This header image first appeared in a Kerrang! tribute to Dimebag on the first anniversary of his death. Fifteen years ago today, former Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott was murdered by a crazed ex-fan while performing with his band Damageplan. He was 38 years old. Dimebag’s influence on rock’n’roll can’t be overstated. His steely guitar sound and aggressive yet soulful riffs helped redefine heaviness in music, showing that sometimes a gravelly roar sounded louder than a piercing scream. Pantera became metal’s new standard in the Nineties, and so much of that was because of Darrell. Without his talent, hundreds of our favorite contemporary bands would never have formed. More than that, though, Dime was one of us. At a time when guitar gods were revered as aloof w...
