Conjured up in Arlington, Texas during January 2003, this post PANTERA outfit of guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul went under the working title of NEW FOUND POWER for many months, finally deciding upon DAMAGEPLAN in October. The group, fronted by Patrick Lachman, known as guitarist for HALFORD, DR. MASTERMIND, STATE OF THE ART and DIESEL MACHINE, also involved bass guitarist Shawn Matthews of the JERRY CANTRELL band. However, Matthews would be out of the picture prior to the name change and Hawaii native Bob 'Zilla' Kakaha, a man citing dubious credentials with 80's Rapper VANILLA ICE, took up the role.

Studio guests for the February 2004 debut album included SLIPKNOT's Corey Taylor donating vocals to the track 'Fuck You', JERRY CANTRELL and OZZY OSBOURNE and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY guitarist ZAKK WYLDE lending his distinctive skills to 'Soulbleed' and 'Reborn'. A promotional video for the track 'Breathing New Life' would precede the album launch as the band conducted a lightning, four date tour of Japan.

'New Found Power' shifted just under 45,000 copies in its first week of US sales to land at number 38 in the Billboard album charts. Meantime, the band's collaboration with JERRY CANTRELL, the non album cut 'Ashes To Ashes', was featured on the soundtrack to the 'Punisher' movie. In a diversion from DAMAGEPLAN activities Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul guested with SAMMY HAGAR at his March 9th show at the Palms Casino in Las Vegas, the duo featuring on THE TROGGS 'Wild Thing' and THE KINKS 'You Really Got Me'.

DAMAGEPLAN launched into an extensive range of US dates partnered with DROWNING POOL, HATEBREED and UNEARTH throughout the Spring. The band would also appear at the major German 'Rock Am Ring' event and the METALLICA headlined Castle Donington 'Download' festival in the UK. A brief burst of Canadian dates in June saw the band hooked up with SLAYER and OTEP. Live work continued on in North America as the band stepped straight onto another nationwide trek, this time seeing October dates allied with SHADOWS FALL and THE HAUNTED.

Upon closing these dates in December DAMAGEPLAN was set to round off their touring schedule with a set of further headline gigs. However, on 8th December tragedy struck the band. Just as the band started their set with the song 'New Found Power' at the Alrosa Villa club in Columbus, Ohio a gunman, 23 year old Nathan Gale, got onto the stage and shot guitarist Dimebag Darrell with a Beretta 9 mm semiautomatic handgun a number of times at close range. Darrell was killed and the assailant also shot dead the band's technician Jeff Thompson, Erin Halk, 29, a club employee and fan Nathan Bray, 23. Two others were injured, one critically, Chris Paluska, the band's tour manager, and John Brooks, a drum technician. Having taken a further person hostage the shooter was himself killed by Columbus Police Officer James D. Niggemeyer.

Dimebag would have one of the most Rock n' Roll funerals to date. Not only was the guitarist buried in a KISS casket, donated at his family's request by GENE SIMMONS, but his coffin was filled with memorabilia from friends and bands including a Charvel guitar given for the occasion by Eddie Van Halen. BLACK LABEL SOCIETY would be played at the service and JERRY CANTRELL and Mike Inez from ALICE IN CHAINS along with Pat Lachman played a short acoustic set. Speeches came from ZAKK WYLDE, Rex Brown of PANTERA, Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX and Eddie Van Halen. A public memorial service, attended by thousands of fans, was held at the Arlington Convention Center. That same week MARILYN MANSON marked his tour's visit to Texas by including a cover of PANTERA's 'Revolution Is My Name' at his La Villa Real Convention Center in McAllen.

On 5th January 2005 Finland's Metal community gathered at Helsinki's Rock 'n' Roll Station to pay homage by forming up a one off PANTERA tribute band DIMEN NIMEEN ("In Dime's Name!"). Musicians featured in this collective included CHILDREN OF BODOM's Alexi Laiho and Roope Latvala, Atte Sarkima of AJATTARA and VERENPISARA, Tony Jelencovich from TRANSPORT LEAGUE, Petteri Hirvanen and Nicke of MONSTERBALL, Toni, Pete, Kride and Jukkis of NORTHER and Nico, Euge and OJ from GODSPLAGUE amongst many others.

DAMAGEPLAN manager Paul Bassman revealed there was a very real possibility of a future band release as studio recordings had been laid down prior to Dimebag's death. Vinnie Paul too confirmed a second album was on the cards.

