Maps of Music

Metal Magic (1983)

Where the lyrics of Metal Magic take you, and where it was really made.

The debut was released on a label that shares the album's name, and its producer was the father of two of the band's members.

Key places

Recorded at Pantego Sound (1983)

Recording site Pantego Sound — The album was recorded at Pantego Sound in Pantego, Texas. The pin marks the town centre, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Metal Magic: debut studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera
• Released 10 June 1983 through Metal Magic Records, the band's own label
• Musically a glam/heavy metal sound influenced by Kiss and Van Halen
• Same musical direction as the band's next three releases
• Produced by Jerry Abbott under the alias "The Eld'n"
• Abbott is a country music songwriter and producer
• Abbott is the father of Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell (then known as Diamond Darrell)
• Vinnie Paul and Diamond Darrell were 19 and 16 years old at release

Background

• Pantera was formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981
• The band was first named Gemini, then Eternity, before settling on Pantera

Recording

• Recorded at Pantego Sound, Pantego, Texas
• Jerry Abbott handled production, engineering and mixing
• M.C. Rather did the mastering
• Lineup: Terry Glaze (vocals, guitars), Darrell Abbott (guitars), Rex Rocker (bass guitar), Vince Abbott (drums)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Pantera is an American heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas, in 1981 by the Abbott brothers, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul.
• The band started as a glam metal act and was originally named Gemini, then Eternity, before settling on Pantera.
• Rex Brown joined on bass in 1982 and Phil Anselmo became vocalist in 1986, forming the best-known lineup.

Members

• The best-known lineup was the Abbott brothers with Rex Brown and Phil Anselmo.
• Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage in December 2004; Vinnie Paul died of heart failure in June 2018.
• Currently the band features Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante.

Career

• The band pioneered and popularized groove metal in the 1990s with Cowboys from Hell (1990) and Vulgar Display of Power (1992).
• Far Beyond Driven (1994) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
• Pantera disbanded in 2003 and reunited with a new lineup in 2022, touring the world since.
• The band has sold around 20 million records worldwide and received four Grammy nominations.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

Reappraisal

• AllMusic retrospective review by Eduardo Rivadavia: 1.5 stars out of 5
• Rivadavia called the album "exceedingly average hard rock and metal misfires"
• Only two promising songs were named: "I'll Be Alright" and "Widowmaker"
• Even in these early years, the album's "strongest asset" was Diamond Darrell's guitar playing
• Joe DaVita of Loudwire included the album in his 2024 list "60 Hilariously Awful Metal Album Covers"
• In that list DaVita was quoted saying: "There is NO magic happening here."

Records

• Drummer Vinnie Paul said the album sold around 5,000 copies by 1990

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Discogs lists the release date as 10 June 1983 and calls this the band's "TRUE Debut Album"
• Discogs notes this is the only Metal Magic-era album without any songwriting contribution from Rex Rocker
• Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell were 19 and 16 at release, and their father Jerry Abbott produced the record under the alias "The Eld'n"
• Before settling on Pantera, the band was named Gemini and then Eternity
• Loudwire's 2024 list of awful metal album covers included this record, with the quote "There is NO magic happening here."

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

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