#369 Pantera — Death Match: Vulgar Display of Power vs Far Beyond Driven

It’s DEATH MATCH season again, and it’s time to take two of the very best PANTERA albums and make them battle it out in the Bunkerpoon Octagon, featuring 1992’s multi-platinum VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER against the 1994 Billboard Number 1 follow-up, FAR BEYOND DRIVEN.   VULGAR was under construction throughout the band’s relentless tour for Cowboys From Hell in the states and following their legendary performance at the Monsters of Rock show in Moscow at Tushino airfield in 1991 in front of more than a million people after the fall of the Soviet Union. Possessing a far heavier, angrier, and potent sound than its predecessor, VULGAR had just raised the bar for metal and perfected the power groove metal sound that began on Cowboys.   DRIVEN, much like VULGAR, progressed forward in the same fashion, with a much more aggressive production quality and a sound that is effectively the hairier, darker, and uglier follow up to Vulgar with just as much of a beautifully brutal assault on the senses, not to mention an exponentially more intense album cover (NO, not THAT one!  The OTHER one…but also…definitely THAT one, for sure!)   It’s time to throw down the gauntlet and unleash hell in the Bunkerpoon Octagon, because the time has come to pass judgment and “there can be only one” to reign victorious.    So “take your shoes off if you need to” and “get your Book of Sevens out” before you JOIN US to find out THE WINNER of this PANTERA HEAD-TO-HEAD DEATH MATCH, featuring two of the finest back-to-back Terry Date produced albums in metal history: VULGAR DISPLAY OF POWER & FAR BEYOND DRIVEN.   Visit www.metalnerdery.com/podcast for more on this episode Help Support Metal Nerdery https://www.patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast Leave us a Voicemail to be played on a future episode: 980-666-8182 Metal Nerdery Tees and Hoodies – metalnerdery.com/merch and kindly leave us a review and/or rating on your favorite Podcast app Follow us on the Socials: Facebook - Instagram - TikTok Email: metalnerdery@gmail.com Can’t be LOUD Enough Playlist on Spotify Metal Nerdery Munchies on YouTube @metalnerderypodcast   Show Notes & Time Stamps: (00:01): “That’s the noise I make…” / “Have y’all seen the Chick-Fil-A Chicken & Waffle thing?” / “I love The Lord’s chicken…but their biscuits aren’t good… / #ChickFilA “As long as we’re talking shit about fast food…”/ #BK #chickennuggets “Cats, Rats, & Bats Value Menu…” / ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised ***  “That was Bill…about 35 years ago…” ***WELCOME BACK TO THE BUNKERPOON CENTER FOR METAL EXCELLENCE AND THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** / “I did get the spicy (sandwich)…that’s the move…”   (05:20): ***PATREON US at www.patreon.com/metalnerderypodcast *** “This episode is gonna feature some SHITTAH sent to us by the band…this band is called Maidenhead…” #EPK #bandcamp “I saw that name and immediately thought of an Iron Maiden cover band…” “Matthew promised he’d be totally respectful…maybe not ‘totally’ respectful…” #Maidenhead KILL OR BE KILLED - feat. Chris Poland (Maximum Clonage – 2026)  “It’s gotta be after the breakdown…solos kinda go after a breakdown…” “(Chris Poland’s) sound is very distinct…”/ “All of our followers in Bangladesh are gonna love this…it’s like our 2nd biggest market…” “Australia likes eccentric stuff…eccentric is a fancier way of saying stupid and sophomoric…” (13:40): ***SOCIAL MEDIA US at #metalnerderypodcast on #YouTube #Facebook #Instagram #TikTok  ***EMAIL US at metalnerdery@gmail.com  ***GIVE US A CALL AND VOICEMAIL US AT 980-666-8182!!!*** “Dude, that’s fistworthy…let’s do it.” / “Sorry, 4th wall, dude…” NOTE: Big Hairy Elephant (aka Mastodon) actually played a surprise “secret show” at The Earl in Atlanta, Georgia on 09/11/2026