelman interview, alongside in-depth conversations with Kirk Hammett and Rob Trujillo, pick up the May issue of Total Guitar over at Magazines Direct.

Dean Zelinsky – the founder of Dean Guitars and now owner of boutique electric guitar brand Dean Zelinsky Private Label – has taken to social media to tease what could possibly be a new Dimebag Darrell model.

All we have to go on so far is a picture and a caption – “Working on it…” – but it looks like a strong possibility that Dimebag’s iconic Razorback guitar design might be making a comeback in the near future.

The picture shared by Zelinsky gave guitar fans a glimpse of an instantly recognizable Razorback – a variation of the Dean ML that was designed by Dimebag himself shortly before he died in 2004.

Featuring extra “spikes” on the body’s extremities, the late Pantera legend’s Razorback was first produced as a limited US custom run, though it was reissued in 2021 as a fully fledged signature guitar as part of Dean’s Artist Series.

Owing to recent legal disputes, though – and given that Zelinsky left Dean back in 2008 – it’s highly unlikely that this newly teased model will be released under the Dean Guitars umbrella.

Around six months after Dean reissued the Razorback, Dimebag Darrell’s estate sued the guitar brand and brought about an end to the pair’s long-standing relationship. At the time, Dimebag’s longtime girlfriend – and trustee of his estate – Rita Haney wrote it was “necessary for us to end Dime's endorsement of Dean Guitars to continue to honor and celebrate his legacy the way he deserves, and in the way he had laid it out."

Dean Guitars replied to the statement by labeling the claims as “baseless," and said, “Dean Guitars is proud to have played a role in ensuring Dime’s legacy not only survived, but thrived over the past 17 years.”

With that in mind, the question of who will end up releasing what looks like a rebooted Razorback signature guitar remains up in the air. Zelinsky could, in theory, opt to release it under his own label, but this route may prove to be problematic.

Currently, Dean Zelinsky Private Label specializes in intricate custom guitars, which are built in-house and shipped direct to customers who can customize their own personal spec sheets. As such, a mass-produced Dimebag model would seem out of keep with this operation and may be logistically tricky to pull off.

It wouldn’t be impossible, though, especially if the Razorback was reintroduced once again as part of a limited-edition run.

Another possibility is that Zelinsky and Dimebag's estate could team up with Wylde Audio to mass produce them via Schecter. Zakk Wylde himself recently publicly discussed the idea of using his brand to produce the next batch of Dimebag guitars.

When asked about the possibility, Wylde – who is now part of the reformed Pantera tribute lineup – refused to rule it out, but emphasized the need to get approval and support from Haney and Dimebag’s estate. Again, it’s an unlikely outcome, but not entirely beyond the realms of possibility.

Whatever the case, it’s also possible that the Razorback will just be the start of Zelinsky’s elusive Dimebag project: depending on the outcome of the above lawsuit, we could also see the arrival of some of Dimebag’s never-before-seen six-string designs. 

Haney’s 2021 statement referenced “Darrell’s guitar notes, lists, letters, and drawings (some not yet released)," and noted that she wants to “see Dime’s words followed through and to have his legacy reach the level he intended."

Whether that means producing some all-new guitar designs with Zelinsky remains to be seen, but whatever the case, one thing is for sure: new Dimebag guitars are on the way.

Vist Zelinsky’s Instagram page for future updates.

Across a career now spanning four decades, Madonna has established a reputation for reinventing herself. Yet for all her boundary-pushing, her rebirth as a metal guitarist for five minutes every night on tour came as perhaps the biggest surprise.

Back in 2008, attendees at Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet world tour bore witness to one of the more unlikely segues in modern music, as Madonna and band seamlessly transitioned between Abba-sampling pop smash Hung Up and Pantera’s 1992 groove-metal bruiser A New Level.

The penultimate song of the tour’s marathon setlist – captured below in footage from Buenos Aires – saw Madonna take proceedings to, well, a new level, as she busted out a black Gibson Les Paul Classic and matching black Orange amp rig to lend a crunchy six-string opening to Hung Up.

Her Madge relied on one-finger powerchords for the performance, suggesting the single-cut was tuned to a variant of drop D, and confirmed when, four-and-a-half minutes into the performance, she suddenly launches into Dimebag Darrell’s sledgehammer refrain from the choice Vulgar Display of Power cut.

The performance quickly becomes a display of rock excess, with wild stops and starts from the band and howls of feedback as Madonna grinds the strings of her Les Paul against the Orange rig.

All the while, the singer was flanked by longtime guitarist Monte Pittman on a Vibrola-equipped triple-humbucker SG – the man who, as it turns out, accidentally inspired the surprise cover.

Pittman started out as Guy Ritchie’s guitar teacher before teaching Madonna herself and ultimately landing one of the biggest gigs in pop. But the roots of her Pantera cover go way back to his stint with alt-metallers Prong, and a tip from Dimebag himself.

“I was trying to explain how to keep the pick on top of the strings,” the guitarist told MusicRadar in 2018.

“I learned it when Dimebag Darrell came to see Prong in Dallas. He wanted to know if we were doing the song Cut Rate and asked about the rhythm part which doesn’t let off, which is when he said his secret was never letting the pick leave the string when playing really fast.

“I remember being really impressed he knew the song and said Prong were one of his favourite bands. So I was telling Madonna about this, and it was around the time we had a new band…”

The new lineup’s musical director was working on a rock version of Hung Up, which had been transposed to drop D – down one-a-half-steps, so technically drop B – to enable Madonna to play one-finger chords while she focused on performing. This turned out to be the genesis of the mashup.

“I showed her A New Level by Pantera in that lower tuning to give her something easy to learn, because the notes go up one fret at a time,” Pittman explained.

And Madonna certainly did her homework.

“The next day, she came in with a bottle of wine with two glasses, so we sat there drinking and playing,” Pittman recalled. “Then she started playing Pantera and it sounded great; she remembered to stay on top of the strings.”

The pop icon became such a fan of the song that she would regularly wheel the riff out in rehearsals, leading the rest of the band – who, aside from Pittman, weren’t all that familiar with metal – to figure out their own rhythm work.

“Every time we all thought, ‘Oh that was fun today,’” Pittman laughed. “But then she did it the next day and the day after.

“After a while, despite it being a closed rehearsal, tour managers and techs started showing up specifically for that part of the set as if word has gotten around that Madonna was covering Pantera. And it stayed in the set!”

The arrangement became a staple in the Sticky & Sweet setlist for the entirety of the 2018 dates, and although it was dropped for the tour’s 2019 reprise, the audience reaction was huge – despite any worries from the Madonna camp.

“I didn’t know if people were gonna hate it and be pissed off, but everyone loved it,” Pittman said. “Madonna fans tend to love every kind of music.”

Madonna picked up the electric guitar again on her 2015 Rebel Heart tour, donning a none-more-metal ESP E-II V for performances of 1983 hit Burning Up.

It remains to be seen what’s in store for her 2023 Celebration tour, but we’d wager a jet-black six-string – if not Pantera – will feature at some point.

St. Vincent is a 21st century guitar hero, mercurial in her quest to redefine the sound of the electric guitar and take it into electronic, otherworldly realms. All of which betrays her influences, which are, well, the same as most other guitarists who grew up playing in the ’90s.

The young Annie Clark loved nothing more than cranking up the gain and tackling Hendrix, Tool and Pearl Jam. Heck, her first band was a metal outfit covering the likes of Iron Maiden, Megadeth and Metallica, with Clark tearing it up on what she describes as an “iridescent purple Ibanez bass”.

But one guitarist stood out among those early inspirations: fellow Texas guitar hero Dimebag Darrell, whose Pantera riffs Clark used to blast from her car as a teenager.

Clark credits her love of technical guitar playing to Dimebag, telling Guitar World in 2014, “It reminds me of being 13, being in the guitar store and picking up the Dimebag signature guitar and trying to figure out how he gets that crazy sound from Cowboys from Hell. ‘What is that?’ I’d watch tutorials on YouTube.”

Those lessons really lodged into the guitar savant’s brain. So much so that Clark would confess to borrowing from the Pantera classic for the opening salvo of her track Bring Me Your Loves, from 2014’s St. Vincent album.

“There’s a riff on my song Bring Me Your Loves that’s so Cowboys from Hell that I feel like I’m going to be sued… just in my mind,” she joked back in 2014.

On first listen, you might not spot the influence; Clark’s otherworldly tones tend to translate her inspirations into a very different musical language. But hold on one second: those ascending pentatonic shuffles sure do sound familiar. And the pitch dives are undoubtedly a nod to Dimebag’s trademark whammy (and, indeed, Whammy) squeals.

A few years later, Clark named Cowboys From Hell as the riff she wished she’d written in a 2018 interview with BBC Radio 6 Music. After performing the Pantera track on acoustic guitar, she even demonstrated how she appropriated the line for Bring Me Your Loves.