The memorial service for Dimebag provided the catalyst for a unique event on 18th February as the surviving ALICE IN CHAINS trio of JERRY CANTRELL, Mike Inez and drummer Sean Kinney, together with HEART's Ann and Nancy Wilson, put on a Tsunami benefit Show in Seattle, once again fronted up by Pat Lachman.

On the 23rd, a special show at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom was organised to cover bereavement costs for the family of DAMAGEPLAN security guard Jeffrey "Mayhem" Thompson and medical expenses for injured DAMAGEPLAN crew members John "Kat" Brooks and Chris Paluska. Those participating included SOIL, who covered DAMAGEPLAN's 'Save Me' and DROWNING POOL, whose set included a rendition of PANTERA's 'Message In Blood'. The closing sets featured ANTHRAX and DISTURBED, the former delivering a take of 'A New Level' by PANTERA with Vinnie Paul and Pat Lachman, whilst DISTURBED took on PANTERA's 'Walk' featuring Vinnie Paul.

The drummer also joined BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on stage on 9th April at the WAAF Indoor Beach Party on 9th April at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Massachusetts. Vinnie stepped up once more on 17th April for the song 'Suicide Messiah' during their performance at the House of Blues in Orlando, Florida and, naturally, PANTERA's hometown of Dallas.

It would be learned in July 2005 that former DAMAGEPLAN vocalist Patrick Lachman had assembled a new, California based band project. Meantime, fans of Dimebag would learn that previously unheard guitar work was to be included on NICKELBACK's album 'All The Right Reasons' in the track 'Side Of A Bullet', composed shortly after the guitarist was killed. Not only did vocalist Chad Kroeger's lyrics deal directly with the loss of his friend but Vinnie Paul had donated unused guitar solo recordings, from the PANTERA albums 'Vulgar Display Of Power' and 'Far Beyond Driven' for use as the song's solo.

Patrick Lachman performed with both THE HAUNTED, on '99', and SHADOWS FALL on the song 'Inspiration On Demand' at the Dallas 'Ozzfest' stop on 25th August. Shortly afterward, Lachman unveiled his new band THE MERCY CLINIC. The band line-up comprised guitarists Brian Harrah of PROFESSIONAL MURDER MUSIC and SPITKISS and Josh Stinson from DRIST, bassist Steed Najera of TRIPLE SEVEN and the DANZIG, COMES WITH THE FALL and JERRY CANTRELL credited drummer Bevan Davies.

That same month a group of Italian Metal bands compiled 'This Love - A Tribute To Dimebag'. Featured artists included BY THE GRIEF 'Strength Beyond Strength', ATOMIC ANTS 'Mouth For War', SHELTER OF LEECH '5 Minute Alone', ELEKTRIK[H]ATE 'Cowboys From Hell', HAPAX 'Walk', DAY1DAY 'Cemetery Gates', SOWN 'Suicide Note (Southern Version)', ADDICTION CREW 'This Love', SHATTERED 'War Nerve', REMORSE 'Domination', IMODIUM 'Rise', SUFFERHEAD 'Fucking Hostile', ORIENT EXPRESS 'Planet Caravan' and EVILGROOVE with 'Suicide Note (Lysergik Version)'.

Vinnie Paul and Bob Zilla put in a New Year's eve performance at Hot Rods and Hoggs in Arlington, Texas with GASOLINE, the Southern Rock project fronted by PUMPJACK vocalist Thurber T. Mingus. The first 'Dimefest' took place on 10th December at the Ridglea Theater in Fort Worth, Texas. Featured bands included PUMPJACK and PREMENISHEN, the latter band featuring Dimebag and Vinnie Paul's cousins Heather Manly and April Adkisson.

Vinnie Paul announced the formation of Big Vin Records in November, the first release on this new imprint, with distribution going through Fontana, being the REBEL MEETS REBEL project.

During August 2006 it was revealed that Vinnie Paul had teamed up with members of MUDVAYNE and NOTHINGFACE in a brand new project. This studio unit involved MUDVAYNE's vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett plus NOTHINGFACE's guitarist Tom Maxwell and bass player Jerry Montano. In October this unit, having commenced recording for its debut, was branded HELLYEAH. Bob Kakaha joined HELLYEAH in April 2007.