Editing Pantera (section)

===1995–1999: Band tensions and ''The Great Southern Trendkill''===
According to the Abbott brothers, Anselmo began behaving strangely and distanced himself from the band when they returned to the road in 1995. The rest of the band members first thought that fame had gotten to Anselmo, but Anselmo cited back pain from years of intense performances as the reason for his erratic behavior. Anselmo attempted to alleviate his pain through alcohol, but this, as he admitted, was affecting his performances and "putting some worry into the band."<ref name="btm" /> Doctors predicted that with surgery, Anselmo's back problem could be corrected, but with a long recovery time. Unwilling to spend so long away from the band, Anselmo refused, and began using [[heroin]] as a painkiller.

After stating at a [[Montreal]] concert that "rap music advocates the killing of white people", Anselmo denied accusations of racism and issued an apology,<ref>{{cite web | last =Shanafelt | first =Steve | title =You'll like them when they're angry | work =Mountain Xpress | date =July 9, 2003 | url =http://mountainx.com/ae/2003/0709superjoint.php | access-date = June 25, 2007}}</ref> stating that he was drunk and that his remarks were a mistake.<ref name="MusicMight" /> In 1995, the [[supergroup (music)|supergroup]] [[Down (band)|Down]], one of Anselmo's many side projects, released their debut album, ''[[NOLA (album)|NOLA]]'', but shortly afterwards the group members returned to their respective bands, leaving Down inactive for several years.

Pantera's eighth studio album, ''[[The Great Southern Trendkill]]'', was released on May 7, 1996,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pantera.com/thegreatsoutherntrendkill/|title=The Great Southern Trendkill 1996 – Pantera|website=pantera.com|access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref> and is often considered their "overlooked" album.<ref name="donkaye" /> Anselmo recorded the vocals for this release in [[Nine Inch Nails]] frontman [[Trent Reznor]]'s studio in [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans]] while the rest of the band recorded in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]]. In comparison to the band's previous efforts, there was emphasis on vocal [[overdub]]bing in a somewhat "demonic"{{clarify|date=January 2025}} fashion. Drug abuse is a recurring theme in ''The Great Southern Trendkill'', as exemplified by tracks such as "[[Suicide Note (song)|Suicide Note Pt. I/Pt. II]]", "10's", and "Living Through Me (Hell's Wrath)". "[[Drag the Waters]]" was the album's only [[music video]]. The album's other single, "[[Floods (Pantera song)|Floods]]", achieved acclaim largely because of Darrell's complex [[guitar solo]], which ranked No.&nbsp;15 on ''[[Guitar World]]'' magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Solos" of all time.<ref>{{cite web | title = 100 Greatest Guitar Solos (11–20) | work = Guitar World | url = http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatesta.htm | access-date = March 5, 2008 | archive-date = July 7, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110707074954/http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatesta.htm | url-status = dead }}</ref>

On July 13, 1996, during their tour with [[Eyehategod]] and [[White Zombie (band)|White Zombie]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.decibelmagazine.com/2016/08/04/that-tour-was-awesome-pantera-white-zombie-eyehategod-1996/|title=That Tour Was Awesome: Pantera/White Zombie/Eyehategod (1996)|date=August 4, 2016}}</ref> Anselmo overdosed on heroin an hour after a Texas homecoming gig.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/ST/lib00155,0EAF9099EDD696F6.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714185554/http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/ST/lib00155,0EAF9099EDD696F6.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 14, 2012 | title=Pantera singer says he overdosed on heroin |newspaper=[[Fort Worth Star-Telegram]] | date=July 18, 1996 | access-date = April 6, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-792332.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011163054/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-792332.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 11, 2013 | title=The Heroin Experience; The Drug Has Smacked Into More Than One Generation of Musicians |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] | date=August 11, 1996 | access-date = April 6, 2008}}</ref> After his heart stopped beating for almost five minutes, Anselmo was revived with an adrenaline shot. Anselmo apologized to his bandmates the next night and said that he would quit using drugs.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/DM/lib00376,0ED3D8EB70CDD4BB.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708040605/http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/DM/lib00376,0ED3D8EB70CDD4BB.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 8, 2012 | title=Overdose put Pantera's anselmo on straighter path |work=[[The Dallas Morning News]] | date=February 13, 1997 | access-date = April 6, 2008}}</ref> The revelation of heroin use came as a shock to Vinnie and Darrell, who were embarrassed by Anselmo's actions, according to Rita Haney, the guitarist's girlfriend. Anselmo said that he relapsed twice after this and was overcome with guilt.<ref name="btm" />

Pantera released their first live album, ''[[Official Live: 101 Proof]]'', on July 29, 1997, which included fourteen live tracks and two new studio recordings: "[[Official Live: 101 Proof|Where You Come From]]" and "I Can't Hide". Two weeks before the live album's release, Pantera received its first [[RIAA certification|platinum album]], for ''Cowboys from Hell''. Just four months later, both ''Vulgar Display of Power'' and ''Far Beyond Driven'' were awarded platinum as well.<ref name="ussales">{{cite web | url = https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH | title = RIAA US Sales Search | website = [[Recording Industry Association of America]] | access-date = November 3, 2007}}</ref> The band also received their second and third "[[Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance|Best Metal Performance]]" Grammy nominations for ''The Great Southern Trendkill''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "[[Suicide Note Pt. I|Suicide Note (Pt. I)]]" and ''Cowboys From Hell''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s "[[Cemetery Gates (Pantera song)|Cemetery Gates]]" in [[Grammy Awards of 1997|1997]] and [[Grammy Awards of 1998|1998]], respectively. The release of their video ''[[3 Watch It Go]]'' earned them a 1997 [[Metal Edge]] Readers' Choice Award, when it was voted "Best Video Cassette".<ref>Metal Edge, June 1998</ref>

Also in 1997, Pantera played on the mainstage of [[Ozzfest]] alongside [[Ozzy Osbourne]], [[Black Sabbath]], [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]], [[Type O Negative]], [[Fear Factory]], [[Machine Head (band)|Machine Head]], and [[Powerman 5000]]. Additionally, the band played on the 1998 UK Ozzfest tour alongside Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, [[Foo Fighters]], [[Slayer]], [[Soulfly]], Fear Factory, and [[Therapy?]], as well as touring with [[Clutch (band)|Clutch]] and [[Neurosis (band)|Neurosis]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Joe|last=Ehrbar|title=Dose Of Neurosis Opening For Pantera On Monday, The Bay Area's Neurosis Will Be Cramming Everything They've Got Into A Half-Hour Of Pile-Driving Hardcore Rock|publisher=Spokesman.com|date=January 31, 1997|url=http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/jan/31/dose-of-neurosis-opening-for-pantera-on-monday/|access-date=January 23, 2012}}</ref>