Power Trip’s decision to support Pantera on their early 2025 European/UK tour sparked controversy among fans. The debate stems from the late Riley Gale’s firm stance against Phil Anselmo, as well as broader concerns about Pantera’s history and racial controversies. Some fans support the tour as part of Power Trip’s evolution, but others feel it contradicts the principles the band stood for during Gale’s time as frontman.
Riley Gale’s Views on Phil Anselmo
Before his passing in 2020, Riley Gale was vocal about his refusal to collaborate with Anselmo. In a 2018 interview with the Chicago Tribune, he revealed that Power Trip declined a tour with Superjoint Ritual because he did not want to be associated with Anselmo’s controversial actions and political views.
He said, “We turned down a Superjoint Ritual tour, mainly because I don’t want to be associated with Phil Anselmo, I didn’t know him personally, but I know he has gotten in trouble for saying a lot of stupid sh*t. I didn’t want to be in the position of defending that. It’s down to what kind of band we want to be associated with, as people as much as anything musical.”
So, Gale saw this as a matter of principle rather than just a musical decision.
His concerns stemmed from the 2016 Dimebash incident, where Anselmo was caught making a racist gesture and remark on camera. Despite issuing multiple apologies, his 2019 statement calling it an “off-color joke” failed to resolve concerns. His past racially charged remarks from the 1990s resurfaced and made things even more complicated.
Why Power Trip’s Tour with Pantera Is Divisive
Seth Gilmore stepped in as Power Trip’s new vocalist, and the band chose to move forward with Pantera despite Gale’s past statements. This decision divided their fanbase.
In a 2017 interview on the Toilet Ov Hell Podcast, Gale directly addressed why he avoided touring with Anselmo, saying, “I didn’t want to go out there and feel like I needed to be the guardian for Phil Anselmo regarding his politics. And I certainly didn’t want to come out there and end up disagreeing and then being on tour with a band that hates us for our politics for the next few months.”
Now that Power Trip is taking a different approach, many fans see this as a departure from the band’s original values.
Fan Reaction and the Band’s Perspective
Reactions to the tour announcement have been mixed. Some fans see this as an opportunity for Power Trip to expand, while others feel it undermines Gale’s legacy.
Power Trip guitarist Blake Ibanez addressed the transition in an interview with Blabbermouth, saying that Seth Gilmore brings a new energy to the band, but he’s not someone to fill in for Gale: “It’s not about filling any shoes. I think people need to understand that. We’re not even really a full-time band. We’re just playing some shows. So it’s really just about playing the songs again and kind of honoring what we did and celebrating the songs and doing it a different way. I think we realized that getting someone who sounds just like him would’ve been really weird and, I think, not the right thing to do.”
According to MetalSucks, the tour began on January 21, 2025, in Helsinki, Finland, and concluded on February 25, 2025, at London’s OVO Arena Wembley.
