Writer/Photographer: Alan Welding
Pantera roared into Burgettstown, PA—a small town just outside Pittsburgh—to kick off their highly anticipated North American run, boldly titled “The Heaviest Tour of the Summer.” With a renewed sense of purpose, the band continued to honor the legacy of the late, great Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, rallying longtime die-hards and new fans alike.
The lineup—Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown, Zakk Wylde, and Charlie Benante—opened with a crushing rendition of “Hellbound,” immediately setting the tone for a night that was anything but a rerun of their 2023 shows. Choosing a track from the often-overlooked “Reinventing the Steel” signaled to fans that deep cuts and surprises were on the table.
For those less familiar with the band’s broader discography, the set quickly delivered comfort food in the form of “5 Minutes Alone” and “Strength Beyond Strength,” where Wylde masterfully put his own spin on Dimebag’s unmistakable riffs. Wylde’s performance wasn’t imitation—it was reverent reinterpretation, dripping with style and soul.
Anselmo, always the commanding frontman, proved again why he remains one of metal’s most charismatic vocalists. His voice was both raw and powerful, easily shifting between guttural growls and melodic intensity. Even with minor hiccups—like technical issues with his in-ear monitors during “This Love”—Anselmo delivered with the confidence and authenticity that fans have come to expect.
Fresh off a European tour with Metallica and a Black Sabbath tribute run, the band sounded locked-in and razor-sharp. Sure, there were moments of imperfection (a few looser transitions on rare cuts like “10’s”), but nothing that detracted from the overall onslaught of precision and energy. This version of Pantera plays with the urgency and passion of a band not trying to relive the past but honor it and move it forward.
Highlights of the 15-song set included the immortal “Walk,” “Mouth for War,” “Cowboys from Hell,” and “Fucking Hostile,” along with deeper tracks like “Goddamn Electric” and “I’ll Cast a Shadow.” The crowd responded in kind—singing along with every word, fists in the air, feeding off the band’s relentless pace and energy.
Whether or not this lineup of Pantera returns soon remains to be seen, but if this show is any indication, there’s still fire in the furnace. As the tribute continues, each performance feels less like a reunion and more like a celebration.
And while the members will soon return to their respective projects—Anselmo with Down, Wylda with Black Label Society and Zakk Sabbath, and Benante with Anthrax—you can bet we haven’t seen the last of them sharing a stage together. For now, Pantera is back, and they’re heavier than ever.
Amon Amarth and S.N.A.F.U. kicked off the night’s festivities with raw energy and thunderous intensity. Amon Amarth, the Viking-themed melodic death metal band, features commanding frontman Johan Hegg alongside guitarists Olavi Mikkonen and Johan Söderberg, bassist Ted Lundström, and drummer Jocke Wallgren. Known for their Norse mythology-inspired lyrics and cinematic stage presence, the band brought out massive props, live battle reenactments, and engaged the crowd with thunderous chants and fists raised high. The audience responded with overwhelming enthusiasm, fully immersed in the epic spectacle unfolding before them.
Detroit’s own S.N.A.F.U. (Situation Normal All Fucked Up), signed to Anselmo’s Housecore Records, have unleashed non-stop chaos since their formation in 2006. Their feral, high-energy sets are legendary—they are consistently described as “some of the fiercest live performances in the country.” Musically, they obliterate genre boundaries by fusing lightning-fast thrash, grinding intensity, and blackened hardcore punk—drawing direct influence from the aggression of Slayer, Sepultura, Cro-Mags, Municipal Waste, and the raw fury of Negative Approach. This relentless, pit-ready onslaught made them the ideal act to rip open the night.
Pantera Setlist
July 15, 2025, Burgettstown, PA
1. “Hellbound” (first time since 2001)
2. “5 Minutes Alone”
3. “Strength Beyond Strength”
4. “A New Level”
5. “Mouth for War”
6. “Goddamn Electric” (first time since 2001)
7. “10s” (Live debut)
8. “Becoming”
9. “I’m Broken”
10. “This Love”
11. “I’ll Cast a Shadow” (first time since 2001)
12. “Cowboys From Hell”
13. “Walk”
14. “Domination” / “Hollow”
15. “Fucking Hostile”