"Suicide Note" is a two-part song by American heavy metal band

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 ...

from their eighth studio album, ''

The Great Southern Trendkill ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on May 7, 1996, through East West Records. It reached number 4 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, and stayed on the chart for 16 weeks. Dur ...

''. The first half of the song was released as the album's second single in 1996. The combination total time is 9 minutes and 3 seconds. The first part of the song was nominated for a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

in 1997.

Background

"Suicide Note Pt. I" features 12-string acoustic guitars, keyboards, and

bass drum The bass drum is a large drum that produces a note of low definite or indefinite pitch. The instrument is typically cylindrical, with the drum's diameter much greater than the drum's depth, with a struck head at both ends of the cylinder. Th ...

beats in the style of a heartbeat. Guitarist

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 ...

told ''

Guitar World ''Guitar World'' is a monthly music magazine for guitarists – and fans of guitar-based music and trends – that has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States, contains original art ...

'' magazine in 1996 that he wrote all the guitar parts of the song the first time he picked up a 12-string guitar that

Washburn Guitars Washburn Guitars is an American brand and importer of guitars, mandolins, and other string instruments, originally established in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. The Washburn name is controlled by U.S. Music Corp., a subsidiary of Canadian corporate ...

had sent him in recognition of his new endorsement of the company. The song breaks into "Suicide Note Pt. II", which in stark contrast to Pt. I, is a fast-tempo song featuring low tunings,

screamed vocals Screaming is an extended vocal technique that is popular in "aggressive" music genres such as heavy metal, punk rock, and noise music and others. It is common in the more extreme subgenres of heavy metal, such as death and black metal as wel ...

throughout, and a

breakdown Breakdown may refer to: Breaking down *Breakdown (vehicle), failure of a motor vehicle in such a way that it cannot be operated *Chemical decomposition, also called chemical breakdown, the breakdown of a substance into simpler components *Decompo ...

at its climax. The main

riff A riff is a repeated chord progression or refrain in music (also known as an ostinato figure in classical music); it is a pattern, or melody, often played by the rhythm section instruments or solo instrument, that forms the basis or accompani ...

in Pt. II features extensive use of the

DigiTech Whammy The DigiTech Whammy is a pitch shifter pedal manufactured by DigiTech. It was the first widely used effects pedal that could do foot-controlled pitch shifting effects. The pedal emulates sounds that a guitarist normally makes using the vibrato ...

effects pedal which is used throughout most of the song including the chaotic solo. Pt. I was omitted from the original vinyl pressing of ''The Great Southern Trendkill'' in 1996. It was however included on a limited edition 24 bit

audiophile An audiophile is a person who is enthusiastic about high-fidelity sound reproduction. An audiophile seeks to reproduce the sound of a piece of recorded music or a live musical performance, typically inside closed headphones, In-ear monitors, open ...

pressing in 2012. The lyrics describe

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

attempts such as slitting of the wrist. Pt. I talks in particular about drug use whereas Pt. II describes the determination of suicide by gunshot.

Reception

Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' features news, reviews and long-form ...

'' ranked the first part of the song number 24 on their list of the 50 best Pantera songs, while the second part of the song ranked at number 20. ''

Loudwire ''Loudwire'' is an American online media magazine that covers news of hard rock and heavy metal artists. It is owned by media and entertainment business Townsquare Media. Since its launch in August of 2011, ''Loudwire'' has secured exclusive ...

'' ranked both parts number eight on their list of the top 10 Pantera songs.

Track listing (single)

Personnel

Part I

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

– lead vocals *

– 12-string acoustic guitar

Additional personnel

* Big Ross – keyboards

Part II

– lead vocals *

– guitars *

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 ...

– bass *

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 ...

– drums

Additional personnel

Seth Putnam Seth Edward Putnam (May 15, 1968 – June 11, 2011) was an American musician who was the founder, vocalist and occasional guitarist of grindcore band Anal Cunt. He was known for his high-pitched screamed vocals and lyrics that either shock, off ...

(of

Anal Cunt Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1988. From its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes and never had a bass player. The band, known for its flippan ...

) – additional vocals

References

{{Pantera 1996 singles Pantera songs 1996 songs Songs about drugs Songs about suicide Song recordings produced by Terry Date Songs written by Dimebag Darrell Songs written by Vinnie Paul Songs written by Phil Anselmo Songs written by Rex Brown East West Records singles