VINNIE PAUL Says PANTERA's 'Vulgar Display Of Power' Was 'A Groundbreaking Record For Heavy Metal'

Former PANTERA drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott spoke to the WGRD radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan about the twenty-fifth anniversary of the band's classic "Vulgar Display Of Power" album.

"I never ever think about" how long it has been since the record was released," Vinnie Paul said (hear audio below). "It certainly doesn't feel like it at all, man; it feels like it was yesterday, almost. But looking back on it, it really was a groundbreaking record for heavy metal. It really set the tone for what modern-day metal bands do. They still use that record to A-B their records to — getting their guitar sounds, their drums sounds, this, that and the other. So it really was special, and I'm really proud to have been a part of it."

Vinnie also talked about the future plans for his current band, HELLYEAH, which has been his main focus for more than ten years.

"Well, [after the July/August U.S. tour], it looks like we've got a stint down in Australia and New Zealand, which is a very, very great territory for us," he said. "People down there are awesome. It reminds me of just one big Texas. They like to barbecue, they like to drink, and they love their heavy metal, man, so it's a great place. And then we're really excited about getting right back into the studio and starting on HELLYEAH CD numbr six, and we plan on being done with that and back around next summertime. So we're staying busy, we never slow down, and things are going great in the HELLYEAH world."

HELLYEAH's fifth album, "Unden!able", was released in June 2016 via Eleven Seven Music. The effort marked the first time HELLYEAH's current lineup — Abbott, singer Chad Gray, guitarist Tom Maxwell, guitarist Christian Brady and bassist Kyle Sanders — recorded together as a unit.

Vinnie Paul's brother, PANTERA guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, was shot and killed by a crazed gunman while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at a Columbus, Ohio rock club in December 2004.