The announced return of Pantera to the stage has generated intense debate among metal fans. While some are happy to see members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown again, others point out that the "reunion" makes no sense without the band's founding brothers, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul – both deceased.
Recently, Pantera announced 6 tour dates for December 2022 – including Knotfest Brazil , which takes place in the city of São Paulo. Replacing Abbott brothers will be Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante , from Anthrax .
Even after emphasizing that the shows in question are a tribute to Pantera's legacy and that he and Charlie have no intention of joining the band, Zakk Wylde reaffirmed his opinion in an interview with Ultimate Guitar .
“It’s funny because someone said, ‘That’s not Pantera!’ Of course it’s not Pantera. It’s Phil and Rex with two friends getting together to honor Dime, Vinnie, and all their accomplishments,” Wylde says. “It’s a celebration of Pantera. And of all the things they accomplished. That’s how I see it.”
Later, Wylde said he sees the situation as a group of friends coming together to honor other friends. “If Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding called Eric Clapton because he was friends with Jimi [ Hendrix ] and asked if he’d like to do a show playing his songs to honor Jimi, of course he would. He was his friend,” the guitarist explained.
Panther at Knotfest Brazil 2022
Pantera was one of the last acts to be announced as part of the Knotfest Brasil 2022 lineup.
The band's name came up alongside that of Judas Priest , who will be replacing Megadeth – initially the group was confirmed for the festival, but their participation was canceled shortly afterwards due to an apparent scheduling conflict.
This wasn't the only change made to the Knotfest lineup. The band Armored Dawn , for example, was also initially confirmed, but was removed from the event after scandals involving Prevent Senior. In addition to their participation in Knotfest Brazil, Pantera will also perform a single show in São Paulo , along with Judas Priest, on December 15th at Vibra.
