A New Level

"A New Level" is a song by American heavy metal band Pantera. It is the second track on their 1992 studio album Vulgar Display of Power.

"A New Level"
Song by Pantera
from the album Vulgar Display of Power
ReleasedFebruary 25, 1992
Recorded1991
Genre
Length3:57
LabelAtco
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Terry Date

Background and composition

The song is composed in the key of A minor.[3] It was demoed before producer Terry Date came in to work on the album.[4] Pantera's vocalist Phil Anselmo commented about the song: "A New Level was the ultimate chip-on-your-shoulder-type song at the time for me."[5]

Bassist Rex Brown wrote about the song in his book Official Truth, 101 Proof: "Sometimes we'd sit in the studio until four in the morning, just coming up with different ideas... Every single track we recorded had that certain something about it in a way that only the most vital albums can boast. When we did 'A New Level,' there were all these weird chromatic chords that we hadn't even tried before, and as it took shape it was like opening a Christmas present that you never thought you'd get in a million years."[6]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Odyssey[7]

Metal Hammer ranked "A New Level" #11 on their list of the 50 best Pantera songs. They wrote: "A series of visceral, fidgeting riffs gives way to that immortal chorus: 'A new level of confidence and power…' It pretty much summed up the whole Vulgar Display… album."[8]

Guitar World considered "A New Level" to be the 3rd best Pantera song, writing that it is "arguably as well known as any of the Vulgar Display of Power cuts that were." They also wrote: "Its intro riff, built on a slowly ascending barrage of crushing chromatics, is as iconic as the opening of 'Walk' or 'Mouth for War'".[9]

Guitar World also ranked the song's solo number 5 on their list "The 25 Greatest Wah Solos of All Time".[10]

Odyssey also considered "A New Level" to be the 3rd best Pantera song, rating it 5/5 and wrote that the purpose of the song "was to demonstrate that Pantera was on a new level above everyone else in metal".[11]

Revolver Magazine hosted a fan poll on the five best songs from Vulgar Display of Power and "A New Level" came second place.[12]

Spin writer Mike Gitter described the song as "anthemic".[13]

Madonna performance

Pop singer Madonna performed a riff from "A New Level" on her Sticky & Sweet Tour. It was her long-time guitarist, Monte Pittman, who taught her the riff. She performed it during a medley version of her song "Hung Up".[14][15][16][17] Anselmo considered this to be strange, and said: "She's never reached out to any of us, so I appreciate her homage, but I just don't understand it. But props to her for doing it."[18]

Personnel

References
  1. "How Pantera's Vulgar Display Of Power Saved American Metal". Kerrang!. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  2. "27 Years Ago, Pantera Take Metal to a New Level with Vulgar Display of Power". February 25, 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019.
  3. "Key of A New Level by Pantera | In what key?". inwhatkey.com. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  4. "Wayback Machine". May 9, 2012. Archived from the original on May 9, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  5. Songfacts. "A New Level by Pantera - Songfacts". www.songfacts.com. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  6. Rivadavia, Eduardo. "Why Pantera Doubled Down on 'Vulgar Display of Power'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  7. ""Top 25 Pantera Songs You Need To Listen To If You're A True Fan"". May 31, 2017.
  8. Lawsonpublished, Dom (February 4, 2019). "The 50 best Pantera songs ever". loudersound. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  9. Bienstock, Richard; published, Chris Gill (April 26, 2019). "The 25 Greatest Pantera Songs of All Time". guitarworld. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  10. Josh Hart (March 9, 2020). "The 25 greatest wah solos of all time". guitarworld. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  11. "Top 25 Pantera Songs You Need To Listen To If You're A True Fan". The Odyssey Online. May 31, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  12. "Fan Poll: Top 5 Songs on Pantera's 'Vulgar Display of Power,' Ranked". Revolver. February 23, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  13. "SPIN - Google Böcker". July 1992. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  14. "Guitar Teacher Talks Why Madonna Covered Pantera". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  15. Fury, Jeanne (January 20, 2014). "That Time Monte Pittman Taught Madonna a Pantera Riff". Decibel Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  16. Injection, Metal (May 13, 2008). "MADONNA covers PANTERA; PANTERA fans reach 'New Level' of stupidity". Metal Injection. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  17. Blabbermouth (May 13, 2008). "MADONNA Rocks PANTERA During UK Concert". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
  18. Bienstock, Richard (December 8, 2014). "Former Pantera Frontman Phil Anselmo on 'Dimebag' Darrell: 'Every Year It Gets Tougher'". Billboard. Retrieved September 25, 2022.
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