8 Rock & Metal Bands That Drastically Switched Genres

Pantera were generally known for blending the intense heaviness of Thrash Metal with the funky bass riffs of Groove Metal, but things weren't always this way for the cowboys from hell.

It's surprising to learn that Pantera actually found their roots in the world of Glam Metal, with their first three albums positively drenched in glitter-riddled cheesiness. The albums Metal Magic, Projects in the Jungle, and I am the Night, which saw legendary guitarist Dimebag Darrell appearing under the alias of Diamond Darrell, are some of the worst in Glam Metal history.

But all that changed when the band released the album Power Metal in 1988. Now fronted by the controversial Phil Anselmo, the band made the change to Heavy Metal, taking a much more serious approach to their work. Regardless of this though, there was still something missing, which was stopping the band from becoming truly great.

In 1990, however, Cowboys From Hell came along and debuted the style that Pantera are still loved for today. After finding their sound, the band ran with this throughout the remainder of their career, recording the albums Vulgar Display of Power, Far Beyond Driven, The Great Southern Trendkill, and Reinventing The Steel.

In this time period, the band gained financial and critical success galore, and cemented themselves as true legends in the world of Metal.