# Damageplan
**Damageplan** was an American groove metal band formed in Dallas, Texas, in 2003 by former Pantera members Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott (guitars) and his brother [Vinnie Paul](https://www.edgepedia.org/vinnie-paul) (drums) after Pantera disbanded; it released one album, *New Found Power* (2004), and ended after Abbott was shot to death on stage at a [Columbus, Ohio](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbus-ohio), nightclub on December 8, 2004.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Origin | Formed in 2003 in Dallas, Texas, by Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul after Pantera ended, initially under the name New Found Power; renamed Damageplan by October 2003[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802) |
| Genre | Groove metal with nu-metal elements; Encyclopaedia Metallum classifies the band as groove/nu-metal[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) |
| Only album | *New Found Power* (Elektra, released February 10, 2004), 14 tracks running about 62 minutes, recorded at Chasin' Jason Studios in Texas[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658) |
| Chart performance | Debuted at number 38 on the U.S. Billboard 200[4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-09-na-shooting9-story.html) |
| Final lineup | Dimebag Darrell (guitar, backing vocals), Vinnie Paul (drums), Patrick Lachman (vocals), Bob Zilla (bass), 2003–2004[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) |
| End of the band | Dimebag Darrell was fatally shot during a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8, 2004; the band broke up in the aftermath[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) |
| What followed | Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla formed Hellyeah, which released five albums between 2007 and 2016; Vinnie Paul died in June 2018 at age 54[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802) |
## Formation
Pantera, the Texas thrash and groove metal band the Abbott brothers had anchored for more than a decade, came apart after years of internal hostility, with singer Philip Anselmo pursuing his [Down](https://www.edgepedia.org/down-band) and Superjoint Ritual projects and bassist [Rex Brown](https://www.edgepedia.org/rex-brown) joining Down.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) • [5](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/351/Damageplan-New-Found-Power/) [Dimebag Darrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/dimebag-darrell) and Vinnie Paul began working together in early 2003 at Dime's Dallas home studio.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802)
**The project began as Dimebag's solo record.** According to producer and engineer Sterling Winfield, who had worked with Pantera since meeting the musicians in 1993, Dime had stockpiled songs and demoed material for a solo project for years, originally planning to bring in guest musicians.[6](https://www.guitarworld.com/features/damageplan-new-found-power-sterling-winfield) The record grew into a band effort when Vinnie Paul joined on drums, and the brothers brought in vocalist Patrick Lachman, formerly a guitarist in [Rob Halford](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-halford)'s band and in Diesel Machine, and bassist Bob Kakaha, renamed Bob Zilla.[6](https://www.guitarworld.com/features/damageplan-new-found-power-sterling-winfield) • [2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802) The band worked under the name New Found Power before settling on Damageplan by October 2003, making New Found Power the title of the Elektra debut instead.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802)
## New Found Power
The album was recorded over 18 months at the Abbotts' Chasin' Jason studio with Winfield as co-producer alongside Patrick Lachman; Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell produced.[6](https://www.guitarworld.com/features/damageplan-new-found-power-sterling-winfield) • [7](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard-Airplay/Billboard-Airplay/2004/BBAM-2004-01-30.pdf) Released on Elektra on February 10, 2004, it debuted at number 38 on the Billboard 200.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-09-na-shooting9-story.html)
**Style and guests.** Critics placed the album between Pantera's groove and the post-grunge and nu-metal currents of the early 2000s. AllMusic's Johnny Loftus described it as "berserk thrash workouts and melodic post-grunge" atop death and traditional metal, and noted [Zakk Wylde](https://www.edgepedia.org/zakk-wylde)'s solos on two tracks.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658) Slipknot frontman [Corey Taylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/corey-taylor) contributed vocals to the track "Fuck You", recorded after Dimebag sent him a demo of the song, which he returned three days later.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658) • [8](https://www.loudersound.com/features/dimebag-darrell-damageplan-feature-2023) Metal Storm lists [Jerry Cantrell](https://www.edgepedia.org/jerry-cantrell) among the album's guest vocalists; the Alice in Chains flavor of the closing ballad "Soul Bleed", on which Lachman sang with backing vocals from Zakk Wylde, was singled out by several reviewers.[9](https://metalstorm.net/bands/band.php?band_id=4004) • [5](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/351/Damageplan-New-Found-Power/)
Reception was divided from the start. Reviews commonly measured the band against Pantera; some praised the songwriting and production, while others found the material derivative of contemporary nu-metal trends or missed [Phil Anselmo](https://www.edgepedia.org/phil-anselmo)'s voice and Rex Brown's bass.[3](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658) • [10](https://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/d/damageplan.htm) • [11](https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Damageplan/New_Found_Power/32714/) Several later retrospective assessments argued the album had been underrated, pointing to the band's more experimental tunings, including Drop B and Drop A#, tunings Pantera had never used.[11](https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Damageplan/New_Found_Power/32714/)
