It was a cold, crisp winter night on the evening of December 8th, 2004, but no amount of snow or frigid temperatures would keep hundreds of heavy metal fans from lining up in droves around the infamous Alrosa Villa concert club in Columbus, Ohio. They were waiting in anticipation to see two members of the legendary band Pantera take the stage—a rare opportunity to catch them up close and personal in a small venue. After a decade of filling arenas and stadiums around the world as one of the most iconic and influential bands in heavy metal music history, Pantera’s internal conflicts led to a hiatus that inspired brothers Darrell “Dimebag” Abbott and Vinnie Paul Abbott to form their own band, Damageplan, which had released their debut album, New Found Power, just ten months prior.

As the doors to the venue opened, in came floods of denim and leather clad rockers rushing to the front of the stage, wanting to witness Dimebag’s unparalleled riffs and leads, searing through the thunderous beats of brother Vinnie Paul on drums. As the lights dimmed and the hum of the amps began to roar, the only way to describe the excitement and anticipation in the room was electric! Halfway through the opening song, however, chaos ensued. Twenty-five-year-old Nathan Gale, an ex-Marine, had managed to scale a fence behind the venue and elude security to sneak into the club and make his way onstage. Gale was heavily armed and immediately began unloading rounds, hitting Dimebag twice in the head and three times in the torso, killing him instantly. Gale did not stop there. An extremely brave fan, Nathan Bray, jumped onstage to try and revive Dime with CPR, only to be executed by Gale. He continued firing shots, killing club employee Erin Halk, who was also a former Marine and had tried to subdue him. In the midst of the melee, Damageplan head of security Jeff “Mayhem” Thompson was also killed, leaving the death toll at four. Tour manager Chris Paluska and drum tech John Brooks were also shot but spectacularly managed to survive their wounds.

A frantic 9-1-1 call from the club alerted nearby Ohio Highway Patrol officer James Niggemeyer of the deadly scene. Within moments, the officer entered the club and took out the shooter with a single shotgun blast, as he held a hostage. What had begun as a night of music and celebration, in the span of a few moments, became a tragic scene of horror and disbelief. Nobody could believe that Dimebag was really gone, that three others had lost their lives, with still others fighting for their survival. This was not how their legacy was meant to end.

At the time of the incident I was living in a small apartment inside a recording studio in North Hollywood with my bandmate Ivan de Prume from White Zombie (a band that toured heavily with Pantera as both bands came up in the metal scene). We were both completely gutted to see the news on TV the next morning, and as an Ohio native, I used to go to the Alrosa Villa to see shows all the time. I could not stop thinking that had I not moved to California just a few short years prior, I would most likely have been at that show myself, as Dimebag was a major influence on me as a guitarist. Like many others, I wanted to understand why. What would drive someone to such a senseless act of violence, why this show, why did he target Dimebag first, and who was Nathan Gale, what was the backstory that led to this tragic killing? So many questions would unfold in the days to follow and I was obsessed with finding out all I could. As law enforcement worked to find a motive, those in close contact with Gale began to paint a clearer picture of the person he was and how his obsession with Pantera had undoubtedly played a role in triggering his actions.

Gale had served in the Marine Corps, stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, with the 2nd Marine Division. He was discharged in November 2003 after less than two years of service, reportedly due to mental health issues, specifically paranoid schizophrenia, for which he had been diagnosed and prescribed medication. His mother, Mary Clark, confirmed his schizophrenia diagnosis and claimed it was a significant factor in her son’s discharge from the military.

Many of Gale’s friends and associates described his behavior as bizarre, including claims he made that Pantera had stolen lyrics from him and that the band was trying to steal his identity as well. In spite of these claims, Gale was completely obsessed with Pantera and would force people into awkward conversations where his anger would quickly turn him into an unwelcome guest. In fact, he had his last of these encounters at Bear’s Den Tattoo studio in nearby Marysville just an hour before launching his assault at the Alrosa Villa. Interestingly, Gale had also been removed from a Damageplan show in Cincinnati six months prior to the shooting after jumping onstage and damaging equipment, which suggests that his deadly obsession with the band and its members had escalated over time. In spite of all this information coming to light in the days and weeks following the tragedy, authorities did not have enough evidence to determine a motive and the case was closed.

