For over 27 years, former Pantera and current Down vocalist Phil Anselmo bruised himself for metal. Broke bones for metal. For four fraught minutes, even died for metal. In 2014, Phil and his many scars are celebrating anniversaries left, right and centre. “I guess it makes me feel old,” he starts.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Pantera’s Far Beyond Driven, the first extreme metal album to top both the US Billboard and Australian ARIA charts. Next year ushers in the 15th birthday of Down’s first record, NOLA, also the initials for Phil’s adoptive home of New Orleans, Louisiana. “I guess I feel accomplished to a certain degree,” Anselmo continues, recognising what’s passed before. “But on the other hand, I feel absolutely ignorant.” Even the master has more to learn.

“But I think as a musician I can always strive for a different spirit. Because music is vast. All the tools are there, it’s up to you whether to make the tools coincide with each other.”

Phil banged his head to metal since his school days. Fronting both Pantera and Down in the ‘90s, two of metal’s most influential groove-thrash bands, Anselmo played a pivotal role pushing metal into its second age, the age between what’s classic and now. Tastes since have spiced up and changed.

“When I was growing up, heavy metal was going through a lot of different phases,” Anselmo says. “One of the phases was younger bands becoming more technically proficient and out of nowhere comes a band called Hellhammer. They were primitive as fuck, and many people scoffed at the time but now they’re considered legends.”

What about right now? Anselmo’s adamant new bands are jamming up the works and some rather generic tunes. “I think there’s some good bands in the world and there are some bands that need to identify themselves more,” Phil advises the new breed. “They need to strive for something more original, to stop being copycats. As a veteran of the scene, I’ve experimented a lot. But it’s up to new bands to step out of the shadow of genre. They need to create something that’s brilliant and stimulating and different instead of wanting to sound like some fuckin’ subgenre, or whatever.”

Phil matches snarl with action owning his own label, Housecore Records, a stable for bands shattering the mould. Bands like fellow New Orleans psycho-sludgers Eyehategod, doom crushers haarp and his own ‘anti-music’ act, Philip H. Anselmo and the Illegals. Is the label owner life one of cigar-puffing behind marble desks? Is it glamorous?

“Glamorous!” Anselmo scoffs. “I’ve never heard that word used to describe it. Not my record label, at least,” he laughs. No glamour, but upsides abound. “It gives me an ability to help bands out. I believe in bands making a different mark. For me, that’s what it’s about. It’s about giving back. It feels very natural. Believe me. There’s no illusions of grandeur, here. We’re not getting rich off this at all. It’s a real money pit,” he remarks casually. “If I can help out, in any way, shape or form, my younger brothers out there and if it feels right? Well, I’m gonna do it.”

Anselmo’s overcome heroin overdoses, alcoholism and the death of Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, cruelly killed ten years ago. Will the thrill of touring ever wear off? “Sometimes,” Anselmo answers in a broad Southern drawl. “Maybe one day that day will come. The lamest thing for me is the travelling part. If I could teleport myself from gig to gig, that would work out great. Because once the microphone’s in my hand, any broken bones or mended cartilage or fuckin’ bumps ‘n’ bruises or scars I’ve accumulated along the way go by the wayside. Being onstage is a very powerful thing.”

BY TOM VALCANIS

DOWN play the Soundwave Festival on Friday February 28 at Flemington Racecourse alongside Avenged Sevenfold, Mastodon, Rob Zombie and more. They also play with Alice In Chains at the Palace Theatre on Thursday February 27.