Damageplan

Lore & Background

Damageplan was formed in 2003 after the Abbott brothers decided to move on from Pantera, citing difficulties with vocalist Phil Anselmo's performance and commitment. They sent a demo of the song 'Crawl' to former Halford guitarist Patrick Lachman, who auditioned and was hired as vocalist. The initial bassist, Shawn Matthews, was replaced after the album recording by the brothers' tattoo artist, Bob Zilla. The band recorded its debut album, New Found Power, at the brothers' backyard studio, Chasin' Jason, in Arlington, Texas. The album featured guest appearances from Corey Taylor, Zakk Wylde, and Jerry Cantrell.

Reader's Guide

Damageplan's significance lies primarily in its brief existence as the final musical project of Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, two influential figures in heavy metal. The band's only album, New Found Power, debuted at number 38 on the Billboard 200 and received mixed reviews, but its legacy is overshadowed by the tragic onstage murder of Darrell on December 8, 2004. The shooting, carried out by a deranged fan named Nathan Gale, killed Darrell and three others before Gale was fatally shot by police. No clear motive was established, though Gale's mother reported he had paranoid schizophrenia and believed the Abbott brothers had stolen his lyrics. The band has been inactive since the incident, with unreleased recordings remaining unreleased. Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla later joined Hellyeah, and Lachman joined the Mercy Clinic. The event prompted a memorial fund and remains a somber chapter in metal history.

Did You Know?

• Damageplan's only album, New Found Power, sold 44,676 copies in its first week and debuted at number 38 on the Billboard 200.
• The band was originally called Damageplan from the start; 'New Found Power' was the title of the album, not a previous band name.
• Guitarist Dimebag Darrell was killed onstage at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, 2004, by a deranged fan named Nathan Gale.
• Unreleased Damageplan recordings exist but have not surfaced, and the band has been inactive since the shooting.

Formation & Creative Vision

By 2003, the Abbott brothers had grown exhausted by the internal fractures that had paralyzed Pantera. Phil Anselmo's inconsistent performances—attributed to chemical use—and his growing preoccupation with side projects left the band unable to write or record new material. Rather than wait, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul decided to forge ahead independently, channeling their energy into fresh compositions. They sent a demo of a track called "Crawl" to Pat Lachman, a guitarist from the band Halford, who auditioned and was brought in on vocals. Bass duties initially fell to Shawn Matthews, but he was later swapped out for Bob Zilla, the brothers' personal tattoo artist. The creative philosophy behind the new project was deliberately expansive. Paul insisted they place no boundaries on their sound and aimed for diversity, while Darrell spoke of stretching their musical capabilities to the absolute limit. The group settled on the name Damageplan and titled their debut New Found Power, a declaration of starting over from scratch.

New Found Power

The lead single "Save Me" hit American radio on January 26, 2004, ahead of the album's February 10 release. Recording took place at Chasin' Jason, the Abbotts' backyard studio in Arlington, Texas—the same space where Pantera had cut their records. The brothers noted a marked difference in studio energy: every member was eager to give full effort, a level of engagement they found nearly impossible to extract from Anselmo during previous sessions. Sterling Winfield handled co-production, and the tracklist featured high-profile guest vocalists. Corey Taylor of Slipknot and Stone Sour contributed to "Fuck You," Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society appeared on "Soul Bleed," and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains lent his voice to the bonus track "Ashes to Ashes." That last song had an unusual origin: Cantrell attended a Thanksgiving gathering at the Abbotts' home, heard a demo, and expressed interest, prompting Lachman to pull it from the backburner. The album debuted at number 38 on the Billboard 200 with 44,676 first-week sales. Critical reception was divided—AllMusic's Johnny Loftus called it a "blazing new beginning," while PopMatters' Christine Klunk expressed little interest in the band's future. The group promoted the record by touring with Hatebreed, Drowning Pool, and Unearth on the second Headbangers Ball festival.

The Alrosa Villa Tragedy

On December 8, 2004, Damageplan was performing at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, when the concert was shattered by an act of violence. Nathan Gale, a 25-year-old fan, scaled the stage and drew a 9 mm Beretta 92FS. He fired five shots into Dimebag Darrell's head, killing the guitarist instantly. The band's head of security, Jeffery "Mayhem" Thompson, threw himself into hand-to-hand combat with Gale, buying time for Paul and others to flee, but Thompson was shot and killed in the struggle. Two more victims fell: Nathan Bray, a fan who rushed to administer CPR, and Erin Halk, a former U.S. Marine turned roadie who attempted to disarm Gale as he reloaded. When Columbus police arrived, Officer James Niggemeyer approached the stage from behind and found Gale holding a weapon to a hostage. Niggemeyer fired a single shot from a 12-gauge Remington Model 870, killing Gale. In total, Gale had fired fifteen rounds and carried thirty-six additional cartridges. A police investigation uncovered no clear motive, though Gale's mother revealed he had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and believed the Abbott brothers had stolen his lyrics and identity. She had given him the weapon and was proud of his prior military service.

Legacy & Aftermath

The shooting left Damageplan permanently in limbo. The band's manager later confirmed that unreleased recordings existed in the vault, but none have ever surfaced publicly, and the group has remained inactive since that December night. In the immediate aftermath, the Dimebag Darrell Memorial Fund was established, channeling its proceeds toward the medical bills of drum technician John Brooks and tour manager Chris Paluska, both of whom were injured during the chaos. A public memorial service for Darrell was held on December 14, 2004, at the Arlington Convention Center in Texas, where fellow musicians gathered to pay tribute both in person and through online message boards. The surviving members eventually scattered into new projects: Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla joined the band Hellyeah, while Pat Lachman found a home in Mercy Clinic. Vinnie Paul's own life came to an end in 2018, leaving the last surviving Abbott brother gone. Damageplan's story remains one of the most abrupt and tragic endings in heavy metal history—a band that had barely begun was extinguished before it could grow, leaving behind a single album and a legacy defined as much by loss as by music.