The Great Southern Trendkill#Track listing

{{Infobox album

| name = The Great Southern Trendkill

| type = studio

| artist = Pantera

| cover = Pantera The Great Southern Trendkill.jpg

| alt =

| released = {{Start date|1996|5|7}}{{Cite web|title=The Great Southern Trendkill 1996 – Pantera|url=http://pantera.com/thegreatsoutherntrendkill/|website=pantera.com}}

| recorded = October 1995 – February 1996{{Cite web|title=The Great Southern Trendkill 1996 – Pantera|url=http://pantera.com/thegreatsoutherntrendkill/|website=pantera.com}}

| venue =

| studio = {{flatlist|

Chasin' Jason Studios in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas, U.S.
Nothing Studios in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

}}

| genre = Groove metal

| length ={{Duration|m=53|s=5}}

| label = * Elektra

East West

| producer = {{hlist|Terry Date|Vinnie Paul}}

| prev_title = Far Beyond Driven

| prev_year = 1994

| next_title = The Singles 1991–1996

| next_year = 1996

| misc = {{Extra chronology

| artist = Pantera studio album

| type = studio

| prev_title = Far Beyond Driven

| prev_year = 1994

| title = The Great Southern Trendkill

| year = 1996

| next_title = Reinventing the Steel

| next_year = 2000

}}

{{Singles

| name = The Great Southern Trendkill

| type = studio

| single1 = Drag the Waters

| single1date = 1996

}}

The Great Southern Trendkill is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on May 7, 1996, through Elektra Records and East West Records. It reached number 4 on the Billboard 200 chart and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. During the album's production, Phil Anselmo recorded the vocals alone at Trent Reznor's Nothing Studios in New Orleans,{{cite web |title=Pantera. "It's a long way to the top, if you wanna rock and roll, you know, the AC/DC song? And that's the fuckin' truth". - Rex Brown |url=https://www.eonmusic.co.uk/rex-brown-pantera-eonmusic-interview-february-2021.html |accessdate=February 15, 2021 |work=Eon Music}} while Dimebag Darrell, Rex Brown, and Vinnie Paul recorded the music at Chasin Jason Studios in Dalworthington Gardens. This would be Pantera's last studio album to be produced by Terry Date, who had worked with the band since Cowboys from Hell (1990).

Content

"Floods", the album's longest song, contains a guitar solo considered by many to be Dimebag Darrell's finest. Guitar World magazine voted it as the 32nd greatest guitar solo of all-time,{{Cite web |date=2021-02-25 |title=The 50 greatest guitar solos of all time |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-50-greatest-guitar-solos-of-all-time/2 |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Guitar World}} Darrell's highest ranking of three solos to make the list (the other two being his solos from "Cemetery Gates", ranked 35th, and "Walk", ranked 57th).

"10's" appears in the English dub of Dragon Ball Z: Broly – The Legendary Super Saiyan.

The album is available as downloadable content for the video game Rock Band, with the exception of "Suicide Note Pt. I".

Music and lyrics

Considered Pantera's most aggressive album, the album features elements of thrash metal and death metal, but is mostly considered a groove metal album overall.{{cite web |url=http://www.nolifetilmetal.com/pantera.htm |title=CD Gallery - Pantera |publisher=No Life 'til Metal}} The Great Southern Trendkill is known for featuring much screaming,[https://www.proquest.com/docview/269805911 "Pantera offers up easy-access disc "]. The Spectator - Hamilton, Ont. Krewen, Nick. June 20, 1996 Page: 4 most notably on "Suicide Note Pt. II" and "The Great Southern Trendkill" while also featuring some of the fastest tempos and most down-tuned guitars: "The Underground in America" and "(Reprise) Sandblasted Skin", in particular, were played in A=425 Hz standard D tuning, with the 6th string tuned to a low G.{{cite web |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/the-50-greatest-pantera-songs-ever/1|title= The 50 best Pantera Songs ever |last=Lawson|first=Dom |date= February 4, 2019|work=Louder Sound |access-date=September 6, 2024}} It also has a more experimental nature, such as the acoustic guitars and ballads.