St. Vincent has previously stated that she intended to make a heavy record after 2017’s Masseduction, but ended up delving into ’70s funk for her 2021 effort, Daddy’s Home.

That shelved record is apparently still on the backburner, so we may well hear more Dimebag-inspired riffage from Annie Clark in the not-too-distant future…

Dimebag Darrell was a true original. According to bandmate Rex Brown, a teenage Dime went into his bedroom with Ozzy Osbourne's Diary of a Madman and a handful of Van Halen records and came out a readymade guitar hero – and his inimitable playing with Pantera is testament to his next-level talents.

From the Texas institution's glam-metal origins to the heaviest album to ever top the Billboard charts, Pantera chiseled out a legacy that few metal bands can top – and Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown's recent revival of the band with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante is keeping their distinctly southern brand of sledgehammer riffage alive for a new generation.

In that spirit, we celebrate the heaviest of the heavy with our guide to Pantera's 25 greatest songs, from Revolution is My Name and This Love to Cemetery Gates and Cowboys from Hell. But we begin with a deep cut from The Great Southern Trendkill…

25. 10's

Album: The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)

One of Pantera’s most haunting compositions, 10’s comes into focus slowly, floating in on an ethereal, if crusty-sounding, bent-note Dimebag riff.

The warped guitars and slow pacing provide an appropriately uneasy environment for a weary vocal from Phil Anselmo, who documents a man “disgusted with [his] cheapness” and destroying himself from the inside out through addiction. An acoustic guitar interlude and a liquid Dime solo that, for a few bars at least, unexpectedly wanders into major-key territory, allow a few seconds of sunshine to poke through the black clouds.

But overall, 10’s is positively chilling and all-consuming in its atmosphere of impending doom.

24. Goddamn Electric

Album: Reinventing the Steel (2000)

Pantera’s final studio album didn’t actually reinvent the steel, but thanks to tracks like Goddamn Electric they certainly reclaimed their title as the masters of metal heading into the new millennium. This song’s main riff stomps along like Godzilla slowly moshing to Walk, and the entire tune wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Vulgar Display of Power. 

Dimebag’s solo is killer, but the thriller is a guest spot by Slayer’s Kerry King, who delivers a wicked whammy-bar blast to close out the song’s final 45 seconds. Pantera rarely featured guests on their albums, so this appearance by Dime’s blood brother is an unexpected surprise.

23. It Makes Them Disappear

Album: Reinventing the Steel (2000)

It Makes Them Disappear kicks off with a psychedelic, cleanly voiced guitar lick, but from there the song quickly descends into a molasses-thick pit of sludge. The downtuned, wobbly guitars and bloated bass, not to mention Anselmo’s raw-throated delivery, suggest a song that could have been tackled just as appropriately by the singer’s doomy southern metal side project, Down. 

And yet, the final two minutes of the tune are largely a Dimebag showcase, with the guitarist ripping out an incredibly bluesy and melodic solo, albeit one that sounds like it’s being delivered from the depths of a tar pit. 

“The majority of Reinventing the Steel was recorded with the guitar tuned down a whole step [low to high: D-G-C-F-A-D],” Dime told Guitar World in early 2000. “The cool thing about this tuning, besides sounding heavy, is that your guitar feels totally different – the strings are real loose and spongy, which means you can get some big-assed bends and killer wide vibrato happening.”

22. P*S*T*88

Album: Power Metal (1988)

Pantera’s pre-Cowboys albums aren’t particularly highly regarded – even by the band members themselves – but out of all of those efforts Power Metal had more than a few worthy moments. P*S*T*88 is particularly noteworthy as it features one of Dimebag’s rare performances as lead vocalist. 

The overall recording resembles a mash-up of Judas Priest and Kill Em All–era Metallica, and Dimebag even sounds like the mutant offspring of James Hetfield and Rob Halford, proving that he could have been a frontman if he so desired.

21. Planet Caravan/Hole in the Sky

Albums: Far Beyond Driven (1994) and Revolution is My Name EP (2001)

The list of Pantera influences is long and includes bands like Judas Priest, Slayer and even King’s X, Kiss and Van Halen, but Black Sabbath were their biggest influence. They name-checked them in the lyrics to Goddamn Electric, and of the six cover songs they recorded in the studio during their career, three of them were Black Sabbath tunes. 

Planet Caravan was originally intended for the Nativity in Black tribute album, but when it was cut due to a record company dispute, they added it to the end of Far Beyond Driven. Pantera’s faithful rendition of Hole in the Sky debuted on the Japanese 2001 Revolution Is My Name EP along with the non-LP track Immortally Insane.

20. Floods

Album: The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)

Despite the fact that Pantera called the album that Floods appeared on The Great Southern Trendkill, this song sounds an awful lot like grunge (particularly Soundgarden), one of the many musical genres at which the cocky album title takes aim.

Regardless, it’s a great song, which was made great by what many consider to be the finest guitar solo Dimebag ever laid down in the studio. The sweetly melodic main guitar figure in the intro and ending often gets overlooked, but it’s a fine example of Dimebag’s emotional range, proving that there was much more to his playing than his usual blunt-force trauma.

19. Shedding Skin

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Shedding Skin continues the theme of emotional cleansing that Phil Anselmo began on Far Beyond Driven’s previous track, 25 Years. Only here the singer’s object of ire is not his father but rather a former girlfriend. The song comes crashing in right out of the gate with a choppy, staircase-like unison riff from Dime and Rex. 

But then it abruptly shifts gears into a mellow verse punctuated by Dimebag’s gently plucked guitar harmonics, over which Anselmo paints a vivid and disturbing picture of a relationship as a scabrous membrane needing to be excised from his body. 

By the song’s climactic finale, Anselmo finds the only escape is to shed his own skin “to peel you off of me.” Dimebag then punctuates the singer’s cathartic metamorphosis with an appropriately anguished and squealing solo.

18. 25 Years

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Both this song and the same album’s Becoming are said to deal with Phil Anselmo’s difficult relationship with his father. But whereas the latter wraps the singer’s paternal purging in a catchy riff and an almost inspirational lyric, 25 Years is a dark and twisted descent into the deepest recesses of his pain. 

Anselmo delivers his lyrics to a “weakling” and a “liar” in a monotone bark, and each syllable he utters is backed by a similarly minimal one-note chord hit. It’s a brilliantly corrosive, almost claustrophobic arrangement that finally breaks four-and-a-half minutes in – Dime, Rex and Vinnie open up the song with a quicker groove and Anselmo turns the tables, announcing himself the bastard father to Pantera’s unwashed and unwanted masses of fans. 

“We’re fucking you back!” he screams repeatedly, exorcising his demons and finding a little bit of redemption in the almighty power of the riff.

17. Strength Beyond Strength

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Hardcore punk and thrash were always closely related, but rarely did the twain meet more effectively than on Strength Beyond Strength. Fans who popped new copies of Far Beyond Driven into their CD players in 1994 and were greeted by the initial sonic assault of Strength Beyond Strength can be forgiven for thinking that the Exploited’s latest album was mistakenly inserted in the case. 

When the breakneck pace slows to a grind a little more than a minute into the song, the mood and attitude becomes unmistakably Pantera, especially after Dimebag unleashes an eerie harmonized guitar interlude about another minute later.

16. War Nerve

Album: The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)

By the time of The Great Southern Trendkill, Pantera were bona fide rock stars. As such, their music and, in particular, Anselmo’s lyrics and actions as a frontman, had started to be put under a mainstream microscope. Among other things, the band and singer had been hit with charges in the media of racism and homophobia, and War Nerve was in a way Anselmo’s response to these and other accusations: “For every fucking second the pathetic media pisses on me,” he rants in the chorus, “Fuck you all.” 

The band backs him up with one of the leanest and most direct arrangements to be found in their post Vulgar-output. In fact, War Nerve is a rare instance in which there’s no Dime solo to be found. That said, his brother Vinnie picks up the slack with a vicious and unusually busy drum performance.

15. Mouth for War

Album: Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Mouth for War is a prime example of Pantera at the height of their early '90s powers: Vinnie Paul bashes out a machine-gun beat, Dimebag and Rex pair up on a wickedly intricate yet incredibly catchy riff built on sheets of sliding power chords, and Phil Anselmo barks out a self-empowerment lyric with searing rage and intensity. 

And the music video, which presented the band mostly in stark black-and-white and with plenty of chaotic strobe lighting for effect, only further cemented their status as the new kings of metal. 

When people think of Pantera, it is most likely this iteration of the band, led by a shaven-headed, bare-chested Anselmo, that comes to mind. By the time they break into a ferocious double-time groove and Anselmo signs off with the line, “No one can piss on this determination,” only a fool would dare to disagree with the sentiment.

14. 5 Minutes Alone

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

When the pissed-off father of a Pantera heckler who was beaten up at a show said that he wanted five minutes alone with Phil Anselmo, the band turned that threat into this song. Of course anyone who knows Anselmo also knows that five minutes alone with him is the last thing anyone would want. 

