Review Summary: Not Pantera's best effort, but strong instrumentaion lifts it from being a typical "chugga-chugga" metal album
In 1994, Far Beyond Driven shot straight to number one in the US, retaining the title of most extreme album to debut at the top until (for me at least) All Hope Is Gone and the 18 legged beast that created it topped it. Unusually, despite its commercial success, Far beyond Driven is far from the group’s best effort. Pantera turned into the classic “heavier or else” scenario, after the Everest sized high off Vulgar Display of Power, and while it isn’t the groups best effort, it still contains some classic moments that no true metal fan should be without.
In fact, perhaps the main problem with the album is its pure inconsistency. Starting off with the rock and roll ride of “Strength beyond Strength”, it continues in this frame, crafting two of Pantera’s finest moments on record with “Five Minutes Alone” and “I’m Broken”. Like the titles suggest, they are about as heavy and punishing as bashing your head against a brick wall, and would provide the perfect soundtrack for doing so in the process. In both cases, Vinnie Paul Jones is an absolute powerhouse, punching rhythm after rhythm out of his kit. These songs are also two of the reasons why Pantera is labelled as a “Groove Metal” band, “Dimebag” Darrell’s guitar and Rex Brown’s bass driving the group forward relentlessly.
The main problem with Far beyond Driven is, however, its inconsistency. The first four tracks on the record are absolute stunners, defining the genre and complimenting Phil Anselmo’s increasingly strained vocals. The problem is, after this high, the album descends and never really picks itself up. Why “Good Friends and a Bottle of Pills” is even on the record is one hell of a mystery to me, a long time fan of the band. The vocals are absolutely terrible, Anselmo sounding like he is having a spaz-out when the record starts, and by trying to create a record that tries to incorporate talking into it may have worked on “Vulgar...” but most defiantly not on here. Another song that is simply rubbish is “Shedding Skin”. Imagine “By Demon’s be Driven”, far from the groups best work as it is, with less groove and an awful lyrical section, containing nothing but cliché and there you have it.
Thankfully, just before the record ends, it picks itself up again. “Throes of Rejection” begins with a great military, action movie soundtrack drum and bass line, and Dimebag’s classic wailing guitar before a menacing vocal performance from Anselmo concludes this song as a Pantera great. “use my third arm” continues in a very similar way, being faster but still with the driving instrumentation, and even with Anselmo making a bit of a hash of the vocals, this is still a good song.
Perhaps this best sums up Pantera’s seventh studio outing. At times, pure metal genius, combining pure groove genius with fantastic instrumentation and (occasionally) good vocals. The rest of the time, this sounds like all the scrapings off of “Vulgar...” rolled into one. Check it out, but don’t be surprised if it doesn’t become your favourite Pantera record anytime soon.
Recommended Tracks:
1. Strength Beyond Strength
2. 5 Minutes Alone
3. I'm Broken
4. Use of my Third Arm
5. Throes of Rejection
