Yesterday we debuted a special remastered music video of Pantera’s “This Love,” which is part of their critically beloved 1992 album Vulgar Display Of Power. Over the following days, to celebrate the record’s 30th anniversary, we will be premiering remastered music videos of iconic songs off the album; there will be a total of four, with “This Love” being the first. You can find that video below, along with an exclusive video of Phil Anselmo talking about the song here.
Whether its fans or musicians, “This Love” has had an incredible impact on many people. To celebrate the release of the remastered “This Love” video, we reached out to a few big names in rock and metal, asking them what the song means to them. First up is Arejay Hale of Halestorm!
We asked Arejay a couple questions about his feelings on “This Love” and how it and Pantera have impacted his life. You can find what Arejay had to share below.
The Pit: Tell us about the first time you heard the song. What can you remember? How did it make you feel?
Arejay: I remember vividly the day I was introduced to Pantera and first heard the song “This Love.” I think I was around 16-17 years old; I know, I was a late bloomer to Pantera cuz my parents never listened to them, so I had to discover it on my own later on. I was on tour with Shinedown the first time I played the Eagles Ballroom in Milwaukee, WI, and one of their guests that night was Vinnie Paul’s old drum tech, Kat, whom I got to meet backstage. They later told me the story about how Kat took a bullet for Vinnie during the tragic shooting of Dimebag while touring in Damageplan. After the show in Milwaukee I started diving into their entire catalog and “This Love” was one of the first songs I discovered. I immediately understood the love and respect Pantera continues to get even after all these years.
The Pit: How has the song impacted your life, either personally and/or musically as an artist?
Arejay: I think it’s safe to say this song, along with many other Pantera songs, changed the game in the heavier music world, proving the importance of song quality regardless of genre. The dynamic changes in energy between the song segments, the balance of heavy and melodic, the overall hook, I understood why it was such a hit when it came out and why the song still resonates with so many metal fans. It just goes to prove the legacy Pantera left behind as not only one of the heaviest, most attitude dripping badass bands of all time, but also a group of musicians and writers with an undeniable plethora of hit songs that’ll continue to live on in music history. Doesn’t matter what style of music you create, it all comes down to the song, and as heavy and gritty as they were, their songs still manage to catch you and stay stuck in your head!! Long live Pantera, thank you for proving to us headbangers it’s ok to be ourselves and live our best lives!
We thank Arejay for his time in answering our questions! Pantera sure has had a remarkable impact on our community. Tune in tomorrow, as we have another special guest sharing their thoughts on “This Love.”
Halestorm have announced a new record titled Back From The Dead, which will release on May 6th. You can check out their latest single “The Steeple” below. You can also pre-order the album here.
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Words by: Michael Pementel
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