"Floods", the album's longest song, contains a guitar solo considered by many to be Dimebag Darrell's finest. Guitar World magazine voted it as the 32nd greatest guitar solo of all-time,[4] Darrell's highest-ranking of three solos to make the list (the other two being his solos from "Cemetery Gates", ranked 35th, and "Walk", ranked 57th).
Considered Pantera's most aggressive album, the album features elements of thrash metal[5][6] and death metal,[7] but is mostly considered a groove metal album overall.[5][8]The Great Southern Trendkill is known for featuring much screaming,[5][9] most notably on "Suicide Note Pt. II" and "The Great Southern Trendkill" while also featuring some of the fastest tempos and most down-tuned guitars: "The Underground in America" and "(Reprise) Sandblasted Skin", in particular, were played in A=425 Hz standard D tuning, with the 6th string tuned to a low G.[10] It also has a more experimental nature, such as the acoustic guitars[8] and ballads.[11]
Unlike Pantera's first three major label albums, the vocals are often double-tracked and layered to create a more "demonic" effect.[citation needed] An example of this can be heard in the chorus of "13 Steps to Nowhere", when Phil Anselmo's singing voice is backed up by high-pitched screaming, done by Seth Putnam of the band Anal Cunt.[12] Screams done by Anselmo on the song "The Great Southern Trendkill" were compared to Putnam.[7]
The lyrical themes on The Great Southern Trendkill include drugs, a flood that ends mankind, finding deeper meaning, anger, and the media.[8][11][13][14][15][16]
Melody Maker (May 25, 1996, p. 49) - "It makes my brain hurt, my eyes water and my genitalia retract like a startled turtle. I cannot think of higher recommendation, considering the kind of album it is. If it made me feel all warm and gooey or tearful and lovelorn, then it would be a pitiful failure by its own lights."
Spin (July 1996, p. 96) - "...mature speedmetal and perfect summer fun: twisted power ballads, rap-style toasting, almost radio-worthy melodies, plus all the right jackhammer drum jolts, wrestler bellows, and guitar lurch..."
Reissue
On August 12, 2016, Pantera announced the release of a 20th anniversary edition of The Great Southern Trendkill for October 21.[21] The reissue features two discs, including a remastered version of the original album as well as 12 unreleased tracks (these include instrumentals, as well as alternative mixes and live recordings from the Dynamo Festival in 1998).[22] In addition, a separate LP named The Great Southern Outtakes was released. It consists of songs also released on disc 2 of Trendkill's reissue except for the intro and early mix of "Suicide Note Part l".[23]