The slow, ground-and-pound groove behind this song suggests that Phil would probably take his sweet time delivering the beat down, but while the instigator who influenced this song would probably be screaming for mercy by the song’s end, listeners are begging for more as the riff fades into oblivion.

13. Domination

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

Pantera are often seen as the progenitors of groove metal, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more defining example of the style than the first 30 seconds of this classic. In fact, from the raging intro/chorus riff, to the stop-start verse, to the brutal breakdown that ends the song, Domination is basically one ridiculously savage power-groove after another. 

Given this fact, the song was also used as the band’s live set opener during shows in 1990 and 1991, as it was guaranteed to immediately whip a crowd into a batshit-crazy frenzy. As for what is screamed at the very beginning of the song? General consensus points to “Fart stinks like a motherfucker!” Which might help to explain the ferocity with which the band then tears into the opening riff.

12. I'm Broken

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Pantera wisely placed Far Beyond Driven’s three best songs (Becoming, 5 Minutes Alone, I’m Broken) near the album’s beginning. I’m Broken was the last of this triple threat, neatly completing the band’s most devastating studio recording hat trick. 

“I think that I’m Broken is the riff of all riffs,” Rex Brown says, and for most Pantera fans it would be hard to disagree. Anselmo compares the song to the blues, but has there ever been a blues song with lyrics as cryptic and critical as “Too young for one’s delusion the lifestyle cost/Venereal mother embrace the loss”?

11. Becoming

Album: Far Beyond Driven (1994)

Anyone who went to a Pantera concert between 1994 and 2001 knows why Becoming is revered by the band’s fans. The combination of Vinnie Paul’s military drum corps–inspired double-kick rumble and Dimebag’s gut-pummeling riff instantly instigated the most violent mosh pits known to mankind, and the energy that filled the room was so electric that no-one would have been surprised if thunder clouds suddenly formed. 

Dimebag’s solo is the ultimate anti-solo, saying more in an obnoxious burst of noise than most players say in entire careers. The way he uses a Whammy pedal to make his guitar sound like a howler monkey in a Vitamix is simply brilliant.

10. The Art of Shredding

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

A classic '80s-style thrasher, The Art of Shredding combines the heavily scooped guitar tone and speed-metal attack of bands like Testament and Overkill with the type of meta subject matter and gang-shouted background vocals that have always been Exodus’s stock in trade. 

In that respect, it’s hardly the most progressive moment on Cowboys from Hell. But with its rollercoaster ride of whiplash riffs and rhythms, it is one of the most enjoyable. Furthermore, Dimebag tops off the proceedings with a gonzo, whammy-filled solo that ably demonstrates that shredding is, in fact, very much an art.

9. Revolution is My Name

Album: Reinventing the Steel (2000)

While Dimebag’s atonal guitar howls on this song’s intro may be the weirdest sounds ever to grace a Grammy-nominated song, the remainder of this tune wouldn’t have been out of place on an early Black Sabbath album.

Anselmo even sounds a bit like Ozzy in a few parts – perhaps after Ozzy woke up hung over and gargled with benzene and razor blades. Beyond the classic metal melodiousness, what makes this song so damn good is the way it seamlessly darts between dramatic tempo and rhythmic shifts and somehow sounds cohesive.

After delivering a note-perfect metal solo, complete with harmonies, Dimebag returns to the groove with sounds that defy transcription, proving revolution was his name.

8. Drag the Waters

Album: The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)

As one of the most straightforward and definitively Pantera songs on The Great Southern Trendkill, Drag the Waters was the obvious choice to be the album’s first single. While it mostly treads familiar ground, it also finds the band growing in new directions. Dimebag’s guitar tone in particular is more massive than ever, and you don’t need to be Bruce Dickinson to love the cowbell that Vinnie Paul lays down with his drum track.

Anyone needing a track to explain what Pantera’s “power groove” means would be wise to choose Drag the Waters, as it’s heavy as hell, but you can still shake your ass to it. The solo is particularly tasty, as Dimebag goes for more of a slow burn than his usual balls-to-the-wall explosions of speed. 

“That lead is kinda like an old Van Halen thing, where the band breaks to feature the solo,” Dimebag said in 1996. “Actually, on this one I ended up keeping a lot of the original guide-track stuff I laid down while we were cutting the drums. Sometimes you record something that you plan on redoing later, but then when you listen back to it you decide to keep it because you realize that it’s gonna be real tough to beat!”

7. Message in Blood

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

This deep Cowboys cut comes on like a demented sonic funhouse, replete with eerie atmospherics, detached voices laughing behind Anselmo’s vocal (with lyrics ostensibly about the Charles Manson murders) and constantly changing tempos and attacks. The first half is an all-out creepfest highlighted by Anselmo’s blood-curdling screams.

Then the tone abruptly shifts as Dimebag steps up with an intensely layered and textured solo, which only leads into more instrumental twists and turns. A disorienting and disturbing prog-metal death trip.

6. Walk

Album: Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Pantera wasn’t the kind of band that radio warmed up to during the '90s, but in the rare instances when Pantera did get airplay it was usually this song.

Dimebag often described Pantera’s music as “power goove,” and Walk may be the best example of what he meant, even though it swaggered along to an unorthodox 12/8 time signature. 

The chromatic open low E string and first-fret riff seems simpler than it actually is, thanks to Dimebag’s expert string bends, salacious swing and impeccable feel. To match the menace of Phil Anselmo’s Travis Bickle-inspired taunts, he tuned his guitar down a little more than a whole step, until the strings growled through his solid-state Randall amps.

5. This Love

Album: Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Back in 1992, This Love was a staple video on MTV and even climbed to Number Six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. With a verse consisting of watery guitar arpeggios and Phil Anselmo’s crooned vocals offset by a mammoth, aggro chorus, the song signified Pantera’s big mainstream power-ballad moment – except other power ballads didn’t feature lyrics like, “I’d kill myself for you/I’d kill you for myself,” or a video in which a prostitute murders an overly frisky john in the back of a taxicab.

The song also wraps with a breakdown so crushingly slow and heavy that it could make a thousand metalcore bands wet their pants. But these moments still didn’t save the band from ridicule at the hands of the ultimate metalheads of the day, Beavis and Butt-Head: “Is that a tear, Pantera?” taunted Beavis while watching the This Love video in an episode of the MTV cartoon. “Is daddy’s little girl upset?”

4. Shattered

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

One listen to Phil Anselmo shrieking his way through the verses on Shattered might lead you to wonder whether somebody slipped a Judas Priest disc into your Pantera jewel case.

But the singer’s histrionics are just one of many ways in which this Cowboys track deviates from the Pantera norm. From Anselmo’s vocals to Dimebag’s nimble, racing riff to his uncharacteristically traditional-sounding shred solo, Shattered is three minutes and 21 seconds of steroid-injected, '80s-style Technicolor metal, and one of the few post-major-label nods to Pantera’s “glam era” output.

And yet, while the song is miles away in tone and temperament from, say, Suicide Note Pt. 2, it’s hardly a puff piece. The jackhammer pace and explosive guitar pyrotechnics (both Abbott brothers shine here) – not to mention its sheer “otherness” in relation to the rest of the post-Power Metal Pantera catalog – make Shattered something of a hidden and enormously entertaining gem. 

As an added bonus, the song is spackled with a nice helping of '80s-metal cheese: Anselmo’s castrato screams on the song’s title (harmonized for our pleasure); Dime’s whiz-bang outro solo; and a finale that climaxes with the sound of – you guessed it – a piece of glass being shattered.

3. A New Level

Album: Vulgar Display of Power (1992)

Though it was never issued as a single, A New Level is arguably as well known as any of the Vulgar Display of Power cuts that were. Its intro riff, built on a slowly ascending barrage of crushing chromatics, is as iconic as the opening of Walk or Mouth for War.

The song also features some subtle shifts in dynamics, such as the chromatic half-step modulation that occurs as Anselmo’s vocal enters at the verse, and the way Dimebag varies his attack on the intro, sometimes playing the chords wide open, at other times with slight palm muting and yet at others with an extremely tight chunk. 

Of course, subtle is hardly the word to describe A New Level. Rather, it’s a classic Pantera rager that finds the band in full-on anthem mode, with Anselmo issuing a call to arms for the shit-, pissed- and spit-on metal masses. But it was Dime’s riffing that also helped the tune reach beyond those metal masses.

On the 2008-2009 Sticky & Sweet tour, Madonna ended performances of her retro-disco hit Hung Up by leading her band through a few bars of the song’s intro. What’s more, the Material Girl herself even riffed along on a black Les Paul. A new level, indeed.

2. Cemetery Gates

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

As far as heavy metal epics go, Cemetery Gates belongs in the company of celebrated classics like Black Sabbath’s War Pigs and Metallica’s One.

Clocking in at 7:02, it’s the longest studio song Pantera recorded. It’s also by far the pinnacle songwriting achievement of Dimebag Darrell, Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown and Vinnie Paul when they worked together in Pantera, with a masterfully structured arrangement that seamlessly ebbs and flows to support the eerie mood before it builds to its dramatic conclusion. 

