Reinventing The Steel

PANTERA ARE BACK! Wow, I'm not entirely sure what I was expecting from this album. I am/was a big Pantera fan, so when from nowhere I heard about a new album - called "Reinventing the Steel" no less - my expectations were immediately set high. I had images of another revolution in metal; a much anticipated, monumental CD of original fast/thrash metal. Was I expecting too much? I didn't think so? The Live 101 album showed they were a technically talented and mature band, with that particular version of "Cemetery Gates" possibly being my favourite Pantera song, albeit slow (my favourite metal is definitely fast/heavy guitars with extreme drumming - I am NOT a true-metal or hard-rock fan). Not only that, but Pantera have had a long time to work on new material for this album. Was it as awesome as I had hoped? No. The first track started as a good intro, but the breaks in the song are just a long scream with some uninteresting guitar and drumming in the background. The second track? my head started moving, could this album be good after all? The song turns out to be nothing spectacular, but defiynitely a step in the right direction. Then came "Yesterday Don't Mean Shit". The opening riff - seemingly simple, yet technically difficult - was exactly what I was waiting for! Unfortunately the song goes slightly down hill, in my opinion. It feels a bit repetitive, with a boring chorus and guitar solo. I'm sorry, but this just isn't my thing? Die-hard Pantera fans will embrace the album, but amidst the painful high-pitched squeals of "You've Got To Belong To It", and the coma-inducing "Uplift", there isn't much to write home about.