Extreme Steel Tour – Pantera, Slayer, Static-X, Skrape, Morbid Angel – June 21st, 2001 – Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum

Read the review in it’s entirety on blistering.com here.

“Thankfully I have most of Pantera’s discography so I was able to appreciate their set. Perhaps because this is their third tour in support of Reinventing the Steel they only played two songs off of the newest release – “Goddamn Electric” and “Revolution Is My Name.” In front of a huge steel wall of amps and speakers, they played such classics as “Mouths of War,” “Becoming,” “5 Minutes Alone” and “I’m Broken.” Phil, who I heard was much more coherent than he was at the three shows at Hammerstein, took time to talk between most every song in the set. Mentioning those shows, and the turnout this night, he thanked New York for all of the support that the fans have always given the band. He also said that this would be the last time, for a long time, that Pantera would be coming around. After three tours they are going to take some time off. While a friend of mine thought it sounded like a good-bye, perhaps forever, the love that was shown the band by the packed house has got to be enough to keep them together and bring them back. The fans were going nuts screaming along, head banging and moshing throughout the set. Later on, Phil took a time out to thank all of the New York bands that they are friendly with, including Type O Negative, Anthrax and Biohazard. I mention that because both Scott Ian of Anthrax and Evan from Biohazard came up and did guest vocals with the band.

As per usual, Pantera wrapped things up with “Walk,” sending the crowd into a frenzy of singing along and head banging. Dimebag proved yet again that he is one of, if not the, best heavy metal guitarists ever by hitting into every riff hard and accurately, even adding some improvisational notes from time to time. He literally threw out boxes of picks after they finished, giving the now half-deaf hardcore fans up front cool mementoes to go along with the inevitable ringing in their ears.

If my idiot friend is eventually proven right, which I sincerely hope he isn’t, and this was Pantera’s last New York show ever, then the Texas metal gods went out with a bang.

Reviewed by: Scott Olivenbaum”