Zakk Wylde names the songwriter who transformed metal: “Added gasoline”
The history of metal music is a long one, constituting great bands and talented musicians. Deciding who joins the ‘hall of fame’ for greatest of all time is a difficult task. From hard rock and metal royalty like Black Sabbath to Led Zeppelin, it’s safe to say the bar has been set pretty high. But, metal guitarist Zakk Wylde claims there was one individual in particular who paved a transformative path for the genre.
It’s no secret Wylde has spent enough time in the scene to understand where inspiration is sourced from. As a long-time lead guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne since 1987, he recognises that every great musician has a predecessor who opened a door for them. Whether that be in terms of inspiration, or by redefining what the genre ‘should’ sound like. Wylde has never been shy of going onstage at any moment to help a band out. Despite health concerns and the wariness surrounding Osbourne’s farewell gig, happening in July, Wylde is all set to join him. After all, when the time came for a Pantera reunion back in 2022, it was he who stepped up as touring guitarist to honour the trailblazing heavy metal band.
After touring with Osbourne for some time, the guitarist founded his band, Black Label Society. With hit songs like ‘Stillborn’, which even feature co-vocals from ‘The Great Ozz’ himself, the band haven’t dipped in quality. Their rage-infused, bottle-smashing music still retains its edge to this day. While it’s easy for a younger generation listening to such outfits to claim them as the best to ever do it, can you ever really claim them as the best? After all, if you’re listening to their blues-infused metal, are you hearing them, or are you hearing the likes of Eric Clapton or Lynyrd Skynyrd?
After all, as Wylde eloquently put it in an interview with Songfacts, “If you’re into Led Zeppelin, you should know that Led Zeppelin listened to Robert Johnson and Willie Dixon. Your favourite blues band should not be Led Zeppelin.”
So, when asked who his favourite songwriters were, Wylde immediately turned to Dimebag Darrell, whose iconic riffs were central to the genre and instantly recognisable. “I always tell everybody what Dime’s legacy is. Tony Iommi created that whole genre of music, then Dime and the guys took the Sabbath thing and added gasoline. He added nitrous to it and created his own new thing,” he gushed.
Brothers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag were both pioneers of the early metal scene, whose work influenced different sub-genres like nu metal. Better known for founding Pantera in 1981, they changed the face of metal forever. Their grooves and sound, addictive to many, sprouted inspiration across the genre and was simply hard to ignore. Paul’s drumming, alongside Dimebag’s syncopated riffs, offered a sonic foundation and gave those that followed a great idea of where metal music could go. The latter’s aggressive tone was a hallmark of the Pantera sound, which formed the core of hits like ‘Walk’. The percussive aggression this song holds couldn’t have been achieved without his expert tone and rhythm.
Inspiration bleeds more inspiration, and this makes sense because, even in the heavy ‘sledgehammer’ beats Wylde offers, there’s always a hint of Dimebag’s down-tuned riffs, which is probably why the former was such a suitable choice to join Pantera in their reunion. Dimebag Darrell’s legacy will be felt in every metal band that follows after him, for being one of the major reasons why metal has the distinct sound it has today.
