Biography
Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul launched Damageplan in the opening months of 2003, shortly after the breakup of their earlier group, the thrash metal standard-bearers Pantera. The siblings tracked early ideas inside Dime’s home studio in Dallas, still uncertain of the material’s ultimate destination yet committed to leaving behind the sour aftermath of Pantera’s split. Guitarist Pat Lachman, formerly of Halford and Diesel Machine and a longtime associate of Dime, listened to the rough cuts and voiced a desire to handle vocals. Although he had never fronted a band, his readings of the songs proved convincing enough to secure the position. Local bassist Bob Kakaha joined next and promptly received the nickname Bob Zilla on account of his imposing sound; the four-piece then began shaping the songs under the provisional name New Found Power. By October 2003 the group had settled on Damageplan, retaining New Found Power as the title of their debut for Elektra. Issued in February 2004, the record generated strong interest drawn largely from Pantera’s established audience. While longtime listeners recognized echoes of Dime and Vinnie’s prior work, the album also ventured into melodic post-grunge territory and incorporated faint traces of nu-metal’s electronic pulse. Strong touring kept New Found Power active through the summer months.
On 8 December 2004, however, catastrophe occurred at the Alrosa Village club in Columbus, Ohio, where Dimebag Darrell and three other men were slain during a violent confrontation with an aggrieved audience member. The gunman stepped onto the stage moments after Damageplan began performing, reportedly attributing blame for Pantera’s dissolution to Dimebag before shooting him at close range. He also killed a concertgoer, a club employee, and Damageplan’s bodyguard Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson before police ended the attack. Following tributes and a time of mourning, the remaining members elected to dissolve Damageplan. Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla subsequently formed Hellyeah, while Pat Lachman started the Mercy Clinic. The latter project never secured a record deal, yet Hellyeah issued five albums from 2007 through 2016. In June 2018, while the band was tracking a sixth album in Las Vegas, Vinnie Paul passed away at age 54.
On 8 December 2004, however, catastrophe occurred at the Alrosa Village club in Columbus, Ohio, where Dimebag Darrell and three other men were slain during a violent confrontation with an aggrieved audience member. The gunman stepped onto the stage moments after Damageplan began performing, reportedly attributing blame for Pantera’s dissolution to Dimebag before shooting him at close range. He also killed a concertgoer, a club employee, and Damageplan’s bodyguard Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson before police ended the attack. Following tributes and a time of mourning, the remaining members elected to dissolve Damageplan. Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla subsequently formed Hellyeah, while Pat Lachman started the Mercy Clinic. The latter project never secured a record deal, yet Hellyeah issued five albums from 2007 through 2016. In June 2018, while the band was tracking a sixth album in Las Vegas, Vinnie Paul passed away at age 54.
Albums
Singles
