Vinnie Paul, the drummer and co-founder of groove metal titans Pantera, died yesterday at 54, the band confirmed in a statement.

“Vincent Paul Abbott aka Vinnie Paul has passed away,” Pantera posted on their official Facebook page. “Paul is best known for his work as the drummer in the bands Pantera and Hellyeah. No further details are available at this time. The family requests you please respect their privacy during this time.”

Paul founded Pantera in 1981 with his brother “Dimebag” Darrel Abbott and played with the band until they broke up in 2003. He also played with Damageplan from 2003 until 2004 when Dimebag was killed. He was the current drummer in Texas groove band Hellyeah.

Pantera earned four Grammy nominations and charted nine times throughout their career. They were incredibly successful commercially and are considered one of the most influential metal bands of all time.