Pantera - Mouth For War - Guitar Lesson

Vulgar Display of Power

1992 3:57

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About Mouth For War

"Mouth for War" opens with one of the most recognisable groove-metal riffs of the early 1990s, built on tight, palm-muted downpicking in E minor that demands real right-hand stamina. The riff sits low and mean, and keeping it locked and even at full tempo is harder than it sounds. Pantera was at their tightest on "Vulgar Display of Power", and this track is a good example of how much work goes into making a heavy groove feel effortless. The transitions between the main riff, the verse chug, and the heavier breakdown sections all have their own rhythmic feel, so treat them as separate things to drill. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop each section slowed down until your picking hand stops rushing. Getting the palm mute pressure consistent, not too choked and not too open, is what separates a flat run-through from something that actually hits.

• The main riff relies on aggressive downpicked palm muting in E minor, and building right-hand stamina is the central challenge for most players.
• The song's groove comes from precise rhythmic accents rather than speed, so a metronome at a reduced tempo is a useful early practice tool.
• Getting the palm mute pressure consistent throughout the low-string chugging sections is key to replicating the tight, punchy tone of the recording.