Dimebag’s virtuoso performance, from his melodic solos to the harmonic whammy-bar screams at the song’s climax, features some of his finest work.

1. Cowboys from Hell

Album: Cowboys from Hell (1990)

With its razor-sharp riff, pummeling groove and ominous “We’re taking over this town” refrain, Cowboys from Hell started life as a rallying cry for the reborn version of Pantera circa 1989. As the first track on Pantera’s major-label debut of the same name, it quickly became the band’s anthem for the rest of its existence.

The song proclaimed in no uncertain terms that Pantera meant serious business as the next contenders to metal’s throne, while Dimebag Darrell’s delicious solo boldly announced that a new guitar hero was in town and loaded for bear. 

Although Cowboys from Hell was allegedly the first song that Pantera wrote for the album, by the time Pantera finished recording Cowboys from Hell they contemplated cutting it from the final version. The band felt that the song seemed too tame and commercial compared to the album’s other material, particularly the newer songs they wrote in the studio while recording.

Pantera’s manager, Walter O’Brien, convinced them otherwise.

“I knew that Pantera were going to be called the Cowboys from Hell from then on,” he says. “Every great band has a nickname. Bruce Springsteen is the Boss. ZZ Top is that Little Ol’ Band from Texas. Cowboys from Hell was perfect for them. I rarely insist on anything creative from a band, but I just knew it was a massive song. Dimebag put the CFH logo on everything, and he lived that persona.”

Exactly one week ago, a newly reformed Pantera – featuring Black Label Society axeman Zakk Wylde and Anthrax’s Charlie Benante – performed their first show in 21 years.

The show, which took place at Mexico’s Hell & Heaven Metal Fest, served to be our first glimpse at the new-look lineup, and gave us our first real insight into how the tribute lineup actually sounds.

Likewise, it was the first time we heard Wylde in this new role of his, with the former Ozzy Osborne electric guitar star bringing his A-game to smash a wealth of Pantera classics.

One of the standouts from that first setlist was Cowboys From Hell – a rendition of the title track from Pantera’s fifth studio album released in 1990, which filled the penultimate spot on proceedings.

Naturally, Wylde – who has previously discussed the difficulties of replicating Dimebag’s nuanced playing style – added his own flair to the guitar solo, and although he didn’t perform a note-for-note playthrough of the original Cowboys From Hell effort, he did succeed in delivering a number of fitting lightning-quick licks.

Now, Kayla Kent – a YouTuber who rose to prominence this year with a range of eerily accurate Pantera covers that channeled the spirit of Dimebag Darrell – has gotten involved with the heightened hype by releasing a cover of Wylde’s Cowboys From Hell solo.

Technically, she posted it on Monday (December 5), which meant she listened to, learned and recorded the 41-second solo in the space of around two days. Sure, a feel for Dimebag’s original effort would have helped, but since Wylde’s version was a fair bit different, it’s a pretty astonishing achievement.

When Kent’s Pantera covers first drew eyes, commentators commended the guitarist for her ability to tap into Dimebag-style nuance, and praised her for delivering one of the most accurate emulations of the late guitar legend’s playing style.

Well, her nous for harnessing the sounds of other players is in full force once again, with Kent effortlessly tapping into Wylde’s whammy-drenched lead lines and rapid-fire fretboard acrobatics, which she performs on the fretboard of her Kramer JK8000.

Speaking to Guitar World earlier this year, Kent theorized that her ability to harness a Dimebag-esque sound came from the fact she originally learnt Pantera songs by ear.

“I genuinely adore [Dimebag’s] playing and Pantera's songwriting,” she reflected. “I learned a ton of Pantera songs by ear, and I wonder if maybe that is more accurate to picking up Dime's nuances than doing everything by tabs.”

Wylde has also been open about his own experiences trying to emulate Dimebag’s style for the Pantera tour, telling Guitar World, “No matter what I do, it's going to sound like me.”

“It's like if Dime were still here, and he played Miracle Man or No More Tears – even if he played them spot on – it would still sound like Dimebag Darrell playing Zakk Wylde,” he said. “So, that's a challenge, but it's not a bad thing at all. 

“It's like if Randy Rhoads were to play Eddie Van Halen's Eruption, no matter what he did, it would sound like Randy playing, not Eddie. You're never going to mistake Randy for Eddie or Eddie for Randy, and it's the same thing here with me playing Dime's stuff.”

Pantera wrap up their 2022 touring schedule on December 18 at Knotfest Brasil, but will embark on a run of European and US dates starting from May next year.

A version of this story first appeared in the June 2006 issue of Guitar World.

“Fuck it, Hitchcock,” drawled Dime, downing the dregs of his beer.

“We’ve been hammering this for hours and we’re out of booze. Interview and lesson over… we’re hitting a bar, goddammit! Put the camera and tape machine away, I’ll film me playing the riffs we went over when I get home and Fed Ex a tape to ya.”

The date was Saturday, December 13, 2003; the time: 3:30 A.M.; the place: an upscale New York hotel room with an empty mini-bar and a case’s worth of empty Heineken bottles filling every flat surface. The occasion? The interview and planned private guitar lesson for the ‘King Dimebag Returns!” cover story for the March 2004 issue of Guitar World.

I didn’t need any prompting, I hit “stop” on my recorder and we ventured out into the heart of Manhattan. Even at that hour, finding a bar that was still open in “the city that never sleeps” was an easy task. In typical Dimebag fashion, the goateed guitarist was immediately adopted as everybody’s new best friend, especially the bartender, and also in typical Dime fashion, we drank until dawn.

Later that day, Dime did a beyond stellar in-store appearance for Dunlop at a Long Island Sam Ash store (despite “one bitch of a hangover!”), and we went our separate ways...

True to his word, within a few days of Dime returning home to Texas, a Fed Ex package containing a videotape arrived. By this time, though, Darrell had agreed to come back for the third run of his wildly popular "Riffer Madness" monthly column as soon as Damageplan’s 2004 touring cycle was over, so I put the video, lesson interview and hand shots away until that time.

Sadly, for the tragic reason we are all still painfully aware of, Dime’s return as a columnist wasn’t to be, and I forgot all about the video tape he’d sent me until a couple of weeks ago when I stumbled across it.

Intrigued, I put the tape in my VCR and watched with anticipation. What I saw blew me away – 30-plus minutes of Dime in magical form ripping through Damageplan riffs and some scorching, off-the-cuff licks! Even though the tape was marked “For Your Eyes Only” and was a one-take home video recorded after one of Dime’s all-nighters, I knew I had to share it.

That said, we obviously wouldn’t dream of doing anything with the footage without the permission of Dime’s nearest and dearest. So I called up his brother, Vinnie Paul, and his life-partner, Rita, to tell them what we’d got and what we’d like to do with it. Their response was immediate and identical: “Hell yeah! Run with it!” We’ve since edited the tape down to 13 minutes and, with the blessing of Dime’s family, Guitar World is proud to bring you “The Lost Lesson: Dime’s Instructional Destructional Home Video”.

I should clarify two things about the video below: first, Dime never intended this footage to be released; as stated above, it was recorded specifically to assist me with Dime’s column. Yet, despite its low-tech quality, it blows away most instructional videos, thanks to the man’s personality and playing.

Second, Dime’s wisecracks about “cholesterol level” are a reference to my doctor’s warning that I lay off red meat and beer. Needless to say, that wasn’t going to happen on Dr. Dime’s watch; his staple diet was booze and beef.

Nick Bowcott and everyone at Guitar World would like to express our sincere thanks to Vinnie Paul and Rita for allowing us to use this precious footage of Dime. Much respect and Big Love, guys...

In terms of actual geographical size, Texas is pretty much a pipsqueak compared to, say, Alaska. (For those keeping score, Alaska accounts for 665,384 square miles versus Texas’ total area of 268,596 square miles.) 

But if we’re measuring Texas’ mark on American culture, specifically through music, it’s hard to make an argument that any other territory comes close to the Lone Star State’s impact. 

From cowboy prairie songs to Tejano and conjunto music, from Western swing to the blues, from early rock ’n’ roll to hip-hop, and dozens of genres and sub-genres along the way, the sounds of Texas have enthralled and inspired listeners in ways that are almost incalculable.

The state also boasts bragging rights when it comes to the number of influential guitarists who have called it their home. Which begs the question: just what is it about Texas, and why has it been such a fertile breeding ground for guitarists? 

The oft-used phrase “There must be something in the water,” comes to mind, though no doubt Billy Gibbons would make a strong case for tequila. But perhaps there’s something about the state’s sheer magnitude, its rich history and renegade spirit that inspires guitarists to dream big and channel those ideas into their music unbound by restrictions. Or maybe it’s simply what choreographer (and Texas native) Tommy Tune once said: “I think Texans have more fun than the rest of the world.”

