Pantera has been removed from the bills of two of Europe’s biggest rock festivals, Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park, organizers have announced.
The metal juggernaut — who reformed last year with original members Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown, with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante filling in on guitar and drums for late musicians Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, respectively — will no longer appear at either festival, which has been scheduled running simultaneously from 2 to 4 June this year in Germany.
In a translated statement shared on social media, the festival organizers say they made the decision after “intensive discussions with artists, our partners and the festival fans”.
While no specific reasons for Pantera’s removal have yet been disclosed, several factors may have contributed to the decision.
First, the band’s reunion has caused a lot of controversy since its announcement last July. While many have celebrated the metal titans getting back on stage to perform their classic tunes, some have wondered if such a reunion should happen without legendary founding members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul.
Vinnie Paul’s estate even issued a statement last year claiming the band’s upcoming shows would not constitute a reunion, writing, “There can never be a Pantera reunion without Vinnie and Dime.”
However, the statement said that “there’s no better way to celebrate and honor Vinnie and Dime’s legacy than by bringing Pantera’s music straight to the fans”.
Another issue that has had a lasting effect on frontman Phil Anselmo’s reputation is the Dimebash tribute show in 2016, in which he gave a Nazi salute and shouted “white power” to the audience. His actions sparked outrage from both the metal and wider communities.
Anselmo initially refused to apologize for the incident, but later said that he “1000 percent apologized to anyone who took offense at what I said, because you should have taken offense.”
Pantera has yet to comment on their removal from the Rock Am Ring and Rock Im Park lineups.
Taking place June 2-4 at the Nürburgring and Nürnberg respectively, the festivals will feature performances from Rise Against, Limp Bizkit, Kings Of Leon, Tenacious D, Bring Me The Horizon, Machine Gun Kelly and more.
