B-side "5 Minutes Alone" Recorded 1993 Length 3:05 | Released 1994 Genre Groove metal Label Eastwest Records | |
"Becoming" is a song by American heavy metal band Pantera from their seventh album Far Beyond Driven. It was released as a 2-track promotional-only vinyl 12", with "5 Minutes Alone" as its B-side.
Contents
The song features a guitar riff by Dimebag Darrell which involves a DigiTech Whammy pedal as well as extensive double bass drumming from Vinnie Paul. It also uses an unusual guitar tuning, as it sits between C# and D-tuning.
Meaning
Phil Anselmo explained the meaning behind the song saying "The most popular heavy metal bands in the world at that time were, in my estimate and definitely all of our estimates, playing the game," Anselmo says. "They had reached this pinnacle; now they were kind of tapering off and writing more commercial stuff, whereas we realized our strong point, once again, was sticking to heavy metal and making it as heavy as our style would allow. Therefore, with 'Becoming,' it is what it says. We were becoming. Honestly, we had arrived."
Live performance
During live performances of the song, the band would play Becoming and combine it with the outro of "Throes of Rejection", a Pantera song also featured on the album Far Beyond Driven. A live performance of the song is also available on the band's live album "Official Live: 101 Proof".
Track listing
- "Becoming"
- "5 Minutes Alone"
Release and reception
Despite its limited release, the song peaked at #18 on the U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, equaling a position of #118 on the main Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it one out of three Pantera singles to appear on the chart.