When we crafted the following list of Texas guitarists, we had to consider what actually constituted a “Texas guitarist”, and our criteria was based on anyone born there, raised there or who made their greatest impact there. There were, however, certain qualifiers that could be seen as subjective. 

For example, Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio was born in Fort Worth, but since he moved to New Jersey when he was three and then relocated to Vermont – where he’s famously lived ever since – it would be a gigantic stretch of the imagination to call him a “Texas guitarist”. (Should we ever publish an issue celebrating guitarists from the Northeast, Anastasio will be there.)

Be advised: after reading about the 30 guitarists we’ve highlighted here (which are not presented in any sort of numerical “order”), you might find yourself playing guitar with a new sense of swagger. In which case, don’t thank us – thank them. 

1. Stevie Ray Vaughan

“I’m really just another Texas blues guitarist, but I think I’ve got something special to say with my music,” Stevie Ray Vaughan told us back in 1988. Then, prophetically, he added, “But I have to keep these things in perspective, because they’re gifts. It’s all a gift, and I have to give it back all the time or it goes away.”

More than any other guitarist, Vaughan embodied and celebrated Texas. Its grandeur ran through his spectacularly untamed sound that erupted with the force of an oil gusher. Its sense of danger inhabited a vibrato that could hiss like a rattlesnake. 

With his colorful scarves, silver rings and his trademark Plateau hat, he looked like a badass outlaw. And yet, he comported himself like a modest country gentleman. Referring to the bluesmen he studied – people like Albert Collins, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, along with B.B., Albert and Earl King – he said, “Those guys are the ones who really ought to have the recognition. They’re the pioneers and the innovators.”

So much of Vaughan’s tale now reads like legend: how he came up following — and eventually equaling – his older guitar-playing brother, Jimmie; his rise through the Austin club scene and his smash appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival, where he was tapped by David Bowie for Let’s Dance; his signing to Epic by John Hammond (who also snagged Dylan and Springsteen). 

When he released his major-label debut, Texas Flood (boasting treasures like Love Struck Baby, Pride and Joy and the righteous title cut, a masterpiece of hellacious, over-the-top bends), it hit like a hurricane.

Others had been called the heir apparent to Hendrix, but Vaughan’s virtuosity and the fullness of feeling he brought to his playing made the claim manifest. His studio cover of  Voodoo Child (Slight Return) refined some of Hendrix’s caterwauling madness, but with his supreme musicality – those artfully applied wah squawks and slinky turnarounds – he made it his own.

Backed by his ace rhythm section Double Trouble (drummer Chris Layton, bassist Tommy Shannon and – a bit later on – keyboardist Reese Wynans) and invariably armed with his Number One Strat, Vaughan recorded an encyclopedia of guitar gems like Couldn’t Stand the Weather, Scuttle Buttin’ and Cold Shot, and after beating alcohol and drugs, he released In Step, which featured Crossfire and Tightrope. 

His death in a helicopter crash, in August 1990 at age 35, was mourned by music fans across the globe. Posthumously, his album with brother Jimmie, Family Style, was issued a month later. 

2. Dimebag Darrell

“I grew up a heavy metal kid and we are a heavy metal band,” Dimebag Darrell told us in 1994. “I know it’s not fashionable, but I’m proud to say that’s what we are and that’s what we do.”

Dimebag Darrell Abbott loved heavy metal so much that he helped reshape and reinvent it. With his band Pantera (which included his drummer brother, Vinnie Paul Abbott), he took what had become toothless and predictable and made it raw and ferocious again – and suddenly it all sounded disarmingly new.

Darrell called the band’s relentless attack a “power groove,” and countless groups tried to emulate its blunt force, but as is often the case, you just can’t improve on an original.

It was obvious from the start that Darrell (born Darrell Lance Abbott in Ennis, Texas, in 1966) had it in him. The son of a musician and recording studio owner, he took to the guitar as a kid and jammed religiously to his favorites (Kiss, Van Halen and Black Sabbath were the biggies). At age 14, he dusted all comers at a local guitar contest (the prize was a Dean guitar), and within a couple of years he was banned from such competitions – he was that good.

Pantera – and Darrell, who for a time went by “Diamond Darrell” – took a few beats to find their footing. Dispensing with a brief glam metal period, they arrived in full with 1990’s Cowboys from Hell, which set the blueprint for the band – there were elements of thrash and traces of the emerging hardcore aesthetic. 

As “Dimebag Darrell”, the guitarist cranked the mosh-pit heat to extreme levels on Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven, perfecting his deployment of face-frying solos, drop tunings, unorthodox modes and what he called “harmonic screams” (check out the end of This Love for a stunning example). In his Guitar World column, he wrote, “Harmonic screams are my way of ‘singing out,’ using my guitar instead of my throat.”

Following 2000’s Reinventing the Steel, tensions mounted in Pantera, and in 2003 the Abbott brothers ended the group and formed a new outfit, Damageplan. Supporting their debut album, New Found Power, the band toured throughout 2004, and on the night of December 8 of that year, in Columbus, Ohio, Darrell was shot to death on stage in an attack that left three others dead. At Darrell’s funeral, Eddie Van Halen placed his famous Charvel “bumblebee” guitar inside the casket.

3. Eric Johnson

There are guitarists with an identifiable sound – and then there’s Eric Johnson. With his exquisitely crafted mix of clean and overdriven tones, and his inimitable, sweeping, violin-like solos, his sound is as unique as a fingerprint. 

As he told us, “It’s one thing to become a good player and write songs that people like. But to have a sound where people can pick you out and they know it’s you, that’s pretty cool.”

As it turns out, the Austin native is one hell of a songwriter, too. His 13 solo albums (two this past year) showcase a guitarist steeped in Brill Building songcraft (one of his first gigs was backing up Carole King). 

For an example of Johnson’s compositional genius, there’s 1990’s Cliffs of Dover, a remarkable piece of ear candy full of incandescent, almost free-form soloing that, astonishingly, Johnson wrote in all of five minutes. Or as he puts it, “It was like a gift from the universe.” 

4. Freddie King

Freddie King is the third of “Three Kings of Blues Guitar” (the other two being Albert and B.B.), and his influence on guitarists across the globe can’t be overstated. British players such as Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, Peter Green and Jeff Beck count him as a major inspiration, and in his homeland he’s been heralded by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lonnie Mack and Joe Bonamassa, among others.

Born in Gilmer, Texas, King started playing guitar at age six, but after moving with his family to Chicago when he was 15, he came under the spell of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, T-Bone Walker and Elmore James, all of whom he sat in with when sneaking into the city’s nightclubs. 

Rejected by Chess Records (the label thought he sounded too much like B.B. King), he signed with Chicago’s Federal Records in 1960 and released Have You Ever Loved a Woman, which brilliantly showcased his spitfire single-note phrasing and piercing sound (he used both a plastic thumb pick and a metal index finger pick). His 1961 hit Hide Away is considered the gold standard in blues. 

An irresistible good-time shuffle, full of spikey and spunky turnaround licks, its famous mash-up of Jimmy McCracklin The Walk and The Peter Gunn Theme made it all the more memorable. King died of pancreatitis in 1976 at age 42.

5. Albert Collins

He was crowned “The Master of the Telecaster” for the guitar that never left his hands, but he was also nicknamed “The Ice Man” and “The Razor Blade,” references to his stinging yet piquant phrasing and tone. Whatever you called him, one thing was clear: Albert Collins was a true original and a giant among Texas guitarists.

Hailing from Leona, Texas, Collins (born Albert Gene Drewery) was taught guitar by his cousin, Lightnin’ Hopkins. From another cousin, Willow Young, he was introduced to the open F minor tuning (F C F Ab C F) that he would employ throughout his career. 

After moving to Houston, Collins began performing in clubs alongside the likes of John Lee Hooker and Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. To complement his unorthodox tuning, Collins incorporated a capo and dispensed with a guitar pick – and his sound was complete. A natural showman, he also favored a 100-foot guitar cable that allowed him to stroll around venues and get close to his fans.

With his shivers-inducing tone (he dialed back the bass on his cranked-to-
the-max amp), Collins made his mark on aptly titled cuts such as Frosty, Cold, Cold Feeling, The Freeze and Thaw Out (later adapted by Jimi Hendrix on Drivin’ South). Among his standout albums is one of his personal favorites, 1986’s Cold Snap, which earned him a Grammy nomination. Collins passed away in 1993 at age 61.

6. Lightnin’ Hopkins

He’s one of the most prolific blues guitarists in history (some 85 albums and 200 singles), and he’s certainly one of the most influential. Recognized for bringing the blues from the back porches of the country to rural and city stages, Sam “Lightnin’” Hopkins did more than simply play music; he let you in on a feeling – pain tempered with joy.

Born in Centerville, Texas, in 1912, Hopkins made his first guitar out of a cigar box after watching Blind Lemon Jefferson play. In time, Jefferson befriended Hopkins and allowed him to accompany him during church gathering performances – a rare distinction, as Jefferson never let anybody play alongside him. 

