12 Best Hard Rock Singers Of The 1990s
6. Phil Anselmo - Pantera
When Pantera first started to get their feet wet, it was clear that something wasn't gelling. Sure, the chops that brothers Darrell and Vinnie Abbott had were amazing, but the glam rock sensibilities of the band's frontman Terry Glaze kept them from reaching the heights they sought. After sacking their original singer, the brothers' selection of New Orleans native Phil Anselmo brought them up to the big leagues almost overnight.
As opposed to the glam rock stuff they were known for, Anselmo's voice had a gutteral sound to it that made everything single scream feel like a lion's roar. The actual attack of the music may have been metal, but the aggression that Anselmo brought across on each song was equal parts punk, metal, and hardcore music rolled into one beautifully disturbed sound. Even if the band played "ballads," songs like "Cemetery Gates" were elevated to the next level with Anselmo's screams matching the intensity of Darrell's guitar.
Across the band's classic material like Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven, Anselmo goes from being calm and subdued to sounding like he is about to tear you to shreds through the sheer intensity of his voice. Any Pantera song from the 90's is worth your time, but be prepared for a vocal ass-kicking once Anselmo comes roaring in.