Vocalist PHIL ANSELMO (DOWN, ex-PANTERA) recently spoke with the Phoenix New Times. An excerpt from the interview is available below:

Q: What's one less-mainstream Pantera song that you would love to play live again?

Phil: "Oh, jeez, that's a tough question. But if you take a look at the most popular Pantera songs, which would really constitute most of the Vulgar Display Of Power record, you know, you go back to Cowboys From Hell and you check out a song like 'Primal Concrete Sledge', that is one that would be very interesting to play live again, because it's a monster of a song."

Q: Do you ever listen to your old Pantera tracks at home?

Phil: "Very rarely. Very rarely. But you know, when we do, it's always amazing, because at this point in my life I can remove myself. When I was in Pantera . . . when you're so close to something, you can't really judge it. But now, in hindsight when I listen back to it I realize like, wow, this was almost the perfect storm, because I was always pushing for heavier and heavier, more extreme, more extremities. And then Dimebag, Vince, and Rex were still very much part of a school of music that I guess would be considered tasteful, proper, and totally in key.

I guess as a young man, I'd grown tired of that, or bored? Because there were bands out there that were really pushing the limits that weren't so traditional. But that mixture of what we each brought to the table. Listening to it now, I think that's what made Pantera a very unique and special type of band that really was a fantastic crossover for people. We could appeal to both crowds. Listening back to it is kinda mind-blowing, it really is."

Go to this location for the complete interview.

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS released the new album, Walk Through Exits Only, on July 16th via Anselmo's Housecore Records (MRI/Megaforce). Walk Through Exits Only is available digitally, on CD and on vinyl.

Produced by Philip Anselmo and Michael Thompson, and recorded over the past couple of years at his New Orleans studio, Nodferatu's Lair, with his band The Illegals - Marzi Montazeri/guitar, and drummer Jose Manuel "Blue" Gonzales, Walk Through Exits Only is abrasive, aggressive, anthemic and 100% Anselmo. The album's eight songs are as unstrained as it gets, from 'Battalion Of Zero' to 'Usurper's Bastard Rant', to the album's title track that goes against the grain and right through the exits. Brash, brutal guitars cut through punishing percussion as Anselmo screams with uncompromising ferocity and uncontainable fire.

Tracklisting:

'Music Media Is My Whore'

'Battalion Of Zero'

'Betrayed'

'Usurper Bastard's Rant'

'Walk Through Exits Only'

'Bedroom Destroyer'

'Bedridden'

'Irrelevant Walls And Computer Screens'

Album stream:

'Bedridden' video:

BraveWords' review of Walk Through Exits Only can be found here.

Phil and his band will take to the road for their first-ever tour, dubbed Technicians Of Distortion, which will kick off July 31st in Tulsa, OK. Support on the tour comes from WARBEAST and AUTHOR & PUNISHER. Tickets are on sale now at this location.

Tour dates:

July

31 - Cain's Ballroom - Tulsa, OK

August

2 - Wooly's - Des Moines, IA
3 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN
4 - House of Blues - Chicago, IL
6 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH
7 - The Intersection - Grand Rapids, MI
9 - Royal Oak Music Theatre - Royal Oak, MI
10 - Danforth Music Hall - Toronto, ON
11 - Heavy MTL Festival - Montreal, QC
13 - The Palladium - Worcester, MA
14 - Upstate Concert Hall - Clifton Park, NY
16 - Best Buy Theatre - New York, NY
17 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA
18 - The Fillmore - Silver Spring, MD
20 - The Masquerade - Heaven Stage, Atlanta, GA

Tour promo video Part 1:

Tour promo video Part 2:

Tour promo video Part 3:

On August 4th, Anselmo will be at Reckless Records in Chicago, IL (1532 N Milwaukee Ave #1) to sign copies of the album starting at 3 PM. Copies of the CD and LP will be available for a special price at the event, but fans that buy it beforehand should save the receipt and bring it to the in-store. For more information go to this location.

"It wasn't about doing a paint-by-numbers thrash or heavy metal record," Anselmo explained about the project. "It's an angry album that only I could do. I don't see anybody else out there screaming about the same shit I'm screaming about. On this album, there isn't any wordplay, there isn't any hidden message, it's all right there in front of you."

Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals lineup:

Philip H. Anselmo - Vocals

Marzi Montazeri - Guitars

Bennett Bartley - Bass

Jose Manuel Gonzales - Drums