Pantera - Metal Magic
1983 Metal Magic

Track Listing:
1.  Ride My Rocket
2.  I'll Be Alright
3.  Tell Me If You Want It
4.  Latest Lover
5.  Biggest Part Of Me
6.  Metal Magic
7.  Widowmaker
8.  Nothin' On (But The Radio)
9.  Sad Lover
10. Rock Out

Line-Up:
Vocals:  Terrence Lee Glaze
Guitar:  Diamond Darrell
Bass:  Rex Rocker
Drums:  Vincent Paul Abbott

Website:  www.officialpantera.com

Horatio's Rating:  A
Overall Rating:  A

Also be sure to read:
Pantera - Far Beyond Driven by Horatio
Pantera - Power Metal by Horatio
Pantera - Projects In The Jungle by Horatio

Horatio's Review:
Pantera's debut draws nothing but derisive comments from most biased observers, but for their first album it's as accomplished as any major bands debut, perhaps exceeding debuts that year also from the likes of Slayer, Anthrax and Metallica.  Pantera firmly established themselves as a melodic hard rock act with 'Metal Magic', with one foot in metal territory.  Opening track 'Ride My Rocket' is an obvious ode to Kiss, see 'Rocket Ride', with some Ace Frehley-style riffing.  'I'll Be Alright' is state of the art US metal for 1983, Diamond's riffing already a force to be reckoned with.  Never one to stray from fantastic AOR, there's several gems in the form of 'Tell Me If You Want It' and 'Biggest Part Of Me', both containing jaw dropping synth work.  'Nothin' On But The Radio' is a bit low key, but the dynamic 'Widowmaker' and 'Latest Lover' make up for it.  Def Leppard influences are obvious, as I stated in the 'Projects In The Jungle' review, but Pantera were better at it than Leppard themselves!  Consumate in every way, this is a debut which deserves more recognition.  If you couldn't spot the talent already then some metal fan you were or are.  I've recorded songs off this album for several posers who couldn't believe it was Pantera.  They laughed at what they considered extreme cornball.  Then I killed them.
Horatio's Rating:  A

Discography (last updated 6.29.06):
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
Biomechanical EP - 1993
Alive And Hostile EP - 1994
Driven Down Under Box - 1994
Far Beyond Driven - 1994
The Great Southern Trendkill - 1996
The Singles 1991 - 1996 Box - 1996
Official Live:  101 Proof - 1997
Unofficial Hits EP - 1998
Reinventing The Steel - 2000
Extreme Steel Plus EP - 2001
Reinventing Hell - 2003
The Best Of Pantera:  Far Beyond The Great Southern Cowboys Vulgar Hits - 2003