Like Pantera's previous album, Far Beyond Driven, the vocals are often double-tracked and layered. An example of this can be heard in the chorus of "13 Steps to Nowhere", when Phil Anselmo's singing voice is backed up by high-pitched screaming, done by Seth Putnam of the band Anal Cunt.{{cite news | last = Kaye | first = Don | title = The Best of Pantera: Far Beyond the Great Southern Cowboys' Vulgar Hits! | year = 2003 | publisher = Warner Music Group | url = http://www.wmg.com}} Screams done by Anselmo on the song "The Great Southern Trendkill" were compared to Putnam.

The lyrical themes on The Great Southern Trendkill include drugs, a flood that ends mankind, finding deeper meaning, anger, and the media.{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2791 |title=Floods by Pantera |publisher=Songfacts}}{{cite web |url=http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=4999 |title=Drag The Waters by Pantera |publisher=Songfacts}}{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/27/arts/2-bands-2-kinds-of-anger.html |title=2 Bands, 2 Kinds Of Anger |newspaper=The New York Times |last=Strauss |first=Neil}} (August 27, 1996)

Critical reception

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/the-great-southern-trendkill-mw0000180076|title=The Great Southern Trendkill - Pantera|website=AllMusic|first=Steve|last=Huey|access-date=August 1, 2012}}

| rev2 = Artistdirect

| rev2Score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/retrospective-pantera-the-great-southern-trendkill-review-5-out-of-5-stars/10202481|title=Retrospective: Pantera "The Great Southern Trendkill" Review — 5 out of 5 stars|publisher=Artistdirect|first=Rick|last=Florino|date=July 30, 2012|access-date=August 1, 2012}}

| rev3 = BBC Music

| rev3Score = favorable{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/c83q|title=Review of Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill|work=BBC Online|first=Alex|last=Deller|date=July 27, 2012|access-date=August 1, 2012}}

| rev4 = Chronicles of Chaos

| rev4Score = 9/10{{cite magazine|url=http://www.chroniclesofchaos.com/reviews/albums/2-149_pantera_the_great_southern_trendkill.aspx|title=Pantera - The Great Southern Trendkill : Review|magazine=Chronicles of Chaos|first=Adrian|last=Bromley|date=June 9, 1996|access-date=December 24, 2012}}

| rev5 = Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal

| rev5score = 9/10{{cite book |last1=Popoff |first1=Martin |author-link1=Martin Popoff |title=The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties |publisher=Collector's Guide Publishing |year=2007 |location=Burlington, Ontario, Canada |isbn=978-1-894959-62-9 |page=335}}

| rev6 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev6Score = C+{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,292488,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081109034658/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,292488,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 9, 2008|title=The Great Southern Trendkill Review|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|first=Devon|last=Jackson|date=May 10, 1996|access-date=August 8, 2012}}

| rev7 = Los Angeles Times

|rev7score = {{Rating|2|4}}{{cite news|title=The Great Southern Trendkill|last=Appleford|first=Steve|date=June 2, 1996|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=August 8, 2020|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56950735/estefans-pop-retains-strong-tropical/}}

| rev8 = Rolling Stone

| rev8Score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine|url=http://rollingstone.com/artists/pantera/albums/album/241961/review/5941528/the_great_southern_trendkill|title=Pantera: The Great Southern Trendkill : Music Reviews|magazine=Rolling Stone|first=Sandy|last=Masuo|date=June 13, 1996|access-date=December 24, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013203859/http://rollingstone.com/artists/pantera/albums/album/241961/review/5941528/the_great_southern_trendkill|archive-date=October 13, 2007|url-status=dead}}

| rev9 = Pitchfork

| rev9Score = 7.7/10{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22559-the-great-southern-trendkill-20th-anniversary-edition/|title=The Great Southern Trendkill Review|publisher=Pitchfork Media|first= Savy|last=Reyes-Kulkarni|date=December 22, 2016|access-date=December 22, 2012}}

}}The Great Southern Trendkill received mixed to positive reviews from music critics upon release and was more polarizing than Pantera's previous albums. Steve Huey of AllMusic gave it a score of 3 out of 5 stars and stated, "Longtime Pantera fans will find plenty to enjoy here, and the band's expanding range bodes well, but overall, Trendkill is an inconsistent outing."

