There's been plenty of back-and-forth in recent years about a potential Pantera reunion featuring Zakk Wylde filling in for the late Dimebag Darrell. However, drummer Vinnie Paul has continually squashed any talk going beyond the rumor stage and he now says it's time for all of the surviving members of the band involved to move on.

In a new interview with Shreveport, La., radio station 99X (heard in the player above), the drummer told host Puff that he's proud of Pantera's legacy, but it's time to live in the present and let the past be.

He recalled, "We came along at a time when for a band to be successful, they had to have major radio play, they had to be on MTV, all that stuff, and we did it without that. So I think that's just a tribute to the band, the fans and the songs. I think that they're timeless, they're gonna last forever."

But going further, Paul addressed the reunion talk stating, "The legacy of that band is pretty amazing, and I don't want it ever being tarnished by any kind of hack version of the band going out there. It's not the same without Dime being a part of it. And I think it's just great history and we need to leave it alone, and everybody that was part of it needs to move on. I'm really proud of where I'm at Hellyeah, I love the music that we're making, I love where we're going with this band."

Paul concluded, "I live for the future, not the past. A lot of people are really hung on the past -- they can't get past that -- but you've gotta get past that if you want any future. So I'm really happy with where I'm at right now. And Pantera really made a mark in heavy metal music history."

The reunion talk recently started again with Philip Anselmo discussing the pros and cons of a reunion. He stated that he would be up for it if the proper discussions were had and he added that he would be in the best shape of his life if it were to occur. But he also added that there was a mindset that it could be best just to leave it be. Adding fuel to the fire was a performance of 'I'm Broken' with former Pantera bandmate Rex Brown and Zakk Wylde.

But Paul once again doused the reunion talk, likening it to pressure to hang out with an ex-wife, and stating that just because there are people that want it to happen doesn't mean it's something he's interested in.

Watch Philip Anselmo Discuss Why Dimebag Darrell Was the Best Ever

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