Pantera--Far Beyond Driven

Pantera--Far Beyond Driven (1994) Rating--7.4

It was inevitable. It's extremely difficult for a band-- any band-- to put out solid bruiser after solid bruiser---while still maintaining strong song integrity. This album helps that argument, as it is far from matching the previous efforts. Still, it is a decent, heavy album just the same.
One thing this offering is, is tight. The grooves are still there, but it is faster and more in the traditional Slayer vein, with incredibly fast snare shots. Not a bad thing, but overall the songs don't seem to stick as well as those of the previous two releases.
"5 Minutes Alone" has the Pantera chorus effect---there is no doubt who's playing! "I'm Broken" is another classic, and conjures up strong memories of 'Vulgar.' Another highlight is a great verson of an oft-overlooked Sabbath song, "Planet Caravan". One question, though: Where is Phil's smooth-to-growl voice?...
HOT CHOPS: "Intro to Becoming" has a nice harmonic effect, and any fan of Sabbath should definitely check out the "Planet Caravan" cover. Pure smoothness, and quite possibly better than the original.
TRACK LIST: Strength Beyond Strength/Becoming/5 Minutes Alone/I'm Broken/Good Friends and a Bottle of Pills/Hard Lines, Sunken Cheeks/Slaughtered/25 Years/Shedding Skin/Use My Third Arm/Throes of Rejection/Planet Caravan

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