New Pantera Lineup Shares First Rehearsal Photos: “This Is All About the Love for Vinnie and Dime”

With anticipation running high for the first Pantera shows in more than 20 years, drummer Charlie Benante has shared the first photos of the metal band’s new lineup rehearsing for the upcoming gigs.

Benante and Zakk Wylde are taking on the daunting task of filling the shoes of late brothers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell, respectively. They are joined by classic Pantera members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown.

On his social pages, Benante unveiled four pictures from the band’s rehearsal space in New Orleans, mostly of himself with Brown and Wylde, with one pic showing a blurry view of Anselmo from behind the drum kit.

Benante wrote the following caption to go along with the four photos: “2 weeks in NOLA with these boys, it’s been a lot of work but how could it not? So much heart and soul is going into it. This is all about the Love for Vinnie and Dime, the fans and the music that these 4 created. I’m really enjoying playing these songs – they sound Great! It’s very emotional and it’s just starting to hit me… see you soon, I need a drink.”

So far, Pantera have a run of shows set for Latin America next month, including appearances at Mexico’s Hell & Heaven Fest and Monterry Metal Fest, as well as three different Knotfests in Colombia, Chile, and Brazil. Meanwhile, their first proper headlining show, set for Santiago, Chile, had to be moved to an arena three times the size of the original venue after tickets sold out immediately.

In addition, Pantera have a handful of gigs at high-profile European festivals lined up for 2023, including Germany’s Rock am Ring and Rock im Park, among others.

Recently, Wylde revealed that he was watching YouTube videos to familiarize himself with some of Dimebag’s riffs and solos prior to heading into the rehearsals. The guitarist has been adamant in calling the shows a “celebration,” and not a reunion, insisting it can’t truly be Pantera without the late Abbott brothers.

In addition to the Pantera shows, Benante’s main band, Anthrax, will embark on the second North American leg of their co-headlining tour with Wylde’s Black Label Society in January. Tickets for those shows are available here.

See the photos shared by Charlie Benante in the Instagram post below, followed by the current Pantera tour dates.

Pantera 2022-2023 Tour Dates:
12/02 – Texicoco, MX – Hell & Heaven Metal Fest
12/06 – Monterrey, MX – Monterrey Metal Fest
12/09 – Bogotá, CO – Knotfest Colombia
12/11 – Santiago, CL- Knotfest Chile
12/12 – Santiago, CL – Movistar Arena
12/15 – São Paulo, BR – Vibra São Paulo
12/18 – São Paulo, BR – Knotfest Brazil
06/02-04 – Nürburgring, DE – Rock Am Ring
06/02-04 – Nürnberg, DE – Rock Im Park
06/10 – Sölvesborg, SE – Sweden Rock Festival
06/22-24 – Oslo, NO – Tons of Rock (Tix)

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