"Primal Concrete Sledge" by Pantera: Guitar Lesson

Introduction

"Primal Concrete Sledge" is a masterpiece of metal music by Pantera, coming off their album "Cowboys From Hell" (1990). One of the key elements that makes this track exhilarating is the inventive and technically demanding guitar work by the late Dimebag Darrell. Sam Bell dissects the nuances of this classic metal track.

The Chords

This song doesn't follow your standard chord progressions like you would find in blues or pop music. We're dealing with power chords primarily. For the most part, the chords are rooted in drop D tuning, which gives it that extra heavy and chunky sound. You'll find chords like D5, F5, and A5 built upon the dropped D string, and these get mutated and articulated throughout the song.

The Scales

Darrell employs a mix of blues pentatonic scales and natural minor scales. But it's not just the scale notes that make it exciting; it's the way he manipulates them. You'll hear plenty of bluesy, dissonant notes that defy traditional music theory, yet it works in the context of this heavy, aggressive piece.

Solo Analysis

The solo in "Primal Concrete Sledge" is a quintessential Dimebag moment. If you want to comprehend the emotional impact Darrell achieves with his solo, look no further. It starts off with a bone-chilling dive bomb, a signature Dimebag move, and goes into a series of high-velocity licks. He incorporates the pentatonic scale, but in a way that seems to rewrite the book on it. There's a sense of controlled chaos, with each note carefully selected for maximum emotional impact, and every bend and slide is perfectly timed.

Dimebag Darrell's Playing

Dimebag's unique style comes to the forefront in "Primal Concrete Sledge." His approach was a blend of metal and blues influences. He wasn't just shredding aimlessly; there was a method to his madness. The way he combines techniques like harmonics, slides, and bends while maintaining a breakneck pace is awe-inspiring. His use of whammy bar tricks like dive bombs adds an otherworldly texture to his solos. This level of expertise allows him to express a range of emotions within a relatively short solo, moving from anger to despair to triumph in a matter of seconds.

Techniques Used

To wrap this up, let's look at some of the guitar techniques used in this song:

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Tapped Harmonics
• Unison Bends
• Pinched Harmonics
• Power Chords
• Palm Muting
• Pull-offs
• Hammer-ons
• Slides
• String Bending
• Whammy Bar Tricks
• Dive Bombs

Learning and applying these techniques will not only improve your ability to play this song but will also elevate your overall guitar playing.