Already, Hopkins had developed his distinctive style of acoustic playing, a deceptively simple approach involving plucking bass-note rhythms and melodies (with a thumb pick) while fingerpicking two- and three-note chords on higher strings.

At first, Hopkins was paired with singer and pianist Wilson Smith (the pair were dubbed “Thunder and Lightnin’”), but with Katie Mae Blues in 1946, Hopkins began his own recording career as a guitarist and singer, and in a short period he churned out a treasure trove of material, including T-Model Blues, Coffee Blues and Baby Please Don’t Go. 

After falling out of favor in the ’50s, Hopkins was rediscovered by blues fans, folkies and rockers in the ’60s. He continued to record and tour until his death in 1982 at age 69. 

7. Willie Nelson

By the end of the ’60s, Willie Nelson (born in Abbott, Texas, in 1933), had already written a slew of standards, most significantly Patsy Cline’s jukebox smash Crazy, and had established himself as a Grand Ole Opry staple. Still, true stardom eluded him. 

Then, in 1969, he bought a Martin N-20 classical guitar that he outfitted with a Baldwin “Prismatone” pickup, and its dulcet tone perfectly complemented his plaintive singing voice. He nicknamed the guitar Trigger, and it became his constant companion on breakthrough albums like Red Headed Stranger and Stardust that brought him international success. 

A virtuoso player, heavily influenced by gypsy jazz pioneer Django Reinhardt, Nelson is noted for his ferocious strumming style (his flat pick has gouged sizable holes in Trigger) and his syncopated yet melodic soloing – On the Road Again is a masterpiece of inventive phrasing. At age 89, he’s still recording and touring.

8. Charlie Christian 

One of the true pioneers of jazz and swing, and perhaps the leading figure in establishing the electric guitar as a lead instrument in a band, Charlie Christian was born in Bonham, Texas, in 1916. 

A musician since his childhood, he played guitar in various jazz outfits through the South and Midwest, and in 1937 he purchased his famous Gibson ES-150 electric hollowbody (which sported a bar-style pickup later called the “Charlie Christian pickup”), on which he perfected his unique, horn-like approach to soloing.

Hired by bandleader Benny Goodman, who was intrigued by the sound of the electric guitar, Christian became a star player in the Benny Goodman Orchestra. The guitarist’s lively, single-note soloing dominated cuts like Honeysuckle Rose and Solo Flight, and he would soon join Goodman in a new group, the Benny Goodman Sextet. Sadly, Christian never recorded his own music as a bandleader. He died of tuberculosis in 1942 at age 25.

9. Trini Lopez

Just as Bob Dylan was bringing folk to the mainstream, Trini Lopez exploded on the scene in 1963 with his exuberant cover of Pete Seeger’s If I Had a Hammer (played on an electric guitar, no less). The Dallas-born performer became a major star in the ’60s with other briskly strummed hits like Lemon Tree and I’m Comin’ Home, Cindy.

So huge was his fame that he played a major role in the Steve McQueen blockbuster The Dirty Dozen. Lopez was also asked by Gibson to design a signature guitar, and he came up with two: the Trini Lopez Standard and the Lopez Deluxe. Dave Grohl prizes his 1967 original Trini Lopez Standard, and a reissue of the 1964 model is available now. Lopez died from Covid complications in 2020.

10. Johnny Winter

For virtuoso guitarist Johnny Winter, spreading the gospel of the blues was his mission in life, and one could make a strong case that the music was always there to save him. 

Born in Beaumont, Texas, in 1944, he was afflicted with albinism (a condition shared with his younger brother, multi-instrumentalist Edgar) and was legally blind. Taunted by classmates, he sought solace with the records by bluesmen like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf (he would often joke that they, too, had problems because of skin color).

Winter’s guitar skills stood out early (almost from the start he used a thumb pick), and by age 15 he cut a Chuck Berryesque single, School Day Blues, with his band, Johnny and the Jammers (which included Edgar on saxophone). 

By the late ’60s, he had developed his high-velocity pinky-finger slide playing to a dangerous degree, and he cut the indie album The Progressive Blues Experiment. After an appearance with Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper in New York City, Winter signed with Columbia and released his eponymous major-label debut, which signaled to the world that a new voice in blues had arrived.

Career highs (producing mid-’70s albums for Muddy Waters) and lows (heroin addiction, unscrupulous management) followed, and after a brief dalliance with rock, Winter recorded the classic 1977 album Nothin’ But the Blues, on which he recommitted himself to his true calling. 

Rarely without his 1963 Gibson Firebird V, he recorded and performed until his death in 2014, aged 70.

11. Billy Gibbons

With his carefully cultivated image – shades, hats and an unruly beard that would grow to mid-chest level over the years – Billy Gibbons looks as if he walked off the set of an imaginary Western. 

But perhaps more iconic than the guitarist’s easily recognizable appearance is his distinctive guitar sound – growling, greasy, expressive, outrageous, beautifully expressive and big as the Lone Star State itself. Since 1969, it’s been the backbone of ZZ Top’s mighty roar – “that little ol’ band from Texas” as they modestly called themselves – and it’s thrilled and influenced fellow players across the globe. 

As a young guitarist, Gibbons was enthralled by blues legends such as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and Lightnin’ Hopkins. His biggest influence, however, was B.B. King, whom he would meet early on in ZZ Top’s career.

“I was in the dressing room and B.B. said to me, ‘Can I play your guitar?’” Gibbons told us. “I said, ‘Sure man.’ He strummed it a few times and said, ‘Why you working so hard?’ I said, ‘What do you mean?’ He said, ‘Those strings. You got real heavy, heavy strings.’ I said, ‘Well, isn’t that how to get the heavy, heavy sound?’ He said, ‘No! Don’t be working so hard!’”

Ever since then, Gibbons’ guitars, particularly his trusty “Pearly Gates” 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard, have featured super-light strings, which he used to maximum effect on ZZ Top’s early hits such as Tush and La Grange and on through multi-platinum smashes from Eliminator (Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs) and beyond. 

On boogie-based groovers or modern synth-laden cuts, Gibbons’ economic guitar style is a rich mélange of his influences. Key to his approach is his crafty application of “squealing” pinch harmonics (“it’s meat on metal on wood”), tapped bend licks and hybrid picking, as well as sweet and soulful legato finger slides that he employs in many of his solos. 

None of it came easily, however. As he told us, “Learning to play that agonizing F chord was miserable. In fact, I would encourage anybody just starting out to be sure to take time to, as the old adage goes, ‘practice, practice, practice,’ and then practice some more.” 

12. Jimmie Vaughan

Perhaps unfairly, many refer to Jimmie Vaughan as Stevie Ray’s big brother, but as Stevie told us back in 1984, “I think he’s the better player – so there!” Vaughan grew up playing the music of Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Mack, Jimmy Reed and, of course, the Three Kings. 

By the early ’70s, when he formed the Fabulous Thunderbirds, he was considered one of Austin’s top guitarists – soulful yet refined, his every note impeccably placed but rendered with a cutting tone (treble rolled all the way up, bridge pickup raised) that commanded your attention. 

After years of commercial disappointments, the T-Birds crashed the charts in 1986 with the good-time cut Tuff Enuff. By the start of the new decade, music fans who longed to hear the two Strat giants together got their wish as Jimmie and Stevie Vaughan finally recorded a duet album, Family Style. 

Tragically, Stevie Ray passed away a month before the record’s release. For a time, Vaughan shied away from the spotlight, but gradually he returned to making music. On his most recent album, 2019’s Baby, Please Come Home, he dusted off rare blues gems.

13. Brad Davis

If you’re going to nickname yourself “The Shredder,” you had better possess some mad skills. Brad Davis has crazy-mad skills – and then some. With his lightning-fast flatpicking chops, the Commerce, Texas, native proves that country guitarists can blaze just as hard as metalheads. 

Davis first came to prominence during his nine-year stint in Marty Stuart’s band. In addition, he’s worked with Warren Zevon, John Jorgenson, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yokum, David Lee Roth and Billy Bob Thornton, among others. 

Inspired by Eddie Van Halen’s two-handed tapping, Davis came up with his own method of playing similar rolling patterns with a flatpick called the “double-down up” technique. Over the years, it’s bewitched and bedeviled players worldwide.

14. T-Bone Walker

He’s been called the “Father of the Electric Blues Guitar,” and when you consider the guitarists T-Bone Walker influenced – Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, the three Kings (B.B., Freddie and Albert), and many others – the title is deserved. 

Born Albert Thibeaux Walker in Linden, Texas, Walker played a variety of instruments, including guitar, and by 15 he was performing professionally under the tutelage of family friend Blind Lemon Jefferson. Billed as “Oak Cliff T-Bone” (the moniker was soon shortened), he made his recording debut with “Wichita Falls Blues” in 1929. 

