The Heaviest Tour of the Summer: Pantera w/Amon Amarth and King Parrot

Phantom Light Media
Aug 24, 2025
2 min read

The opener came in hard from down under, Australia that is. King Parrot brought their Grindcore slam style music music to wake up the crowd which pretty much was accomplished with their intro track “Absolute C**t of a Day” by Kevin Bloody Wilson. Unexpected and rather amusing. As an opening band they had a fairly quick set but so is their music heavy and fast.

After King Parrot, Amon Amarth came sailing in from the north. Out of Sweden, they brought their Viking Metal/Melodic Death metal sound to the stage. Opening with “Guardians of Asgard” they made me want to drop my camera and pick up a sword and shield. bringing vikings clad in armor out on stage for “Shield Wall”. Then there were 10,000 fans rowing for “Put Your Back Into Your Oar” Everyone was Vikings in front of the stage with a Viking Helm drum riser clad with giant horns pointing up to the towering viking statues guarding the stage like the River Anduin.

After the symbols of the north had cleared the stage. The banner of Pantera dropped from the heavens shrouding the view of the crowd. Waiting with anticipation the curtain drops revealing the legends themselves. On the birthday of Dime Bag Darrell, we have come to celebrate the music of Pantera. Heavy and deep their music hits your soul hard. Seeing Zakk Wylde shred was an honor and a privilege. He carries Dime Bag's flame well. Phil Anselmo's vocals are as powerful as they ever were.

Watching the haze and Pryor boil from behind the drum kit gave it an other worldly feel. A ways into the set the played tens for Dime Bag. Rolling into deeper cuts like “This Love” finishing their initial set with “Cowboy From Hell” with the heat from the flames the sweat dripped from my hat band.

Now we wait for the encore. This did not disappoint. When “Walk” started playing, we all sang loudly and so did the previous bands as they ran to sing with Pantera. Deep bellowing riffs introduced the second last song with bass shaking our world and rattling our bones. With one song left I wasn't ready to leave. They finished the night heavy and fast. The energy I needed for the drive home. Happy Birthday Dime Bag Darrell.