What is the controversy surrounding Pantera?
Since its explosion, metal has stood at the epicentre of expression, providing artists with a new avenue to explore art without restraint. Many—from Black Sabbath to Metallica—have utilised this realm with revolutionary music that truly tests the boundaries of sonic intensity and connects fans with an audacity that cannot be found elsewhere. However, lurking in the darkened corners of the metal community also lies an underlying racism issue, centralised in the many mishaps caused by Pantera.
The most notable example of Pantera’s controversy occurred in 2022 when the media called attention to a 2016 incident involving Phil Anselmo making a Nazi salute while yelling “white power” at a concert. At the time, the band cancelled their reunion dates and were dropped from festival lineups, with some speculating that Anselmo’s troubling political ideology led them to be blacklisted from any forthcoming events or performances.
This wasn’t the first time such behaviour occurred. Anselmo later issued an apology for his actions, but he previously addressed Pantera’s divisiveness years prior, claiming that it was “cool” to write politically polarising lyrics. This connects to their controversial 1994 song ‘5 Minutes Alone’, which refers to the frontman’s perceived position with the lyrics: “You used complexion of my skin / For a counter racist tool.”
Among the controversial statements made by the band, there was also an incident involving their late guitarist, Dimebag Darrell. The musician reportedly once said a racial slur to a fan who wanted him to sign their guitar, claiming that he should play it first before he did so. However, such attention is usually placed on Anselmo, who also drew negative attention during a concert in 1995 when he claimed that “Pantera are not a racist band” and that they had friends “of all colours and all kinds.” That said, he also said that he had a problem with Black rappers “pissing all over white culture”.
Recently, it was announced that Pantera would join several other industry veterans and legacy acts for Black Sabbath’s farewell concert in Birmingham on July 5th. Since the explosive backlash in 2022 after their problematic 2016 stunt resurfaced, fans and members of the metal community—including well-known musicians and bands—have seemed ignorant of these claims, whether due to confusion, dismissal, or the worrisome view that Pantera’s legacy outweighs the negative aspects of their past.
So, why hasn’t the metal community dropped Pantera?
Based on past remarks, Anselmo’s views on racism in the metal scene suggest a broader conversation about evolving attitudes and language. While racism has no place in any community, some of the genre’s most influential figures were shaped in eras with different norms, making it a challenge to separate their legacy from the music itself.
The frontman opened up about this during an interview with Decibel Magazine in 2016, doubling down on his remorse in a way that made him seem intent on never addressing it again, which likely explains the silence across the board since 2022. In the interview, he blamed it on his “dark” and “volatile” temperament and sense of humour, adding, “I’m not deflecting at all. What I did was insulting, absolutely, and abhorrent because it did truly upset people, and it hurts my heart that anyone would think that I’m the dreaded ‘R’ word.”
He also explored his own background, adding context to why he might have said such things and not expected the attention that it got. “Maybe I’ve said controversial things, but that’s the school of music that I come from,” he admitted. “If you want safe music and safe spaces and all that type of shit, then run screaming in the other direction, please, and go toward yon safety.” His remorse could be legitimate—and those within the inner circle of the metal scene might understand that, hence their immunity from current boycotting—but it doesn’t and will never absolve him of the harm caused.
Judging by the severity of their controversial history, this seems to be the only plausible reason they are still given a platform. It’s easy and understandable to disregard Anselmo’s past and focus on Pantera’s musical and cultural impact, and, in fact, most of their peers and fans do just that. However, when accountability is more pressing than ever, is that really enough?
