Pantera T-ShirTS

Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, that formed in 1981. Although initially influenced by 1970s and 1980s glam metal/hard rock bands, thrash metal acts such as Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax would prove to be influential in Pantera's significant change in musical direction at the end of the 1980s. From there, Pantera became a key formulator of the groove metal (post-thrash) subgenre of heavy metal music.

It would not be until nine years after forming that Pantera saw its first bit of commercial success in its major label debut, Cowboys from Hell. From there, Pantera became one of the most celebrated heavy metal bands of the 1990s. Despite the generally cold reception of Pantera's first four albums, critics have lauded Pantera's style thereafter; Jason Birchmeier of the All Music Guide considers Pantera to be "arguably the greatest metal band of '90s and ... one of the greatest and most influential metal bands ever." Pantera has received accolades such as ranking 45 on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" and fifth on MTV's "Top 10 Greatest Heavy Metal Bands of All-Time".

Due to long-standing internal conflicts, Pantera dissolved in 2003. The following year, the band's guitarist, Dimebag Darrell, was shot and killed on-stage while performing with his new band, Damageplan.

Pantera has toured with Ozzfest as main stage acts twice; Pantera played at the second annual Ozzfest in 1997 and the fifth Ozzfest in 2000. Over the course of their career, Pantera's members became known for their excessive partying and debauchery, even acquiring an official drink called the "Black Tooth Grin". The Black Tooth Grin (or "Black Tooth," alternatively), which was named after lyrics in the Megadeth song "Sweating Bullets", is a mixture of Crown Royal or Seagram 7 whisky (sometimes both are used together) and Coca-Cola.

Pantera also adopted a self-described "take no shit" attitude, epitomized in its popular song "5 Minutes Alone" off of Far Beyond Driven. According to drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, during a show in San Diego, California, Anselmo was annoyed by a heckler and encouraged the crowd to "jump [his] ass and beat the shit out of him on the spot." Consequently, Pantera was sued; the man's father took action and called Pantera's manager, saying, "You just give me five minutes alone with that Phil Anselmo guy and I'll show him who's big daddy around here," to which Anselmo responded, "You just give me five minutes alone with that cat's dad and I'll whoop his ass." Thus, "5 Minutes Alone" was born out of that experience

Pantera members take pride in what they perceive to be an uncompromising career in which they never "sold out" or gave into trends. This is most noticeably highlighted in the themes and title of The Great Southern Trendkill.