Damageplan
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Dimebag Darrell, Vinnie Paul |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Dallas, Texas , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Damageplan was a heavy metal group originating from Dallas, Texas, active between 2003 and 2004. Following the dissolution of Pantera, brothers Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul established this new ensemble, recruiting former Halford guitarist Patrick Lachman as their frontman and subsequently adding bassist Bob Zilla. Their only album, New Found Power, was released in February 2004, entering the Billboard 200 chart at position 38 with first-week sales reaching 44,676 copies.
During a promotional concert on December 8, 2004, at the Alrosa Villa venue in Columbus, Ohio, guitarist Dimebag Darrell and three others were tragically killed by an assailant who was then neutralized by law enforcement. Although the perpetrator’s exact motives remain unclear, some speculated he believed Pantera had appropriated his lyrics and persona. Damageplan's management confirmed the existence of unreleased material; however, the band has remained inactive since. Vinnie Paul and Zilla went on to join Hellyeah, while Lachman became part of Mercy Clinic. Vinnie Paul passed away in 2018.
Formation
By 2003, drummer Vinnie Paul and guitarist Dimebag Darrell encountered difficulties within Pantera, largely due to inconsistent performances by vocalist Phil Anselmo. After the release and touring cycle of Pantera’s 2000 album Reinventing the Steel, Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown shifted focus toward side projects, reducing collaboration with the Abbott brothers. As a result, the brothers began crafting new songs independently and ultimately decided to move beyond Pantera.
They sent a demo of the track "Crawl" to Pat Lachman, formerly of Halford, who auditioned successfully and joined as vocalist. Initially, bassist Shawn Matthews was part of the lineup but was soon replaced by Bob Zilla prior to recording sessions. According to Vinnie Paul, they placed no creative limits on their music to ensure variety, while Darrell highlighted their intent to broaden their musical range. The group adopted the name Damageplan and titled their first album New Found Power.
New Found Power
The track "Save Me" premiered on U.S. radio on January 26, 2004, followed by the official release of the debut album New Found Power on February 10. Recording took place at Chasin' Jason, the Abbott brothers’ backyard studio located in Arlington, Texas, which had also been used for previous Pantera projects. Unlike prior experiences with Anselmo during recording sessions, the Abbott brothers reported full dedication from all participants throughout this process. The album featured guest contributions from Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour, Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society, and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains, appearing respectively on "Fuck You," "Soul Bleed," and the bonus track "Ashes to Ashes." Sterling Winfield served as co-producer.
In its debut week, New Found Power sold 44,676 units and entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 38. Critical reception was mixed; Christine Klunk from PopMatters expressed skepticism about the band’s direction, whereas Johnny Loftus of AllMusic characterized it as an energetic fresh start.
Jerry Cantrell became involved after attending a Thanksgiving gathering hosted by the Abbott brothers where they played a demo of "Ashes to Ashes." Although initially set aside, Cantrell’s enthusiasm led to recording the song in their studio. Though it did not make the final cut for New Found Power, it was included on the Japanese edition as well as on the soundtrack for The Punisher: The Album. To support the album's release, Damageplan toured alongside Hatebreed, Drowning Pool, and Unearth during the second leg of Headbangers Ball.
Death of Dimebag Darrell
On December 8, 2004, during a live performance at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, Nathan Gale, a troubled 25-year-old admirer, fatally shot Dimebag Darrell five times in the head, resulting in his immediate death. Jeffery "Mayhem" Thompson, the band's security chief, confronted Gale physically, enabling other band members to flee; however, Thompson was also killed in the struggle. Additionally, fan Nathan Bray and roadie Erin Halk were shot and killed while attempting to help. Columbus Police officer James Niggemeyer ended the attack by fatally shooting Gale after he had taken a hostage. Gale discharged fifteen rounds and was carrying an extra 36 bullets.
Investigations did not uncover a definitive motive, but Gale’s mother disclosed that he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and believed the Abbott brothers had stolen his lyrics and identity. She was uncertain whether he was taking his prescribed medication but mentioned his pride in military service and that she had supplied him with the firearm used in the incident. The Marine Corps declined to provide comments regarding his discharge status.
