Metal Mondays: New Music From Pantera Calls for a Home-Made Vulgar Display

Metalhead or not, everybody's got a soft spot for at least one heavy act. Jim Carrey digs Cannibal Corpse; Cameron Diaz reportedly rocks out to Iron Maiden. The writers of the hit show Californication sneak it into scripts -- all three of main character Hank Moody's novels are named after Slayer albums. And of course, Ron Burgundy famously shouted "Hey Aqualung" while grinding out the heaviest flute riff of all time in Anchorman.

So welcome to Metal Mondays, where I'll do my best to explain what's rattling around in the heads of us headbangers and touch on the latest metal news and happenings.

Though I may not look like it at first glance, I'm a Pantera junkie. (People often assume I prefer Pink over Pantera. Epic fail.)

I discovered the band in the late '90s, long after they ditched the glam metal hairdos and went hardcore and heavy, saving metal from the takeover of grunge, moments away from the genre drowning in its own vomit.

No, it doesn't take much to bring the vulgar display of power out of me --a couple shots of Johnnie Walker, tops. But heavy metal is all about going big or going home, and the month ahead is defined by this mantra: On April 11 in L.A., the Golden God Awards gives the genre props, and on the same day, the Grammy Museum's History of Heavy Metal exhibit debuts with the show.

And then there's big news on the Pantera front. In honor of the 20th anniversary of Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power, the only unreleased Pantera song in existence, "Piss", will be unveiled at the awards show. Recorded in the Vulgar Display of Power sessions, ex-Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul says he can't figure out why the song was cut. According to him it completely embodies the attitude and energy that Pantera was all about, particularly in Phil Anselmo's vocals.

And to accompany the first Pantera release in 20 years? A music video, of course.

Which is why, for the kick-off of this new "Metal Mondays" column, I've decided to go big or go home.

According to Pantera's website, it's time for the fans to be the stars, since those same fans have kept Pantera alive for the past 20 years. The challenge? To film myself rocking out, moshing, and shattering whiskey bottles -- which actually wasn't supposed to happen...I can't imagine my landlord will be too happy -- as hard as I can to my favorite Pantera song.

The spoils? Whoever proves they are worthy to party and rock out alongside Pantera wins a slot in the upcoming music video for "Piss".

Ideally, I would've loved to film in some CFH-laden venue or studio. But my trek to Pantera's strip club and Dimebag's grave isn't until April -- where I'll no doubt ruthlessly force anyone in my path to take Black Tooth Grins shots -- so I have to make do with the place where I rock out to Pantera the most. Cue record screeching noise: my bedroom.