Having started as a glam metal band, Pantera released three albums in the mid-1980s with lead vocalist Terry Glaze (Metal Magic, Projects in the Jungle, and I Am the Night), with little success. Looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera recruited Anselmo in 1986 and released Power Metal in 1988. They secured a record deal with major label Atco the following year. Their fifth album (which the band has since declared to be their official debut album), 1990's Cowboys from Hell, popularized the groove metal genre, while its 1992 follow-up Vulgar Display of Power achieved an even heavier sound and increased their popularity. The subsequent album Far Beyond Driven (1994) then debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
Tensions began to surface among the band members when Anselmo became addicted to heroin in 1995; he almost died from an overdose in 1996. These tensions resulted in the recording sessions for The Great Southern Trendkill (1996) being held separately. The ongoing tension lasted for another seven years, during which only one studio album, Reinventing the Steel (2000), was recorded. Pantera went on hiatus in 2001 but lingering disputes led to the band breaking up in 2003. The Abbott brothers went on to form Damageplan while Anselmo continued to work on several side projects, including Down, which Brown joined as well.
On December 8, 2004, Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage by a mentally unstable fan during a Damageplan concert in Columbus, Ohio. Vinnie Paul went on to form Hellyeah after his brother's death, and died of heart failure in 2018, leaving Brown and Anselmo as the only surviving members of the band's best-known lineup. In July 2022, it was announced that Brown and Anselmo were reuniting in 2023 for Pantera's first tour in 22 years, with Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante filling in for the Abbott brothers on guitar and drums, respectively. The new lineup played its first show in 21 years at the Hell and Heaven festival in Mexico on December 2, 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantera
Studio albums
Metal Magic (1983)
Projects in the Jungle (1984)
I Am the Night (1985)
Power Metal (1988)
Cowboys from Hell (1990)
Vulgar Display of Power (1992)
Far Beyond Driven (1994)
The Great Southern Trendkill (1996)
Reinventing the Steel (2000)
Cemetary Gates
Pantera Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is this some conspiracy?
Crucified for no sins
An image beneath me
Lost within our plans for life
It all seems so unreal
I'm a man cut in half in this world
Left in my misery
Reverend, he turned to me
Without a tear in his eyes
Nothing new for him to see
I didn't ask him why
I will remember
The love our souls had sworn to make
Now I watch the falling rain
All my mind can see now is your
Well, I guess you took my youth
And gave it all away
Like the birth of a new-found joy
This love would end in rage
And when she died I couldn't cry
The pride was in my soul
You left me incomplete
All alone as the memories now unfold
Believe the word
I will unlock my door
And pass the cemetery gates
Sometimes when I'm alone I wonder aloud
If you're watching over me
Some place far abound
I must reverse my life
I can't live in the past
Then set my soul free
Belong to me at last
Through all those complex years
I thought I was alone
I didn't care to look around
And make this world my own
And when she died I should've cried
And spared myself some pain
You left me incomplete
All alone as the memories still remain
The way we were
The chance to save my soul
And my concern is now in vain
Believe the word
I will unlock my door
And pass the cemetery gates
The way we were
The chance to save my soul
And my concern is now in vain
Believe the word
I will unlock my door
And pass the cemetery gates
Gates
Gates
The lyrics to Cemetery Gates by Pantera reflect themes of loss, grief, regret, and the search for redemption. The song begins with the singer addressing a reverend and questioning whether there is a conspiracy at play, feeling as though they have been wrongfully punished. As the song progresses, the singer reflects on a lost love and their own feelings of incomplete-ness, regretting not having expressed their emotions at the time when their loved one was alive. The singer also touches on the idea of freeing their soul from the guilt of the past and moving forward towards a better future.
The repetition of "Believe the word, I will unlock my door, and pass the cemetery gates" at the end of each verse emphasizes the idea of unlocking oneself from past regrets and seeking redemption. The song's title, "Cemetery Gates," can be interpreted as a metaphorical barrier that the singer wants to overcome in order to move on from their past and start anew.
Overall, Cemetery Gates is a powerful song that explores deep and difficult emotions with honesty and introspection. Its themes of loss and redemption have resonated with listeners for decades and the song remains a classic in the metal genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Reverend, reverend
Addressing a clergyman, possibly in blame for some disconcerting occurrence
Is this some conspiracy?
Asking if there is an organized scheme behind what's happening
Crucified for no sins
Being punished unfairly
An image beneath me
Having a distorted perception of reality
Lost within our plans for life
Feeling aimless and uncertain about the future
It all seems so unreal
Having difficulty coming to terms with a situation
I'm a man cut in half in this world
Feeling incomplete or not whole
Left in my misery
Feeling hopeless and alone
Reverend, he turned to me
Continuing the conversation with the clergyman
Without a tear in his eye
Appearing unfazed and emotionless
Nothing new for him to see
Having seen similar situations before
I didn't ask him why
Choosing to remain unaware or not wanting to discuss the situation further
I will remember
Reflecting on past memories
The love our souls had sworn to make
Recalling a deep connection and promise of commitment
Now I watch the falling rain
Engaging in introspection or reflection
All my mind can see now is your
Only being able to think about memories and the past
Well, I guess you took my youth
Attributing blame for a loss of innocence or naivety
And gave it all away
Feeling like someone else was responsible for a loss or sacrifice
Like the birth of a new-found joy
Viewing a change or transition as something positive
This love would end in rage
Knowing a relationship ended in anger or conflict
And when she died I couldn't cry
Being unable to express emotions or grief after a loss
The pride was in my soul
Feeling a sense of ego or unwillingness to show vulnerability
You left me incomplete
Feeling like something or someone is missing after a loss
All alone as the memories now unfold
Experiencing loneliness and introspection while thinking about the past
Believe the word
Encouraging trust in something or someone
I will unlock my door
Committing to making a change or moving on
And pass the cemetery gates
Symbolically overcoming a personal obstacle or challenge
Sometimes when I'm alone I wonder aloud
Thinking out loud or introspecting
If you're watching over me
Questioning the presence of someone or something in one's life
Some place far abound
Feeling distant from someone or something
I must reverse my life
Acknowledging a need for change or personal growth
I can't live in the past
Making a conscious effort to move on from past experiences
Then set my soul free
Desiring liberation or release from negative thoughts or emotions
Belong to me at last
Desiring ownership or control over something or someone
Through all those complex years
Looking back on a lengthy and complicated period of time
I thought I was alone
Feeling isolated or disconnected from others
I didn't care to look around
Choosing not to pay attention to one's surroundings or circumstances
And make this world my own
Taking ownership or control over one's life and environment
And when she died I should've cried
Regretting a lack of emotional expression or vulnerability
And spared myself some pain
Realizing the importance of emotional processing and release
The way we were
Reflecting on a past way of life or relationship
The chance to save my soul
Feeling like a change or opportunity has the potential to improve one's life
And my concern is now in vain
Feeling hopeless or that efforts have been unsuccessful
Gates
Concluding the song with the repetition of the symbolic cemetery gates
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Philip Anselmo, Rex Brown, Darrell Lance Abbott, Vincent Paul Abbott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind