Heavy Metal giants Pantera returned to Chicago on Saturday night, with a stop at Tinley Park’s Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre as part of their summer tour. Billed as the Heaviest Tour Of The Summer, it is certain that this is not just a self-proclamation. Joined by Amon Amarth and Snafu, this was a show not to be missed.
Pantera – Amon Amarth – Snafu
Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, Tinley Park, Illinois – 19 July 2025
Words And Photography: Ben Tschetter
The emerging Snafu, a four-piece thrash punk band from Detroit, ensured the heaviness and energy began early, as the nearly 20,000 fans poured into the venue.
Snafu enjoyed their third show of their first major tour, bringing fast beats, heavy riffs, and fierce screams out for their half-hour set, and showing they had something to prove.
Amon Amarth
Next up was a much-welcomed addition to the bill, Viking Death Metal superstars, Amon Amarth. The Swedish Metal veterans have built an impressive following since their formation in 1992, and their epic, cinematic 50-minute set was clearly loved by Chicago’s Metal community.
The nine-song set sounded incredibly heavy, with tight musicianship and fierce, spine-chilling vocals from singer Johan Hegg. The stage setup included an enormous drum riser dressed as a bronze Viking helmet, and two 20+ foot Viking statues, demanding attention and creating a looming presence behind the rockers below.
In addition to the hour of bone-crushing Metal by the Nordic band, two vikings entered the stage mid-song, performing an intense sword fight to the death, and showing just how dedicated Amon Amarth are to their giant production.
Pantera
As the crowd was feeling alive from two great opening sets, at long last, it was time for the Metal kings Pantera to take the stage. As the opening riff to Hellbound rang out, we were taken by what an explosive and perfect show-opening track this was.
The giant curtain fell to reveal legendary vocalist Phil Anselmo and bassist Rex Brown, joined by guitarist Zakk Wylde (Ozzy Osbourne, Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath) and Charlie Benante (Anthrax) to pay honour to the music of the Abbott brothers, Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul.
As flames burst through the air and the crowd roared with excitement, heads began to thrash, and the crowd became electric.
Pantera, sans the founding Abbott brothers, sounded as good as they could get, with legendary Wylde and Benante fitting the part perfectly, while taking great care in honouring the legacy and emulating the parts of their fallen brothers.
Rex Brown was on fire as he helped bring the signature Pantera sound to life with an unmatched depth and drive throughout the set. And Anselmo’s defining vocals still soared. Nailing the deepest growls and the rawest screams, Anselmo was on top form for every second of the crushing 90-minute performance.
Packed with fan-favourites, the set consisted heavily of hits from Vulgar Display Of Power and Far Beyond Driven, including tracks like Mouth For War, Becoming, This Love, and, of course, Walk and Cowboys From Hell, which commanded a thunderous audience response full of shouting, singing, and headbanging.
Not limited to just hits, Pantera also cracked out deeper cuts, including 10s, which had never been performed until this week. Besides the glaring omission of some of the band’s heaviest and best tracks, including Slaughtered, Primal Concrete Sledge, and Cemetery Gates, the 15-song set was a near-perfect Pantera setlist, covering nearly all the bases any dedicated fan would ever need.
For Metalheads and Pantera fans alike, or anyone looking for a refreshingly heavy show, this one’s for you. With all four musicians at peak performance, delivering a brutally raw power and energy every night, this was the best and most authentic Pantera we will ever see again.
With the incredible force of Anselmo and Brown returning to the Pantera outfit, and the A-grade combo of Wylde and Benante helping keep Pantera’s music alive, this is a show not to be missed as the Heaviest Tour Of The Year roars at full steam and full power across the US all summer long.
Pantera are back!
