Gibson TV Is On ‘A New Level’ With Latest Pantera Documentary

Philip Anselmo / vocalist of Pantera (Photo by Annamaria DiSanto/WireImage)

WireImage

With Pantera partially reuniting and performing again for the first time in two decades, the band’s legacy has been a hot subject matter as of late and consequently bassist Rex Brown has been receiving some long overdue respect. Most notably, Brown recently got the spotlight from Gibson TV (Gibson guitars’ youtube channel) as the center of the channel’s latest Icons series.

The new hour plus long documentary covers everything from Brown’s early childhood and upbringing as a musician, to the formation and legacy of the heavy metal giants Pantera. While the entirety of the Documentary is focused on Brown’s perspective in the band, provided Gibsons’ Icons series is centered on Gibson instrumentalists, the feature does a phenomenal job at telling Pantera’s story whilst honoring its members, most importantly the Abbott brothers.

That being said, the documentary doesn’t hold back any punches, specifically with regards to both the accolades and tragedies embedded within Pantera. It’s inspiring just as it is gut wrenching to watch Brown recall the incredible history of the band and how they came to be one of the most influential metal bands on earth.

A lot of credit is owed to Gibson for putting so much time and attention to detail with this episode in particular. Apart from the 2006 Behind The Music episode on Pantera, there hasn’t been another documentary that matches the production quality and emotional depth on display in Gibson TV’s Pantera feature. And much of that credit of course is owed to Rex Brown for being so open about the band’s history and the heavy subject matter surrounding Pantera.

Whether or not you consider yourself a fan of Pantera, there’s no doubt that heavy music would be what it is today if it wasn’t for their contributions. Influencing everything from modern hardcore to extreme metal, Pantera’s impact on the heavy music scene is still widely heard to this day and for good reason – the band’s riffs and groove are the gold standard for ‘heavy’ songwriting.

Additionally the unwavering charisma and attitude amongst Pantera’s four members were unmatched at the time, and often this is attributed to the tightly knit bond between the band members, especially brothers Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell. However, many tend to gloss over the role which bassist Rex Brown played in the band beyond being Pantera’s bassist. Gibson manage to shine a necessary spotlight on Brown and his contributions within band, while simultaneously producing what’s quite possibly the best documentary on Pantera yet.