The band toured through 2004, playing dates in Japan in March 2004 and supporting other acts on club tours, and started work on a second album, parts of which were recorded before the year ended.[8](https://www.loudersound.com/features/dimebag-darrell-damageplan-feature-2023) • [12](https://www.loudersound.com/features/damageplan-diary-from-japan)
## The Alrosa Villa shooting
On December 8, 2004, as Damageplan launched into its first song at the Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus, Ohio, 25-year-old Nathan Gale of Marysville, Ohio, climbed onto the stage from the crowd, grabbed Dimebag Darrell, and shot him at least five times in the head at close range.[13](https://www.knac.com/news/news/lastest-associated-press-report-regarding-damageplan-and-the-death-of-dimebag-darrell9/) • [14](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2004/dec/10/central-ohio-nightclub-attack-kills-guitarist-3/) The gunman then killed three other people before a police officer on patrol nearby shot him dead; the entire attack lasted only minutes.[13](https://www.knac.com/news/news/lastest-associated-press-report-regarding-damageplan-and-the-death-of-dimebag-darrell9/) The dead, in addition to Dimebag Darrell (age 38), were Damageplan head of security Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson (40), club employee Erin Halk (29), and fan Nathan Bray (23); two others, including the band's drum technician, were wounded.[13](https://www.knac.com/news/news/lastest-associated-press-report-regarding-damageplan-and-the-death-of-dimebag-darrell9/)
**Motive.** Some of the roughly 500 people in the club initially thought the shooting was part of the show.[14](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2004/dec/10/central-ohio-nightclub-attack-kills-guitarist-3/) Witnesses reported that Gale had yelled accusations that Abbott had broken up Pantera, but Columbus police did not verify those reports, and the department said it might never establish a motive; Gale had no known connection to the band beyond fandom.[13](https://www.knac.com/news/news/lastest-associated-press-report-regarding-damageplan-and-the-death-of-dimebag-darrell9/) • [15](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/concert-rampage-puzzles-police/) Gale was a semi-professional football player who had psyched himself up for games by listening to Pantera.[15](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/concert-rampage-puzzles-police/)
## Aftermath and legacy
The surviving members disbanded the group after a period of mourning.[1](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916) Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla went on to form [Hellyeah](https://www.edgepedia.org/hellyeah), which released five albums between 2007 and 2016 and was recording a sixth when Vinnie Paul died in Las Vegas in June 2018 at age 54; Lachman later formed a band called the Mercy Clinic.[2](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802) The band's final record in the studio is often framed as Dimebag Darrell's last release: Damageplan released only one album, *New Found Power*, and the Abbott brothers also recorded the album *Rebel Meets Rebel* with [David Allan Coe](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-allan-coe) and Rex Brown, released in 2006, and *New Found Power*'s 20th anniversary in February 2024 prompted new retrospectives on its recording.[6](https://www.guitarworld.com/features/damageplan-new-found-power-sterling-winfield) • [16](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rebel-meets-rebel/129523755)
## References
1. [Damageplan, Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives](https://www.metal-archives.com/bands/Damageplan/6916)
2. [Damageplan Biography, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/mn0000721802)
3. [New Found Power Review, AllMusic (Johnny Loftus)](https://www.allmusic.com/album/r677658)
4. [4 Killed, 2 Hurt as Man Opens Fire on Band, Nightclub Crowd, Los Angeles Times (AP, December 9, 2004)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-dec-09-na-shooting9-story.html)
5. [Damageplan – New Found Power (album review 2), Sputnikmusic](https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/351/Damageplan-New-Found-Power/)
6. [Inside the making of Dimebag Darrell's final album, Guitar World (Alison Richter, June 18, 2024)](https://www.guitarworld.com/features/damageplan-new-found-power-sterling-winfield)
7. [PANTERA'S DIMEBAG DARRELL AND VINNIE PAUL HAVE A NEW PLAN..., Billboard Airplay (January 30, 2004)](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard-Airplay/Billboard-Airplay/2004/BBAM-2004-01-30.pdf)
8. [How Damageplan gave Dimebag Darrell hope in a post-Pantera world, Louder/Metal Hammer (Jon Wiederhorn, August 17, 2023)](https://www.loudersound.com/features/dimebag-darrell-damageplan-feature-2023)
9. [Damageplan, Metal Storm (band page and guest musician list)](https://metalstorm.net/bands/band.php?band_id=4004)
10. [Rough Edge: Damageplan CD Reviews (Mike SOS)](https://www.roughedge.com/cdreviews/d/damageplan.htm)
11. [Damageplan – New Found Power – Reviews, Encyclopaedia Metallum](https://www.metal-archives.com/reviews/Damageplan/New_Found_Power/32714/)
12. [Damageplan: Diary From Japan, Louder/Metal Hammer](https://www.loudersound.com/features/damageplan-diary-from-japan)
13. [Latest Associated Press Report Regarding Damageplan and the Death of Dimebag Darrell, KNAC.com (December 8, 2004)](https://www.knac.com/news/news/lastest-associated-press-report-regarding-damageplan-and-the-death-of-dimebag-darrell9/)
14. [Central Ohio: Nightclub attack kills guitarist, 3 others; officer kills gunman, The Vindicator archives (December 10, 2004)](https://vindyarchives.com/news/2004/dec/10/central-ohio-nightclub-attack-kills-guitarist-3/)
15. [Concert Rampage Puzzles Police, CBS News/AP (December 10, 2004)](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/concert-rampage-puzzles-police/)
16. [Rebel Meets Rebel on Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/artist/rebel-meets-rebel/129523755)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › Transnational genre scenes › Heavy metal scenes › Artists, groups, and people: Heavy metal scenes › Modern Metal & -core*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license