Cowboys From Hell - Pantera

Released on July 24, 1990, "Cowboys From Hell" is the fifth studio album by Pantera and considered by many as the band's breakthrough record. Featuring Dimebag Darrell's phenomenal guitar work, the album showcases a unique blend of groove metal, thrash, and power metal elements. Below is a breakdown of each song on the album, highlighting key guitar techniques and scales. In this Classic Album guitar course, Licklibrary metal guitar virtuoso, Sam Bell brings you a rare and accurate breakdown of how to play Dimebag Darrell’s coveted guitar parts from this full album, including fan favourites Cowboys From Hell and Cemetery Gates, plus crushing metal anthems such as Domination and The Art Of Shredding.

Cowboys From Hell

This anthemic title track sets the tone for the entire album. Guitarists will appreciate Dimebag's use of the E Dorian scale (E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D) and the aggressive alternate picking. The track also features his signature pinch harmonics and an iconic dive bomb in the solo.

Primal Concrete Sledge

"Primal Concrete Sledge" starts with an exotic intro riff in the Phrygian Dominant scale (E, F, G#, A, B, C, D). This high-energy track features tight palm-muted rhythm guitars and an unconventional solo where Dimebag experiments with chromaticism and string bends.

Psycho Holiday

This song begins with an eerie clean guitar intro that transitions into a powerful, chugging main riff. The guitar solo uses a mix of pentatonic scales and the natural minor scale (A, B, C, D, E, F, G). The solo showcases Dimebag's impressive legato technique, mixing hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides.

Heresy

"Heresy" is a thrash-influenced track with fast-paced, palm-muted power chord riffing. The guitar solo features the E natural minor scale (E, F#, G, A, B, C, D) and incorporates sweep picking, alternate picking, and an arpeggiated tapping sequence.

Cemetery Gates

"Cemetery Gates" is arguably the album's most famous ballad. The intro and verses feature clean, arpeggiated chord progressions, while the choruses and bridge sections use distorted power chords. The solo section uses the F# harmonic minor scale (F#, G#, A, B, C#, D, E#) and showcases Dimebag's incredible vibrato, whammy bar tricks, and string skipping.

Domination

"Domination" boasts a heavy, downtuned riff (in D standard tuning) and a brutal-sounding chorus. The solo, which uses the E Phrygian Dominant scale, highlights Dimebag's fast alternate picking and legato techniques, as well as his trademark pinch harmonics.

Shattered

This track features a powerful intro riff and a catchy verse riff using a combination of palm-muted power chords and single-note lines. The guitar solo, based on the E natural minor scale, showcases an impressive range of techniques, including fast alternate picking, sweep picking, and legato.

Clash With Reality

"Clash With Reality" incorporates various guitar techniques, including fast alternate picking and galloping rhythm patterns. The guitar solo is a perfect example of Dimebag's fluid legato technique, employing hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides, as well as his impressive alternate picking skills.

Medicine Man

This song begins with an atmospheric clean guitar intro before launching into a heavy, chugging main riff. The guitar solo features a mix of the E natural minor and E harmonic minor scales (E, F#, G, A, B, C, D#/E♭) and highlights Dimebag's signature pinch harmonics and wide vibrato.

Message In Blood

"Message in Blood" features a haunting clean guitar intro that transitions into a powerful, downtuned riff. The song also highlights Dimebag's use of the E natural minor scale during the solo, which showcases his impressive alternate picking, string bending, and pinch harmonics.

The Sleep

This track features an atmospheric, clean guitar intro that leads into a heavy, groovy main riff. The solo, based on the E natural minor scale, demonstrates Dimebag's mastery of legato techniques and his impeccable sense of melody and phrasing.

The Art of Shredding

"The Art of Shredding" is a fitting album closer, boasting fast, aggressive riffs and Dimebag's signature shredding style. The solo section features the E natural minor scale and incorporates sweep picking, alternate picking, and string bending.

In summary, "Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera is a must-listen album for guitarists, showcasing Dimebag Darrell's incredible technique and the band's unique sound. The album's blend of aggressive riffing and memorable melodies has made it a classic within the metal genre, and it continues to inspire and influence guitarists to this day.

NB: PERFORMANCE FOOTAGE NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS COURSE

Guitar Techniques Used in Cowboys From Hell

Throughout the album, Dimebag Darrell employs a wide range of guitar techniques that contribute to the distinctive sound of Pantera. These techniques include:

• Alternate picking
• Palm muting
• Pinch harmonics
• Legato (hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides)
• Sweep picking
• String bending
• Vibrato
• Whammy bar tricks
• Tapping
• String skipping
• Galloping rhythm patterns
• Arpeggiated chord progressions

Click on any of the links to view more in depth information about these techniques, and to find more Licklibrary lessons to develop these skills.