In retrospective analysis, the album has often been looked on more favorably, being noted as their heaviest and most aggressive work. In a retrospective review for Pitchfork, Saby Reyes-Kulkarni awarded it a score of 7.7/10 and summarized their review by saying "Intended as a rallying cry against shifting trends, Pantera's most abrasive album comes off more like a cry for help that reveals the turmoil eating the band from within. It's also thrilling."{{Cite web |last=Reyes-Kulkarni |first=Saby |title=Pantera: The Great Southern Trendkill |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/22559-the-great-southern-trendkill-20th-anniversary-edition/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}} In 2024, Jon Wiederhorn of Loudwire stated "The Great Southern Trendkill writhes and rails with desperation and self-loathing and roars with a new reservoir of aggression and intensity, making it the heaviest album Pantera ever released."{{Cite web |last=Wiederhorn |first=Jon|date=2023-05-07 |title=28 Years Ago: Pantera Release 'The Great Southern Trendkill' |url=https://loudwire.com/pantera-the-great-southern-trendkill-album-anniversary/ |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Loudwire |language=en}} In 2019, Kerrang! ranked it as the best Pantera album.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-06 |title=Every Pantera Album Ranked From Worst To Best |url=https://www.kerrang.com/every-pantera-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Kerrang! |language=en}}

Reissue

On August 12, 2016, Pantera announced the release of a 20th anniversary edition of The Great Southern Trendkill for October 21.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/Pantera/photos/a.264927659696.137401.19058419696/10154491000179697/?type=3&theater |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/19058419696/10154491000179697 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|title=Pantera - We know you have been waiting (not so) patiently... - Facebook|website=Facebook }}{{cbignore}} The reissue features two discs, including a remastered version of the original album as well as 12 unreleased tracks (these include instrumentals, as well as alternative mixes and live recordings from the Dynamo Festival in 1998).{{cite web|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/pantera-the-great-southern-trendkill-20th-anniversary-edition-to-include-previously-unreleased-recordings/|title=PANTERA's 'The Great Southern Trendkill: 20th Anniversary Edition' To Include Previously Unreleased Recordings|date=August 12, 2016}} In addition, a separate LP named The Great Southern Outtakes was released. It consists of songs also released on disc 2 of Trendkill's reissue except for the intro and early mix of "Suicide Note Part l".{{cite web|url=http://loudwire.com/pantera-the-great-southern-trendkill-20th-anniversary-edition/|title=Pantera's 'The Great Southern Trendkill' Gets 20th Anniversary Edition|website=Loudwire }}

Track listing

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Pantera

| title1 = The Great Southern Trendkill

| length1 = 3:47

| title2 = War Nerve

| length2 = 4:53

| title3 = Drag the Waters

| length3 = 4:55

| title4 = 10's

| length4 = 4:49

| title5 = 13 Steps to Nowhere

| length5 = 3:37

| title6 = Suicide Note Pt. I

| length6 = 4:44

| title7 = Suicide Note Pt. II

| length7 = 4:19

| title8 = Living Through Me (Hells' Wrath)

| length8 = 4:50

| title9 = Floods

| length9 = 6:59

| title10 = The Underground in America

| length10 = 4:33

| title11 = (Reprise) Sandblasted Skin

| length11 = 5:39

| total_length = 53:05

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus track

| title12 = Walk

| note12 = Live at the Hollywood Palladium, CA, June 27, 1992

| length12 = 5:29

| total_length = 59:07

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Disc 2 (from The Great Southern Trendkill: 20th Anniversary Edition)

