Damageplan is the new band of ex-Pantera alums Dimebag Darrel and Vinnie Paul. The vocals of Patrick Lachman (former guitarist for Halford) are distorted, gravelly, and shouty at times, while clear at others. With that in mind, it's no wonder that they do indeed strongly remind of Phil Anselmo in places. The distortion is a bit more muddled than the "classic" Pantera sound, though the music is still heavier and more complex than 95% of the nu-metal that's out today (which is a good thing). Think maybe a mix between rougher Pantera and a little Sevendust, perhaps.
This album has its share of good moments, as a lot of tracks are dotted with metallic riffs and mannerisms. "Breathing New Life" is chugging and attacking, the slow grooving of "Blunt Force Trauma" is nasty and evil, "Crawl" is a pounding treat, and "Cold Blooded" has intermixed riffs and a heavy pre-solo. Many of the other songs fit the same bill, with riffs, struts, and pick-ups sprinkled throughout. Overall it's not as "metal" as classic Pantera, or as deep-rooted and pounding as the first Down offering, for example... but this is more than passable, and actually quite a nice ride.

TRACK LIST: Wake Up/Breathing New Life/New Found Power/Pride/F*** You/Reborn/Explode/Save Me/Cold Blooded/Crawl/Blink of an Eye/Blunt Force Trauma/Moment of Truth/Soul Bleed