December 8th is a date that no metal head will ever forget. On this day back in 2004, the Alrosa Villa music venue in Columbus, Ohio was the sight of a mass shooting that changed the metal scene forever. While performing on stage with Damageplan, Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed by an absolute coward, and the chaos that followed took the lives of Jeff “Mayhem” Thomspon, Erin Halk and Nathan Bray, along with injuring many others. In an instant, the metal world lost one of the greatest talents we’ve ever seen, and even though it’s now twelve years later, this day still hurts. We will never forget where we were when we heard the news, but we will forever blast his music until the day we see him again. Today the metal world will celebrate his life, and pay tribute to the fallen icon, and Vinnie Paul‘s powerful tribute to his brother can be seen below. RIP DIME.
Here’s what Vinnie posted on his Instagram: “We all feel the past and losing our loved ones!! IT SUCKS!!! I know DIME & MAYHEM are still with us and are part of our lives everyday!! TODAY IS JUST A REMINDER OF BAD ASSES THAT GAVE THEIR ALL!!! WE ALL MISS YOU !!! I LOVE MY FALLEN BROTHERS AND THANK YOU FOR THE INSPIRATION TO CARRY ON!! THANK YOU !!!”