10 Best Rock Album Openers Of The 1990s
2. Cowboys From Hell - Pantera (Cowboys From Hell)
One year before Metallica would drastically change their sound, another band that started in the 80s did the exact same thing.
However, whilst Metallica went more commercial, Pantera went the opposite way.
In their early days, the band had been more of a glam metal outfit, which is utterly hilarious in hindsight. With the release of 1990's Cowboys from Hell though, they basically invented an entirely new subgenre.
The album caught the attention of Atco Records, who gave it a major label release. After hearing the opening song, it's not hard to see why they were so keen.
The song Cowboys from Hell is based around a riff that guitarist Dimebag Darrell first showed his bandmates in his car. Decidedly hard rock, but with a dance-inviting bounce to it, this riff ushered in the arrival of groove metal.
Combined with Phil Anselmo's dark vocal take and themes of violence and destruction, Pantera nailed the sound and aesthetic that would take them from glam rock dropouts to cult metal superheroes.
This song was so powerful that there was no way it was going to get buried in the middle of the album.