Unlike other bluesmen, Walker incorporated swing and jazz elements into his playing – his smooth tone and artful phrasing made 1942’s I Got a Break Baby one of his first hits. His signature song, 1947’s Call It Stormy Monday is a masterpiece of chordal composition and innovative double-time soloing. Walker continued recording right until his death in 1974 at age 64.

15. Doyle Bramhall II

Some guitarists just have it in their DNA. Such is the case with Dallas’ own Doyle Bramhall II, son of Doyle Bramhall Sr., who played drums for Lightnin’ Hopkins, Freddie King and the Vaughan brothers. 

On his own, Bramhall toured with the Fabulous Thunderbirds and formed the Arc Angels with Charlie Sexton. He’s cut four solo albums that show off his emotive singing and crisp, piquant blues-rock guitar playing. But as a sideman, collaborator and producer, Bramhall has led what he calls a “charmed life,” working with everybody from Sheryl Crow to Elton John.

Among his most high-profile gigs was playing guitar for Roger Waters’ In the Flesh tour and his extensive affiliation (as touring guitarist and producer) with Eric Clapton. In 2000, Bramhall played with both Clapton and B.B. King on their album Riding with the King.

16. Polyphia: Two in one!

Polyphia guitar virtuosos Tim Henson and Scott LePage don’t sound like they’re from Texas, but the truth is, they don’t sound like they’re from anywhere on this planet. 

Inspired by players such as Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, Joe Satriani, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix, they’re also equally enamored with pop, deathcore, hip-hop and EDM, all of which they pack into their gloriously adventurous brand of progressive music. 

On releases like Renaissance (2016) and New Levels New Devils, they mixed sophisticated guitar wizardry with funk and electronic grooves, and their newest release, Remember That You Will Die, sees them going even deeper, mixing nylon-string flamenco-flavored cuts into their thrilling yet uncategorizable musical stew. 

17. Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown

Revered by blues artists, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown always bristled at being pigeonholed. He called his sound – a potent mix of jazz, country, rock ’n’ roll, folk, Cajun music and, yes, blues – “American music/Texas life.” 

Born in Vinton, Louisiana, and raised in Orange, Texas, Brown, who earned his nickname when someone said he had a “voice like a gate,” was a natural multi-instrumentalist, but it was on the guitar where he truly excelled. Inspired by T-Bone Walker, he first came to prominence with the wildcat, swing-inspired track “Boogie Uproar” and the sparky, horn-laden gem “Gatemouth Boogie.” 

Known for his aggressive, punchy single-note style of picking (thumb and fingers), he could also lay it down soft and smooth, as he did on his signature cut, 1954’s Okie Dokie Stomp, during which he stops his rhythm section cold for a series of buttery slides and sinuous bends. Brown continued his genre-bending ways right up to 2004’s Timeless, released a year before his death.

18. Gary Clark Jr.

Being called “the next big thing” can often backfire, but Gary Clark Jr. lived up to the hype and then some. The Austin guitarist got his schooling at Antone’s (Jimmie Vaughan was a big booster) before scoring with The Bright Lights EP. 

On subsequent albums like Blak and Blu and This Land, his hot-blooded mix of blues, rock, pop, soul, hip-hop and funk (with even a splash of stoner rock) established him as the real deal – oh, and we can throw in some Grammys, too. 

Although Clark is steeped in tradition (Curtis Mayfield, Elmore James, the Three Kings), he bristles at purists and revels in throwing left curves into his guitar playing, often going outside pentatonic shapes by adding 9ths and ringing open strings in his solos. He’s used various guitars on stage and on record, but he’s partial to Epiphone Casinos and Gibson SGs – in recent years he’s designed signature models of both.

19. Blind Lemon Jefferson

The Father of Texas Blues, Lemon Henry Jefferson was called Blind Lemon Jefferson as he was born blind – or partially blind – in 1893 (though it could be in 1894) in Coutchman, Texas. 

Originally a street musician, he was one of the first fingerstyle blues guitarists – he even taught T-Bone Walker blues rudiments. Along with his distinctive playing style that mimicked a ragtime piano and a crying, high-pitched singing voice, he began recording sides for Paramount Records in the early 1920s. Among his most popular recordings for the label were Long Lonesome Blues and Booster Blues. 

Moving to Okeh Records, he scored hits with Black Snake Moan and See That My Grave Is Kept Clean. Arguably his most famous song is 1927’s Matchbox Blues, which was covered as a rockabilly number by Carl Perkins and later by the Beatles. Jefferson died of a heart attack at age 36 way back in 1929.

20. Steve Miller

With hits such as The Joker, Fly Like an Eagle, Take the Money and Run, Swingtown and Jungle Love, Steve Miller dominated AM and FM radio during the ’70s. As a child in Wisconsin, he received his first guitar pointers from none other than family friend – and his godfather – Les Paul. 

After moving to Dallas, he immersed himself in the blues. One of his first hits, the 1968 car-driving anthem Living in the U.S.A, is steeped in blues tradition. Soon, his songs took on more of a pop-rock sensibility, and in each one he wove economical guitar licks that were as crucial as the chorus. 

Rock’n Me features a standout barre chord and hammer-on riff that’s pure gold. And Jet Airliner takes flight with a turbo-charged, blues-boogie intro that mixes simplicity with rock-star flash.

21. Johnny “Guitar” Watson

Houston son John Watson Jr. got his first guitar from his grandfather provided he didn’t play “that devil’s music,” which was precisely what the young Watson went on to play. By his early teens, he was jamming alongside Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland, and after his mother took her with him to Los Angeles, he turned heads in clubs with his flamboyant stage presence and unbridled approach to the guitar. 

Billing himself Johnny “Guitar” Watson, in 1954 he released his first single, Space Guitar, an out-there instrumental that proved revolutionary in terms of reverb. His jarring, scattershot playing on 1956’s Three Hours Past Midnight inspired Frank Zappa to play the guitar, and through the years he influenced others such as Jimi Hendrix and the Vaughan brothers. 

He scored hits in the ’70s with Real Mother for Ya and Gangster of Love (a re-recording of his 1957 song). In 1996, he collapsed and died on stage while performing in Japan.

22. Paul Leary

Thanks to his scorching, throbbing, growling and strangely beautiful guitar tone, Texas native Paul Leary, co-founder of the Butthole Surfers, has become one of the most distinctive and emulated guitarists in punk and alternative rock history. 

With singer Gibby Hayes, he formed the band in 1981, and on albums like Hairway to Steven (1988) and 1996’s Electriclarryland (which included the hit single “Pepper”), Leary mixed the energy of garage rock with the smarts of art rock while spinning lines of psychedelic madness into his solos. 

Over the years, Leary has produced records for Sublime and the Meat Puppets, among others, and with the Buttholes on hiatus, he released his second solo album, Born Stupid, in 2021.

23. Omar Rodríguez-López

“I’ve never considered myself a guitarist, and I’ve never liked the guitar,” Omar Rodríguez-López once told us. Nonetheless, the Puerto Rican-born musician (who grew up in El Paso, Texas) made peace with the instrument by abusing its sound with effects, first in the critically acclaimed post-hardcore act At the Drive-In and then with the commercial successful experimental band the Mars Volta. 

On the latter band’s gonzo cut Cicatriz ESP (from the album Deloused in the Comatorium) he and guest John Frusciante go bonkers on a hallucinogenic guitar jam. Over the years, the avant-garde axeman has released over 20 solo albums and has ventured into film composing, collaborating with Hans Zimmer for the movie The Burning Plain.

24. Stephen Stills

When Dallas-born aspiring folkie Stephen Stills settled into the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of L.A. in the mid ’60s, he was on the cusp of a musical revolution that rivaled Liverpool. His is a career that can be measured in milestones: As a member of seminal folk-rock band Buffalo Springfield, he wrote and sang the enduring anti-war anthem For What It’s Worth. 

With the enormously popular supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Young), he contributed classics like Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. Along the way, he recorded the historic Super Session with Mike Bloomfield and Al Cooper, worked with Hendrix and Clapton, formed another supergroup (Manassas), and continued a thriving solo career that would keep most musicians busy. 

As a guitarist, his astonishing versatility spans elegant yet sophisticated folk patterns, scorching shred improvs, deep Delta blues and anything else his muse dictates.

25. David Grissom

In the pantheon of journeymen guitarists, few have had a career as rich and varied as David Grissom. After moving to Austin (from his native Louisville, Kentucky) in 1983, Grissom joined Joe Ely’s band for a six-year stint, after which he became a member of John Mellencamp’s group from 1991 through 1994. 

From there, he went on to tour or record with the Allman Brothers, the Dixie Chicks, Robben Ford, Chris Isaak, Buddy Guy, Bob Dylan and John McMurtry, among others. 

Along the way, he recorded four solo albums and was part of the band Storyville, which included Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton from Double Trouble. Schooled in blues, jazz, rock and country, Grissom is one of music’s true chameleons, able to tailor his own distinctive sound to suit the song and artist.

