https://www.billboard.com/articles/news ... n-hellyeah

No Cause of death listed at the moment. Maybe something related to his cardiovascular health? Definitely an unexpected loss especially after Ralph Santolla

Tell me its a mistake. What the hell is going on with all these killer musicians passing away lately? I don't even need to explain what a legend this guy is in the metal world.

Truly one of my favorite drummers with an instantly recognizable style and sound. Pantera changed my life and Vinnie's playing really opened up my eyes and ears to more groovy drumming as well as using double bass in interesting ways. Truly one of the greats.
Rest easy Abbott brothers.

I was shocked at first, but it’s a wonder any of Pantera is living at all after their years of partying. RIP

Power Metal thru Trendkill is just fucking amazing, and Vinnie's drumming is a bit noticeable part of that.
RIP big fulla!

Mannnn this one was totally unexpected and it hurts pretty bad. Pantera were a huge part of my life during my teenage years. Vinnie always shined and he was one of the rare high points on Reinveinting The Steel. His new stuff wasn't much of my cup of tea but fuck. Another legend I'll never get to see live. Rest easy buddy..

Fuck!

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-pantera-drummer-vinnie-paul-dead-at-54
https://www.facebook.com/Pantera/photos/a.264927659696.137401.19058419696/10156544371619697/?type=3&theater

This one was really unexpected and it really sucks. Even if I thought Hellyeah sucked he was always a talented drummer no matter where he was.

RIP.

Very sad news, but sadly we are going to loose more big names like we do every year.

This ruined my day. Only yesterday had been listening to Great Southern Trendkill in my car... The legend, the person, the icon of style. Never be forgotten.

The guy obviously has had a rough time since his brother was murdered brutally in front of his eyes (yeah, no surprise there). It's not too shocking that a overweight, heavy drinker would die young but still sad considering the circumstances. His drumming was always on point; he was like the Alex to Dime's Eddie.

perhaps they're finally together again... but I do feel for their parents and partners :/

Be heart related for sure. Sad to read considering his brother died so young too.

Man that sucks so bad! I was hoping that he'll make peace with Phil one day.So sad. R.I.P

I wonder if Phil will be banned from attending his funeral like he was banned when Dime was shot.

RIP.

An innovative drummer from a production standpoint. The tonal quality of drums on a lot of modern metal releases can be traced back to Vulgar Display of Power.

Rest in peace, Vinnie Paul.

Pantera was and is an important band to me. Vinnie Paul was truly powerhouse drummer.

This weekend became so shitty now

I was hoping so too, but maybe they would have never made peace anyway given the fact that Vinnie was really stubborn and was very, very disappointed in Phil after he made some bad comments about Dime prior to his death...

R.I.P. Vinnie. Hope you've finally found your long lost brother and that your soul is at peace now.

Woke up to these news today. Needless to say, my day is ruined.

I can't imagine what the Abbott family must be going through. First Darrell gets murdered on stage, then less than 14 years later his brother drops dead way before his time. It makes me feel physically bad when I stop and really think about it.

R.I.P. cowboy, and thank you for the great music; Pantera was a ridiculously fun listen and I never grew tired of their records.

Fuck that's sad. Too bad Vinnie never reconciled with Phil, seems like he kept that wound open until his death.

Sucks. Both brothers/founders of Pantera are now gone.

RIP

Like many others here, Pantera was a HUGE HUGE fucking part of my teenage years. In those pivotal years from age 14-19, I was REALLY into Pantera. I played drums in numerous bands at the time, and Vinnie was always an inspiration in showing that the drums were an instrument just as fundamental to a song as vocals or guitar. His groove and technique was impeccable and so unique at the time.

I haven't listened to much Pantera since Dime's death. My tastes changed, and I had kind of overkilled on the records. Every once in a while though, I would go back and listen to some of my favourite tracks and they always brought me back to great summers of high school; hanging with my pals, driving around, BBQing. Pantera was/is truly one of the soundtracks to that period of my life.

Odd that just earlier this week, I was out for a walk on a very hot, sticky, humid day and decided to fire up The Great Southern Trendkill. The temperature outside, mixed with the music gave me almost a nauseating rush of nostalgia that was very bitter sweet. One of my best pals from that time has since committed suicide, and I was thinking of the loss of him, as well.

Goddamn. I knew we'd never see Pantera perform again, and honestly, I really REALLY didn't want them to tour with Zakk Wylde or ANYBODY else. But this one stings and I do wish he would have finally mended the wounds with Phil.

