''Rebel Meets Rebel'' is a country metal album by

David Allan Coe David Allan Coe (born September 6, 1939) is an American singer and songwriter. Coe took up music after spending much of his early life in reform schools and prisons, and first became notable for busking in Nashville. He initially played mostly i ...

and

Pantera Pantera () is an American heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas formed in 1981, and currently comprised of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-kn ...

members

Dimebag Darrell Darrell Lance Abbott (August 20, 1966 – December 8, 2004), best known by his stage name Dimebag Darrell, was an American musician. He was the guitarist of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan, both of which he co-founded alongside his ...

Rex Brown Rex Robert Brown (born July 27, 1964) is an American musician. He is best known as the bassist for heavy metal band Pantera, from 1982 to their disbandment in 2003. As of their reunion in 2022, he is the band's only constant member. Brown is ...

, and

Vinnie Paul Vincent Paul Abbott (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018) was an American musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal band Pantera. He also co-founded Damageplan in 2003 with his younger brother, 'Dimebag' Darrell ...

. The music was written and recorded by the band when the musicians had time aside from their other projects, including Pantera's world tour supporting '' Reinventing the Steel''. The album was released on May 2, 2006, under Vinnie Paul's own label

Big Vin Records Big Vin Records was an American record label based in Arlington, Texas. The company was formed in February 2006 by former Pantera, Damageplan and Hellyeah drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott and had a distribution deal with Fontana Records, which in ...

, posthumously after Darrell's murder in December 2004.

Background

At the close of the decade, Coe met Pantera guitarist

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...

. The two musicians, struck by the similarity of the approaches between

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while the ...

and heavy metal, agreed to work together. Darrell was the son of

Jerry Abbott Jerry Bob Abbott (born April 8, 1942) is an American country music songwriter and record producer. He is the father of heavy metal musicians Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, both of Pantera and Damageplan. Biography Jerry Abbott was born in A ...

, a country songwriter and producer. Together with Darrell's brother

and bassist

, they began production of the album which was recorded sporadically between 1999 and 2003. It was released in 2006, two years after Darrell's murder. Originally, the song "Rebel Meets Rebel" was supposed to be released as a duet with Coe and Pantera's vocalist

Phil Anselmo Philip Hansen Anselmo (born June 30, 1968) is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal vocalist best known as the lead singer for Pantera, Down (band), Down, and Superjoint, amongst other musical projects. He is the owner of Housecore Records ...

Music and lyrics

The album's lyrical content ranges from boisterous songs regarding drinking and getting stoned to more serious subject matter, such as the song "Cherokee Cry", which criticizes the United States government's treatment of Native Americans. ''Rebel Meets Rebel'' features what has been described as a "groundbreaking" mix of

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

and heavy metal.

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

writer Megan Frye wrote, "On first listen, Nothin' to Lose"sounds awkward—as if someone had spliced a Pantera song together with a David Allan Coe one on their home computer. It doesn't mesh well, and the bass seems too sharp and tinny. But after listening to the album a few times, it starts to make more sense."

was praised for his guitar playing, which incorporated elements from

thrash metal Thrash metal (or simply thrash) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and often fast tempo.Kahn-Harris, Keith, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'', pp. 2–3, 9. Oxford: Berg, 2007, . ...

, as well as dark melodic playing. "Rebel Meets Rebel" features fiddle playing by Joey Floyd.

Track listing

Personnel

– lead vocals, rhythm guitar *

– lead guitar, backing vocals *

– bass guitar *

– drums * Joey Floyd –

fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

on "Rebel Meets Rebel" *

Hank Williams III Shelton Hank Williams (born December 12, 1972), known as Hank Williams III, is an American musician, singer and multi-instrumentalist, known for his unique fusion of traditional country music, rockabilly, heavy metal and punk rock. He was the ...

– vocals on "Get Outta My Life" * Rex Mauney – keyboards

Chart positions

Album

References

External links

Official website
(archived) {{Authority control 2006 albums Country metal albums David Allan Coe albums Albums published posthumously