PANTERA - 3 Vulgar Videos From Hell

Pantera
3 Vulgar Videos From Hell
Elektra
9/10

Encapsulating the first three home video releases from Pantera in a single DVD that’s packed with so many highlights from the career of the Cowboys From Hell, it’s difficult to digest in just a single viewing, 3 Vulgar Videos From Hell is a massive helping of Pantera guaranteed to once again have fans fired up about this legendary metal unit. Although much of the substance here is already quite familiar to many of the group’s early followers, it’s great to have all of this footage archived as a single unit, especially in DVD format.

Although the music is what matters most for many, this compendium should also be considered mandatory for the abundance of behind-the-scenes footage that gives the viewer a lot of insight into the camaraderie and friendships that caused this Texas-based group to gain such monstrous proportions. Countless smiles from Dimebag, Phil and the gang underscore the bonds that held this group together for so many years. First and foremost, Pantera was about having a balls-out good time and watching this footage at length reveals that the band had more than enough personality and character behind their razor-edged sound to fill a stadium. Attaching those traits to a groundbreaking, pure metal sound merely amplified the presence of Pantera and as you will witness here, the combination of metal, beer and good times amongst close friends made this band a winner. You’ll laugh nearly as much as you’ll bang your head while experiencing this footage, an exercise that will be therapeutic for a great many who have been saddened since the passing of guitarist Dimebag Darrell.

Frankly, there’s no downside to this package whatsoever. Clips like the making of “5 Minutes Alone”, show Pantera for what they really were outside of the spotlight, the real deal through and through. At once genuine and ingenious, the group’s aggressive approach to metal remains unmatched to this day and as you sit through classic gems like “Cowboys From Hell”, “Cemetery Gates”, “Walk”, “This Love”, “I’m Broken” and “Planet Caravan”, you’ll find yourself reliving some of the best metal music you’ve heard (and seen) in your lifetime. The addition of footage of Pantera live at Monsters Of Rock in Moscow is an additional perk to this collection and the group’s aggressive performance here indicates that metal truly knows no language barrier. Nothing less than four hours of one of metal’s finest bands while entrenched firmly in their prime. This is an excellent insight into the lives of one of heavy metal’s greatest.

Written By: Puss Whiskey

Nirvana - In Utero: Under Review

Nirvana
In Utero: Under Review
MVD
7/10




This DVD examines the final album of the grunge act Nirvana and while the reviewers present laud the album and its deceased progenitor, Kurt Cobain for songwriting brilliance, it’s a tough sell as “In Utero” was certainly the low point of the brief stand in the public eye of the acclaimed Seattle trio.

As difficult as it is to believe that songs like “Heart-shaped Box” were on a songwriting par with the likes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, that’s the message being delivered here. Regardless, Nirvana fans are a rabid bunch and in consideration of the untimely suicide of the bleach-blonde icon, there’s not a whole lot of material for fans to acquire that hasn’t already been placed for public consumption.

Having said that, you’ll uncover a few rare photos and bits of footage and a handful of interesting facts that you might not have known about the band beforehand, whether this info is worth the asking price is dependant on your fanaticism. Although the general tone of this documentary is a general rim-job, hailing “In Utero” as one of the finest records ever to exist, patient bystanders should be able to sort through the muckity-muck and gain a bit of perspective as to the whys and wherefores of the making of the album.

The studio information is likely the most revealing, and of course, the commentators and interviewees give their opinions on the intentions of the dude that drove an entire generation to eat Prozac like they were M&Ms.


Written By: Shovelhead