Charlie Benante wants the current iteration of Pantera to put out a live album — and he's not shy about where he stands on the years of fan pushback that have followed the band's 2022 revival.
In a new interview with Hot Metal, the Anthrax drummer — who has been sitting behind the kit for Pantera alongside original members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown, and Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, since the reunion touring launched in July 2022 — said documenting the run on record is something he's thought about seriously.
"There was some talk — but nothing, really," Benante said when asked about the possibility of new material for the current lineup. "I would love to release a live album of this lineup so we can document what we did and just have it. I think that would be a great thing."
The Case For A Document
The current Pantera lineup has been grinding through major venues and festival stages for nearly four years. Benante's push for a live album isn't just nostalgia — it's a practical argument about legacy. The shows are happening. The footage exists. Fans are recording it on their phones anyway.
Zakk Wylde made a similar point back in 2024 when the live album question came up in an interview. "Yeah, whatever the fellas wanna do, we knock it out," Wylde said. "Let's be real — it's a live album every night. People with their phones and everything are recording it anyway, so it doesn't [matter] to me. You go up there and you play to win every night."
That's not a no.
Benante's vision is clearly about documentation — locking in this chapter of the band's history in a form that can outlast the touring cycle. With Dimebag Darrell murdered in December 2004 and Vinnie Paul gone from heart disease in 2018, there will never be another Pantera album with the original lineup. What this lineup can offer is proof that the music survived — and that it still moves rooms full of people.
On The Haters
Benante has been inside the Pantera controversy since day one. He didn't step into this gig casually — he inherited it knowing the scrutiny would follow. And in the Hot Metal interview, he addressed it directly.
"I feel I was put in this Pantera situation for a reason and that's why I embraced it so much and that's why I love it so much, because it's something bigger than the band," he said. "And I wish people nowadays would be more caring and loving towards us all, you know? Not just musicians, but to each other. Stop being so rotten about things, because I'll tell you this much: in 10 years' time, a lot of this stuff is gone. So if you don't enjoy it now, that's it: it's done."
Wylde has consistently referred to the project as a "Pantera Celebration" in interviews — framing it explicitly as tribute work rather than a full band comeback. That semantic distinction hasn't fully satisfied critics, but it does signal that the current members understand what they are and aren't doing.
Benante's approach to the argument has been consistent: if you doubt it, come to a show. Stop debating in comment sections and go see whether the music lands live.
"I think in the beginning of the whole thing there were naysayers and all I would say is 'just come,'" he said. "If you like it, great. If you don't like it, okay. You never have to come again. But the thing is, the people who were coming were bringing their kids who never saw Pantera before. This isn't the same. Dime and Vinnie are not there, but we are just playing these songs that need to be played again, and it's giving people smiles on their faces again and it's a great thing."
How Benante Prepared For The Gig
Benante has spoken before about what it took to step into Vinnie Paul's seat. This wasn't a gig where he showed up and played it his way — he did serious homework.
"I just spent a lot of time on Vinnie's parts and more importantly the tone that Vinnie had because I wanted it to sound like Pantera," he said in a 2023 interview with Consequence. "That was my thing."
That commitment to authenticity — matching tone, not just tempo — is the through-line in Benante's relationship with the Pantera revival. It's not about ego or credit. It's about making the music sound the way it should.
What's Next For Pantera
When asked directly about the band's plans, Benante kept it measured: "I don't really know. I know we have a few shows this summer and then maybe some shows next year, but that's as far as it goes."
The confirmed summer 2026 dates put Pantera supporting Metallica across Europe — Frankfurt (May 24), Budapest (June 11), Dublin (June 19), London (July 5) — before festival slots in Athens and Istanbul in July, and Louder Than Life in Louisville, Kentucky on September 17.
Whether a live album ever materializes remains Benante's idea and not a confirmed project. But the sentiment is real, the footage exists, and the argument for documenting this chapter of Pantera's history only gets stronger the closer the touring cycle gets to winding down.
Grab Louder Than Life tickets and catch them in Louisville this September via Ticketmaster.
For more heavy metal news and coverage, visit our Metal News hub, or check out our Tours section for the latest on who's hitting the road in 2026.