In response to the tragedy, The Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund was created to assist with medical costs for injured crew members. A public memorial took place on December 14, 2004, in Arlington, Texas, drawing numerous tributes from fellow musicians.
In May 2005, a grand jury assembled by Franklin County prosecutors reviewed Officer Niggemeyer’s conduct and cleared him of any wrongdoing. Prosecutor Ron O'Brien affirmed that the shooting was justified based on eyewitness testimonies. Following this, Niggemeyer received a nomination for a bravery award featured on America's Most Wanted.
Aftermath
In 2005, Damageplan’s manager Paul Bassman disclosed that unreleased tracks recorded before Darrell’s death were nearly finished and that there were intentions to produce a follow-up album according to Vinnie Paul’s wishes. Despite circulating rumors, no new album has been issued.
After Darrell’s passing, Vinnie Paul initially struggled with continuing his music career but ultimately joined Hellyeah, a band formed with members from Mudvayne and Nothingface. Hellyeah’s self-titled debut album was released on April 10, 2007; shortly thereafter, bassist Jerry Montano was replaced by Zilla due to personal conflicts. This album was recorded at Abbott’s home studio, Chasin' Jason, which had also been used for New Found Power.
Vocalist Dewey Bragg joined The Mercy Clinic during his recovery period, emphasizing the importance of carrying on with music as Dimebag would have wanted. Prior to the shooting, Phil Anselmo controversially remarked that Dimebag "deserves to be severely beaten," later claiming it was intended as a joke. Vinnie Paul refuted this characterization and called Anselmo the "master of lies."
Chris Armold authored A Vulgar Display of Power: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa, published in 2007, which chronicles the events surrounding Darrell’s murder. Armold’s investigation found no evidence linking Anselmo’s remarks to Gale’s motivations.
In a 2017 interview with Loudwire, Vinnie Paul announced plans to release all unreleased Damageplan material—some lacking vocals—and considered inviting artists like Rob Halford to contribute vocal tracks.
Vinnie Paul passed away on June 22, 2018, at age 54.
Lyrical themes and style
Damageplan's musical identity is primarily defined by groove metal, nu metal, and thrash metal genres. According to Johnny Loftus from AllMusic, the band also integrated influences from traditional heavy metal, post-grunge, metalcore, and death metal into their sound.
The lyrics were crafted collectively by Paul, Darrell, and Lachman. Their themes often draw upon the brothers' personal journeys, emphasizing renewal and progression following adversity. Darrell described this concept as "the collapse of one empire and then rebuilding." Tracks such as "Reborn," "Wake Up," and "Breathing New Life" illustrate this message, while "Blunt Force Trauma" tackles unforeseen difficulties.
In terms of composition, the Abbott siblings provided guitar riffs and rhythmic grooves, with Lachman contributing to the arrangement of songs. Critics frequently compared their sound to that of Pantera. Christine Klunk from PopMatters criticized this resemblance, pointing out repetitive guitar patterns and unclear vocal delivery. The song "Breathing New Life" is notable for its rapid 180 bpm bass drum patterns and dynamic transitions from subdued verses to intense choruses, earning praise from Vik Bansal of MusicOMH. Nonetheless, Bansal observed that Dimebag’s guitar solo bore a similarity to Anthrax’s "Only."
Band members
- Last lineup
- Vinnie Paul – drums (2003–2004; deceased 2018)
- Dimebag Darrell – guitars, backing vocals (2003–2004; deceased)
- Patrick Lachman – lead vocals (2003–2004)
- Bob Zilla – bass, backing vocals (2003–2004)
- Former members
- Shawn Matthews – bass, backing vocals (2003)
Albums
| Title | Details | Highest chart positions | Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUS | UK | |||
| New Found Power |
|
38 | 94 | 133 | US: 167,106+ |
Singles
| Year | Title | US Main. | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Save Me" | 16 | New Found Power |
| "Breathing New Life" | — | ||
| "Explode" | — | ||
| "Pride" | 30 | ||
| "—" indicates singles released but not charting. | |||
Other appearances
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Ashes to Ashes" (featuring Jerry Cantrell) | New Found Power and The Punisher: The Album |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | "Save Me" | Salzy |
| 2004 | "Breathing New Life" | Red Ezra |
| 2004 | "Explode" | Red Ezra |