Darrell was laid to rest with a star-studded funeral service. One of Dimebag’s biggest idols, the great Eddie Van Halen, showed up with the guitar he used to record Van Halen II and placed it on Darrell’s casket to be buried with him. Dimebag and his brother Vinnie were inspired by the Van Halen brothers and aspired to be like them so much so that Vinnie stated, “Man, if Darrell would have known when he died that Eddie would put that guitar in his casket he would have said kill me now!”

Over the next two decades, Darrell’s life would be celebrated and his legacy preserved by his life-partner Rita Haney and millions of adoring fans throughout the world. I myself held an annual Dimebag Darrell Memorial Smokeout for many years, Rita created the Ride for Dime organization, and many of his close friends and musical colleagues hosted an annual Dimebash concert event in Anaheim, California. Sadly, Darrell’s brother Vinnie Paul passed away from a heart attack in 2018, after surviving the shooting 14 years prior, leaving only two remaining members of the legendary Pantera lineup.

Singer Philip Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown talked about reuniting the band while Vinnie was still alive, but Vinnie held a strong grudge toward his former frontman and vehemently opposed it. However, three years after Vinnie’s passing, the two tapped Darrell’s best friend, Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, and Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante to form a new version of the band and announced a tour in celebration of the brothers, their legacy, and the legacy of the band.

On December 2, 2022, the new incarnation of Pantera (which all current members respectfully refer to as a Pantera Celebration in honor of the Abbott brothers) played their first show at Mexico’s Heaven and Hell festival. The debut was so successful that it reignited a fire in fans of metal both young and old and for the last two years, fans have had the opportunity to relive the mighty riffs that Dimebag gifted to the world, as Pantera continues to pack arenas and headline festivals in between stints touring stadiums in support of Metallica.

As the Pantera Celebration continues, the estate of Dimebag Darrell has carried on his legacy with a new Dimebag guitar line, the release of a Dimebag Warhead mini guitar amp head, Black Tooth Whisky & Black Tooth Grin beverages inspired by Dime’s favorite cocktail, as well as a new line of cannabis products and mushroom gummies, offering a wide variety of ways that fans can enjoy some of the things that Darrell loved the most.

Dime used to say that we need to “find the beauty in the ugly,” and 20 years after Darrell’s tragic death, his music and spirit continue to inspire countless musicians around the globe. He has truly earned his place as an icon of guitar and will forever be hailed as one of heavy metal’s most talented musicians of all time!

Scott “SVH” Von Heldt is a lifelong professional musician, author, spiritual guide, and cannabis entrepreneur.

Cannabis from Hell

Dimebag Darrell was always an admirer of sweet Mary Jane. After years of careful consideration, the Dimebag Darrell Trust teamed up with Higher Vibes Solutions to create the Dimebag Darrell’s Cannabis From Hell brand and debuted its first product at the 2024 Aftershock Festival. The first release was the Pinteras, an eighth of premium indoor-grown flower rolled into ten “pinner style” joints, just like the ones Dime loved to smoke! Pinteras are manufactured by Slimmies as part of their Amplified by Slimmies music outreach program and will be distributed in California by Sulo Distro. Pinteras ten-packs feature a nicely balanced hybrid appropriately called Revolution (Is My Strain), which crosses Ghost OG x Purple Punch, giving it that gassy, highoctane boost with the smooth taste and cerebral high of its purple terps! HigherVibesSolutions.com

Psylocybin for Good

Twenty years after Darrell’s passing, his partner, Rita, wants to raise awareness for veterans dealing with mental health issues. She is an advocate for psilocybin therapy for veterans suffering from PTSD and other mental and emotional disorders. “If microdose mushrooms or other forms of plant medicine had been made available to the man who killed Darrell, maybe he would have had a chance to work through his trauma and Darrell might still be with us.” It is out of this spirit that the Dimebag Trust licensed his likeness and namesake to Dimetime Psychodelic Holiday Blacktooth Berry gummies, available in cities and states where these types of therapies can be utilized. A portion of every sale will be donated directly to Heroic Hearts to help further facilitate safe access for veterans in need. The Dimebag Trust also enlisted Paul Karasik, owner of the Psychedelic Institute of Los Angeles, to provide educational support and align veterans with organizations where they can safely access such therapies. PsychodelicHoliday.com