There is a great deal of hyperbole in the music industry and among fans. Metal music in particular seems to suffer an inordinate amount of over-hyper, and sometimes as a reviewer it can be difficult to stress how good something is without descending into cliches, and as a potential buyer it can be incredibly difficult to get a good idea if a product is actually good, even within a positive review.

I’d just like to say that Pantera’s Official Live: 101 Proof album will not melt your face, bludgeon you to death or cause your neighbours to go deaf. It is however; in my opinion, actually one of the best albums ever released within the genre and that anybody who likes metal music should pick up a copy or at least give it a fair try. If you are considering buying it, I’d just like to say that you should definitely go ahead.

Pantera’s music is wonderful and much respected within the metal-listening community both for its attitude and musicianship. They are the kind of rallying band that almost anyone can enjoy and their place in metal history as one of the must-listen bands is now forever sealed.

This live album from 1997 captures the band on tour in support of their The Great Southern Trendkill album; the band’s penultimate studio release, and consequently features material from all but one of the band’s official major label albums. Additionally; the sound is superb, the mix is just right and each member plus the crowd are balanced fantastically to create the all important live feel perfectly.

With a fantastic set list of material from a great band and a good sound this would be a good record that Pantera fans should consider checking out. What elevates Official Live: 101 Proof that bit further into genre-classic territory is the performance, the band put such power and attitude into every song that it is difficult to explain just how very good the album is.

I strongly recommend this album, not just to existing fans of the band but also to newcomers and even to Pantera-skeptics. Without hyperbole I honestly think that every single fan of metal should give this live album a fair and unbiased listen, if only to see if its for them.