I'll always like Pantera. I know they had a lot of people who disliked them for their image and their music, but I don't care. Yeah, sucks they're one of the main influences of nu metal and core artists, but what can you do. By that logic, might as well blame The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for all the bad pop and rock artists out there as well.

A lot of Pantera clones don’t understand how integral that tight rhythm section of Vinnie and Rex was to their sound. Everybody talked about how Pantera should’ve reunited with Zakk Wylde but I would’ve much preferred to see Vin and Rex join Black Label. I never particularly cared for his persona but he was a talented drummer. I can’t imagine living with what happened to his brother for so long.

Why would he? Phil the junkie pretty much ran a family business down to the ground with his drug problems and always touring with his many side bands keeping his flagship band in ghost mode. Then makes harsh comments about Dimebag in a magazine that was uncalled for. I tip my hat off to Vinnie for keeping that junkie away.

Rip Vinnie!

I don't believe there is an afterlife, but I hope there is so Vinnie and Dime can finally jam again.

and panteras

RIP, great drummer. 'Alex to Dime's Eddie' is spot-on and, as we know, what they modeled themselves after. Hopefully it wasn't suicide but seeing your own brother murdered in front of you coupled with the partying and weight issues has to take its toll. It's a shame the way this band ended, really. If Phil could have stayed off the drugs and stayed committed to the band, he could have maybe steered them in wise directions given his underground taste. Plus it was cool that they took out Morbid Angel on tour, stuff like that could have continued too.

No matter what type of metal you are into these days, if you grew up in the '90s, Pantera was part of what made you listen to metal back then and was a part of your musical evolution.

I remember seeing 'Vulgar Display of Power' in the record bar and skipped it in favor of Slayer's 'Decade of Aggression'. Months later I found out thru my high school classmates how awesome that album was and I finally got it and was blown away the first time I listened to it.

Fast forward to 1996, I find myself choosing between the new Pantera, 'The Great Southern Trendkill' and Metallica's 'Load'. I chose the latter and immediately regretted it the minute the first song weakly played on the speakers.

I was disappointed to find out about the Pantera breakup as I had not had the chance to watch them perform yet.

Damageplan and Hellyeah didn't interest me. I did watch Hellyeah perform live but it was just because they were on the bill which Anthrax was headlining. The music mostly irritated me.

Years later there were rumors of a Pantera reunion with Zakk Wylde filling in the shoes of Dimebag. But nothing came out of those rumors.

Now that Vinnie Paul has passed away, those reunion rumors are now over. Pantera will be one of those bands that I was not fortunate enough to have seen live. But their music will live on forever. Rest in Peace, Vinnie Paul!No matter what type of metal you are into these days, if you grew up in the '90s, Pantera was part of what made you listen to metal back then and was a part of your musical evolution.

Holy shit. RIP, Vinnie. Say hello to Dimebag for us.

Very, very sad. My favorite musician in Pantera, RIP.

The kick drums in "Becoming" still blow my mind.

Rest in peace, he died way too young and witnessing your own brother's brutal death is something you wouldn't wish your worst enemy.

Musically speaking, I saw Hellyeah in concert just a few years ago. They seemed like a bunch of really nice guys but the music was underwhelming.

Here's hope there won't be any cringe-worthy tribute songs like the numerous terrible tracks that were dedicated to his brother. I guess most metal musicians have a soft core under a tough shell and always need to make a drama when a respected colleague dies. Let's skip those stereotypes this time.

We might not get cringe songs but the cringe pics from the metalhead groups on Facebook are in. Be warned: they're pretty awful.

That is a lame pic but can we not shame people for mourning they way they choose to? I know it's the hip thing to do around these parts to bash on Pantera but really now is not the time.

Dude I'm one of the Pantera defenders here. This shit is cringe, end of story.

'Without an end there is no light... to foretell, to blind you'

R.I.P.

Keep on rocking together FOREVER, brothers!



THANKS!

RIP

Dont know a lot about Vinnie, was he into hard drugs, any news on why he died?

Wonder what phil feels about it...

Without a doubt, one of the greatest drummers in metal, along with Nick Menza (also RIP). Far Beyond Driven was a special album to me and one of my first heavy metal records back in the nineties. I just wanted to say that I am not the man I am today if not for Pantera's music and this news just saddens me.

From what I’ve seen, major heart attack is floating around the news sites. Those 50s are a bitch for the old heart, seems to be the time it happens.