The Art of Shredding
"The Art of Shredding" is a song by the American heavy metal band Pantera. It was released in 1990 on their album Cowboys from Hell, and is the final song on the album.
"The Art of Shredding" | |
---|---|
Song by Pantera | |
from the album Cowboys from Hell | |
Released | July 24, 1990 |
Recorded | 1990 |
Genre | Groove metal[1] |
Length | 4:20 |
Label | Atco |
Songwriter(s) | |
Producer(s) | Terry Date |
Background
The song was composed in the key of D minor. Vocalist Phil Anselmo's voice ranges in pitch from Bb4 to G6.[2] "The Art of Shredding" is an example of Pantera changing sound from their 1980s glam metal style.[3]
It was the first song that Pantera wrote for the album.[4]
Reception
In the book The Rough Guide to Rock, Peter Buckley wrote that the song's riffs gave Metallica "a run for their money".[5]
Metal Hammer ranked "The Art of Shredding" the 23rd best Pantera song. They wrote: "An avalanche of jagged, churning riffs met Anselmo's rallying cry of 'It's only emotion!' and metal was noisily reborn."[6]
Guitar World ranked "The Art of Shredding" the 10th best Pantera song, writing that "with its rollercoaster ride of whiplash riffs and rhythms", it is one of the most enjoyable songs from Cowboys from Hell. They also wrote: "Dimebag tops off the proceedings with a gonzo, whammy-filled solo that ably demonstrates that shredding is, in fact, very much an art."[7]
Odyssey rated the song 4.5/5. They thought that it was an excellent way to end the album, while praising its solo.[8]
Personnel
- Phil Anselmo – vocals
- Dimebag Darrell – guitar
- Rex Brown – bass
- Vinnie Paul – drums
References
- Gale, Thomson (October 3, 2007). Video Sourcebook: A Guide to Programs Currently Available on Video in the Areas Of: Movies/entertainment, General Interest/education, Sports/recreation, Fine Arts, Heal. Gale / Cengage Learning. ISBN 9781414400990 – via Google Books.
- "The Art of Shredding". Musicnotes.com. April 7, 2008.
- Daniels, Neil (January 1, 2000). Reinventing Metal: The True Story of Pantera and the Tragically Short Life of Dimebag Darrell. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9781480362734 – via Google Books.
- Louder, Jon Wiederhorn2010-11-10T11:30:00 313Z. "The Story Behind: Cowboys From Hell by Pantera". loudersound.
- Buckley, Peter (October 3, 2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. ISBN 9781843531050 – via Google Books.
- Hammer, Dom Lawson2019-02-04T13:05:16Z Metal. "The 50 best Pantera songs ever". Metal Hammer Magazine.
- Bienstock, Richard; Artist, Chris Gill 2019-04-26T14:22:43Z. "The 25 Greatest Pantera Songs of All Time". guitarworld.
- "Top 25 Pantera Songs You Need To Listen To If You're A True Fan". The Odyssey Online. May 31, 2017.