Pantera released the 1990 album “Cowboys from Hell,” a landmark record in the development of groove metal.
The album was Pantera’s fifth studio release and its major-label debut, arriving on July 24, 1990, through Atco Records. It marked a decisive break from the glam-metal sound heard on the band’s earlier independent albums. With producer Terry Date, Pantera built a heavier style around sharply syncopated riffs, forceful drumming, and Dimebag Darrell’s distinctive guitar tone.
“Cowboys from Hell” is often described as one of the first groove metal albums, although it also draws strongly from thrash metal and traditional heavy metal. The band’s music emphasized weight and rhythmic punch rather than relying only on speed. Tracks such as “Cowboys from Hell,” “Cemetery Gates,” and “Psycho Holiday” became staples of Pantera’s catalog.
Sepultura, Metallica, and Slayer were influential metal bands, but they did not release this album. Pantera followed it with “Vulgar Display of Power” in 1992, another major record in groove metal’s rise.