It’s been 16 years since Pantera went on hiatus and 14 since they broke up for good, but their legacy remains. They’re still one of the more influential metal bands of the last quarter century, and their three surviving members are all keeping busy. It turns out that they’ve also gotten into the emoji business via a set of $1.99 emojis you can download if you’re an Apple user.
This isn’t a particularly new phenomenon. Zakk Wylde has had his own emojis for over a year, and Steel Panther even has their own set. The Pantera set, made by Emoji Fame, are particularly cutesy. Depictions of the Vulgar Display of Power and Reinventing the Steel album covers take most of the menace out of getting decked in the face or a drill through your skull, and the snake from The Great Southern Trendkill asking “are you talking to me?” is just weird. It’s hard to imagine Phil Anselmo or Rex Brown using them to text people, and a lot easier imagining Vinnie Paul doing so. At any rate, they’re available here if you have iTunes, and will be coming to Android later this year.