| title1 = The Great Southern Trendkill

| note1 = 2016 Mix

| length1 = 4:07

| title2 = War Nerve

| note2 = Live at Dynamo Festival, 1998

| length2 = 5:21

| title3 = Drag the Waters

| note3 = Alternative Early Mix

| length3 = 5:00

| title4 = 10's

| note4 = Alternative Early Mix

| length4 = 4:53

| title5 = 13 Steps to Nowhere

| note5 = Instrumental Version

| length5 = 3:40

| title6 = Suicide Note Pt. I

| note6 = Intro

| length6 = 1:13

| title7 = Suicide Note Pt. I

| note7 = Alternative Early Mix

| length7 = 3:53

| title8 = Suicide Note Pt. II

| note8 = Live at Dynamo Festival, 1998

| length8 = 4:48

| title9 = Living Through Me (Hells' Wrath)

| note9 = Instrumental Version

| length9 = 4:54

| title10 = Floods

| note10 = Alternative Early Mix

| length10 = 7:19

| title11 = The Underground in America

| note11 = Alternative Early Mix

| length11 = 3:56

| title12 = (Reprise) Sandblasted Skin

| note12 = Live at Dynamo Festival, 1998

| length12 = 4:34

| total_length = 53:38

}}

Personnel

Pantera

Phil Anselmo – lead vocals, backing vocals
Dimebag Darrell – guitars, backing vocals, 12-string acoustic guitar on "Suicide Note Pt. I"
Rex Brown – bass, backing vocals
Vinnie Paul – drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel

Seth Putnam – additional vocals on "The Great Southern Trendkill", "War Nerve", "13 Steps to Nowhere", and "Suicide Note Pt. II"
Ross Karpelman – keyboards on "Suicide Note Pt. I" and "Living Through Me (Hells' Wrath)"

Technical personnel

Terry Date – production, recording, mixing
Vinnie Paul – production, recording, mixing
Pantera – co-production
Ulrich Wild – recording

Charts

scope="row"\|Danish Albums (Hitlisten){{cite news \|title=Listen - Danmarks Officielle Hitliste - Udarbejdet af AIM Nielsen for IFPI Danmark - Uge 19 \|work=Ekstra Bladet \|location=Copenhagen \|language=da \|date=May 12, 1996 }} \| style="text-align:center;"\|14
class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" !Chart (1996) !Peak position
{{album chart\|Australia\|2\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Austria\|14\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Flanders\|22\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Wallonia\|19\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Canada\|35\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|chartid=2998\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Netherlands\|61\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Finland\|4\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Germany4\|29\|id=2305\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Hungary\|21\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|year=1996\|week=21\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
scope="row"\|Japanese Albums (Oricon){{cite book\|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005\|publisher=Oricon Entertainment\|location=Roppongi, Tokyo\|year=2006\|isbn=4-87131-077-9\|language=ja}} \| align="center"\| 43
{{album chart\|New Zealand\|5\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Norway\|14\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Scotland\|61\|date=19960512\|access-date=November 24, 2021\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Sweden\|7\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|Switzerland\|37\|artist=Pantera\|album=The Great Southern Trendkill\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}
{{album chart\|UK2\|17\|date=19960512\|access-date=November 24, 2021\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|UKRock\|3\|date=19960512\|access-date=November 24, 2021\|rowheader=true}}
{{album chart\|Billboard200\|4\|artist=Pantera\|rowheader=true\|access-date=June 20, 2024}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|artist=Pantera|award=Gold|title=The Great Southern Trendkill|relyear=1996|certyear=1996}}{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Japan|artist=Pantera|title=Far Beyond Driver|award=Platinum|relyear=1994|certyear=1995|certref={{cite web |url=https://www.backstageauctions.com/catphotos/editorfiles/The%20Rock%20Gods%20n%20Metal%20Monsters%20Digital%20Catalog.pdf|date=May 17, 2025|title=The Rock Gods 'n Metal Monsters Auction 1125 (Japanese Platinum Award) from Pantera 'The Great Southern Trendkill'|page=9}}}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=New Zealand|artist=Pantera|title=The Great Southern Trendkill |award=Gold|id=1996-07-05|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1996}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Pantera|award=Silver|title=The Great Southern Trendkill|relyear=1996|certyear=2013|id=11346-2238-2}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=album|artist=Pantera|award=Platinum|title=The Great Southern Trendkill|relyear=1996|certyear=2004}}

References

Category:1996 albums

Category:Albums produced by Terry Date

Category:East West Records albums

Category:Pantera albums