It’s a trend that seems to be prolific throughout the music industry at the moment, bands reforming for comeback shows and tours and of course the dreaded comeback album, often decades after the band members are well passed their use by date.

In recent memory we’ve have Van HalenThe Beach BoysThe Stone RosesAt The Drive-InBlack SabbathSoundgarden, and a host of others acts from yesteryear.

But fans of metal band Pantera remain divided over the issue of reformation, with several attempts over the years by various fan groups to both initiate and derail a reunion of the remaining members of the band.

The band broke up in 2003 after years of animosity and infighting and tragedy struck when guitarist Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed onstage in 2004 by a deranged fan. All hope at that point of a reunion seemed to be extinguished at that point.

But that isn’t for want of trying. According to The Metal Den who spoke to a source close to Pantera co-founder Vinnie Paul Abbott who is now playing drums for Hellyeah, a “large sum of money” has been put on the table for the remaining members to get back together with a series of guest guitarists filling in for Darrell.

There was a strong reaction to previous rumours that Zakk Wylde would be the guest guitarist for a reunion, so fans that think the legacy shouldn’t be meddled with will be relieved to hear reports that Vinnie Paul reportedly laughed the new offer “right off the table.”

Vinnie Paul has been battling with his other former bandmates Phil Anselmo, and Rex Brown for most of the past decade now since Anselmo’s addiction to heroin severely derailed the band. Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell also felt the pair had all but abandoned the band when they decided to focused on other musical side-projects such as supergroup Down.

The feud got so bitter that Anselmo was even quoted in an interview just before Dimebag’s murder as saying “Dimebag Darrell deserves to be beaten severely”. To his credit however, Anselmo has since kicked hard drugs altogether. But it seems reconciliation with Vinnie Paul is as far off as ever.

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