26. Charlie Sexton

Young Charlie Sexton could have folded when his much-hyped major-label debut, 1985’s Pictures for Pleasure, failed to make him the next Billy Idol. But the Texas-born guitarist was built for better things, and blues ran through his blood. By his mid-teens, he was already a prodigy who could hold his own with the Vaughan brothers and other Austin greats at that city’s famed nightclub, Antone’s.

In 1992, he rebounded mightily with his band, the Arc Angles, which included Doyle Bramhall II and the Double Trouble rhythm section, before beginning a long tenure as Bob Dylan’s lead guitarist. Able to switch from fiery Hendrixian leads to swampy delta blues to even Celtic-tinged folk rock, he’s become an in-demand sideman and producer. Recently, he reunited the Arc Angels for a string of shows in Texas.
St. Vincent

27. St. Vincent

Just when the world needed a new postmodern guitar hero, along came Annie Clark (aka St. Vincent), who turned things upside-down with an inventive approach that mixes metal-tinged two-handed tapping with dynamic, effects-drenched soundscapes on deeply personal songs that veer from jazz-pop to electronica to sophisticated indie rock. 

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she grew up in Dallas, Texas, and started playing guitar at age 12. After studying at Berklee College of Music, she released her daring debut, Marry Me, and never looked back. 

She’s issued five more provocative albums (her latest is 2021’s Daddy’s Home), and in 2014 she fronted Nirvana for the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Since 2016, she’s collaborated with Ernie Ball Music Man on her own signature guitars.

28. Buddy Holly

A towering figure in rock ’n’ roll, Buddy Holly had an immeasurable impact on young musicians in the late ’50s and early ’60s, most notably John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were inspired by Holly to write their own material. Among his many innovations, Holly created the template for the now-standard rock lineup of two guitars, bass and drums.

Born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, Holly (who later dropped the “e” from his surname) played guitar to country and western, blues and gospel in his early years, and by the age of 16 he went pro. Backed by his band the Crickets, he issued a string of magical singles – among them Peggy Sue, That’ll Be the Day, Not Fade Away, Maybe Baby and It’s So Easy. 

As a guitarist, he popularized the Fender Stratocaster, and his energetic, twangy playing style – emphasizing downstrokes on the top three strings – seamlessly mixed rhythm and lead. Tragically, he died in 1959 at age 22 in a plane crash that also took the lives of Richie Valens and the Big Bopper.

29. Larry Coryell

Galveston-born jazz guitarist Larry Coryell was called the “godfather of fusion,” and with good reason – his mid-to-late ’60s recordings with the pioneering jazz-rock band the Free Spirits, followed by his work with the Gary Burton Quartet – ushered in a revolution in which players mixed straight jazz with rock, as well as Latin and eastern music. 

Among his many solo albums, his 1971 record Barefoot Boy is cited as a game changer that proved how jazz could be as edgy and exciting as rock. During his career, Coryell formed the fusion ensemble the Eleventh House, and with John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucia, he was one-third of the Guitar Trio.

Following two performances at New York City’s Iridium Jazz Club, he passed away from heart failure in February 2017.

30. Herb Ellis

Born in 1921 and raised near Dallas, jazz guitarist Herb Ellis rose to fame in 1940s and ’50s, first with the Jimmy Dorsey band and then, more prominently, as part of the Oscar Peterson Trio. Performing with his staple guitar, a 1953 Gibson ES-175, Ellis was revered for his fluid, beautifully phrased single-note lines in which he combined elements of bebop and blues. 

During his career, he recorded with Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, among others, and with Barney Kessel, Charlie Byrd and Tal Farlow, he created a supergroup called the Great Guitars. 

On his own, he released dozens of albums, including the classics Ellis in Wonderland (1956) and Two for the Road (with Joe Pass, 1974). Ellis passed away in 2010.  

31. Junior Brown

Although he was born in Arizona and raised in Indiana, Jamieson “Junior” Brown is considered a true Texan to his legion of fans in the Lone Star State, particularly among the citizens of Austin, where the guitarist relocated in the early ‘90s. 

A musician since childhood, Brown became a hot commodity among the country circuit during the ‘60s and ‘70s, thanks to his virtuoso skills on guitar and lap steel. After performing with groups such as the Last Mile Ramblers, Asleep at the Wheel, and Rank and File, Brown started performing with his own outfit. 

At the same time, he created (with help from luthier Michael Brown) the “guit-steel”, a double neck instrument that combined an electric guitar and a lap steel, allowing him to switch effortlessly between the two during the same song. As a solo artist, Brown has released over a dozen albums, including his classic 1996 Western swing set, Semi-Crazy. 

His most recent album was 2021’s His & Hers, recorded with his longtime musical partner and wife, “the lovely Tanya Rae”.

32. Ty Tabor

King’s X guitarist Ty Tabor is another honorary Texan. Born in Pearl, Mississippi, he moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he met bassist-singer Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill. 

After a series of name changes, the trio settled on King’s X and relocated to Houston to be closer to their manager (and eventual producer), Sam Taylor. 

Tabor’s diverse influences – everyone from the Beatles to Allan Holdsworth, with heaping helpings of bluegrass as well – contributed to his unique approach to songwriting, but it’s in the area of tone where he’s a true trailblazer. 

One of the first guitarists to use the drop D tuning on record, he’s been referred to by fellow players as one of the pioneers of grunge – despite the fact that King’s X music has traditionally been labeled progressive rock. 

Tabor has recorded 13 albums with King’s X (including 1989’s groundbreaking classic Gretchen Goes to Nebraska), and he’s been a member of popular rock-fusion supergroups such as Platypus and the Jelly Jam. In addition, he’s released 15 solo albums – his latest, Shades, was issued this year.

After months of anticipation, the newly reformed Pantera played their first show in 21 years on Friday, December 2, when they brought a set packed with classics to Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest.

The group – which now features guitarist Zakk Wylde and drummer Charlie Benante, alongside core Pantera members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown – delighted the crowd, opening with A New Level, before launching into Mouth For War and Strength Beyond Strength, tackling a selection of deeper cuts before rounding the set off with the devastating trinity of Walk, a down-tuned Cowboys From Hell and Domination/Hollow.

The show also marked the first time Pantera have paid tribute to Dimebag Darrell onstage, after the late guitarist died in concert with Damageplan in 2004, a year after Pantera broke up in 2003.

During the four-piece's cover of Black Sabbath’s Planet Caravan – from 1970’s Paranoid – a video tribute to Dimebag and his brother, late Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul, played on screens behind and to the side of the stage.

Despite admitting that he still needed to learn some of Dimebag Darrell’s guitar parts for the Pantera shows as late as mid-October – and later revealing that he was using YouTube videos to grasp them, Zakk Wylde looked at home with the band, employing Wylde Audio Warhammer electric guitars – the closest thing in his company's catalog to Dimebag's trademark MLs – in front of walls of Wylde 4x12 cabs.

His live tone certainly captured the essence of Dimebag's trademark grind – credit is also due to guitar tech Grady Champion, Dimebag’s own tech who signed up for the new Pantera shows earlier this year, and even furnished Zakk with some of Dimebag's own pedals.

The band's full setlist at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest is as follows:

1. A New Level
2. Mouth for War
3. Strength Beyond Strength
4. Becoming
5. I'm Broken
6. Use My Third Arm
7. Drag the Waters
8. This Love
9. Yesterday Don't Mean Shit
10. Fucking Hostile
11. Planet Caravan
12. 5 Minutes Alone
13. Walk
14. Cowboys From Hell
15. Domination/Hollow

Throughout the show, Wylde struck a fine balance of paying tribute to Dimebag's solos while adding his own flair, hyping up alternate-picked runs and pinch harmonics with his own distinctive delivery.

Indeed, last month Zakk Wylde spoke with Guitar World about his approach to the gig, stating, “No matter what I do, it's going to sound like me. I can practice all I want and stay as faithful as I want, but I am never going to escape that. It's like if Dime were still here, and he played Miracle Man or No More Tears – even if he played them spot on – it would still sound like Dimebag Darrell playing Zakk Wylde.

“So, that's a challenge, but it's not a bad thing at all. It's like if Randy Rhoads were to play Eddie Van Halen's Eruption, no matter what he did, it would sound like Randy playing, not Eddie. You're never going to mistake Randy for Eddie or Eddie for Randy, and it's the same thing here with me playing Dime's stuff. 

“So, the way I look at it is I am going to go in, learn the parts, be as faithful to what Dime did as possible, and just be me. I'm gonna have fun with it, knowing that I am not expecting myself to sound like Dime, and no one else should either, which is how it is when I play with Ozzy or whatever else.”

The Hell & Heaven show kicked off what’s set to be a busy December for Pantera, as they gear up to hit a string of dates across South America, in Colombia, Chile and Brazil.

And after wrapping this year’s dates at Knotfest Brasil in São Paulo on December 18, the band will see a quiet start to 2023, before hitting the road again from May, first performing a handful of dates in Europe before heading across the pond for a US run.