Anthrax's Charlie Benante has revealed the songs he's most excited to play as part of Pantera's new lineup. Tomorrow (December 2nd), the groove-metal pioneers — now comprised of core members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown joined by longtime friends Benante and Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society) — will take the stage for the first time in over 20 years at Mexico's Hell & Heaven Metal Fest, kicking off an increasingly busy tour schedule that's set to traverse South America this winter, and eventually hit Europe and the United States later in 2023.
A few days before Pantera's big return to the stage, Benante told Revolver the two songs that he's most looking forward to playing out of the entire setlist.
"It's not just one song," he clarifies. "[It's not like] when I look down at the setlist and see that one's coming up, I get excited because that one's one of my favorites."
That said, there are a couple tracks in particular that Benante is absolutely giddy about having the opportunity to play with Anselmo, Brown and Wylde.
"I love the song 'This Love,'" the drummer says of the Vulgar Display of Power power ballad. "Because it has so many different emotions and so many different places that it goes. It's your basic kind of rock song but then it turns into a monster. And especially the end of that song ... it's so heavy and we really pull it back to make it that much more heavier. I love playing that song."
He adds that Pantera were particularly great at not just writing amazing songs, but also having multiple stellar sections within each composition. Benante is especially fond of the slow, chugging breakdown in "5 Minutes Alone," which is another cut that he's especially stoked to perform with the band.
"It's so heavy," Bentante says while miming the breakdown. "I look forward to that one coming. That's another one of my favorites."
Blast those two Pantera songs below and check out the band's upcoming tour dates.
Pantera 2022 tour dates:
Dec. 02 - Texicoco, Mexico - Hell & Heaven Metal Fest
Dec. 06 - Monterrey, Mexico – Monterrey Metal Fest
Dec. 09 - Bogotá, Colombia – Knotfest Colombia
Dec. 11 - Santiago, Chile - Knotfest Chile
Dec. 12 - Santiago, Chile - Movistar Arena
Dec. 15 - São Paulo, Brazil – Vibra São Paulo (with Judas Priest)
Dec. 18 - São Paulo, Brazil – Knotfest Brazil
Pantera 2023 tour dates:
May 26 - Sofia, Bulgaria - Armeets Arena
May 27 - Bucharest, Romania - Metalhead Meeting Open Air Festival
May 30 - Budapest, Hungary - Barba Negra
May 31 - Vienna, Austria - Gasometer
Jun. 2-4 - Nürburgring, Germany - Rock Am Ring
Jun. 2-4 - Nürnberg, Germany - Rock Im Park
Jun. 05 - Lodz, Poland - Atlas Arena
Jun. 10 - Sölvesborg, Sweden – Sweden Rock Festival
Jun. 12 - Prague, Czech Republic - O2 Arena
Jun. 13 - Berlin, Germany - Verti Music Hall
Jun. 15 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Copenhell
June 15-18 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
Jun. 21 - Hamburg, Germany - Edel Optics
Jun. 22-24 - Oslo, Norway - Tons of Rock
June 28-July 1 - Vivero, Spain - Resurrection Festival
Aug. 4 - East Rutherford, NJ - MetLife Stadium
Aug. 11 - Montreal, QC - Stade Olympique
Aug. 18 - Arlington, TX - AT&T Stadium
Aug. 25 - Inglewood, CA - SoFi Stadium
Sept. 1 - Glendale, AZ - State Farm Stadium
Nov. 3, - St. Louis, MO - The Dome at America's Center
Nov. 10 - Detroit, MI - Ford Field
Pantera 2024 tour dates:
Aug. 2 - Foxborough, MA - Gillette Stadium
Aug. 9 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field
Aug. 16 - Minneapolis, MN - US Bank Stadium
Aug. 23 - Edmonton, AB - Commonwealth Stadium
Aug. 30 - Seattle, WA - Lumen Field
