Members of the metal music community, shaken by the brutal murder of Damageplan [ tickets ]/Pantera [ tickets ] guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, spoke out about his death via numerous statements released on Friday (12/10).

"Dimebag was a dear friend of mine," said Ozzy Osbourne [ tickets ]. "I'm absolutely beside myself with grief. I can't for the life of me understand why someone would do this. Pantera toured with me many, many times. I'll always remember the signed guitar that he gave me at my 50th birthday party. My heart goes out to Dime's family, his fans and the other innocent victims who were killed in this senseless tragedy. It's just terribly, terribly sad."

"I loved him," Anthrax drummer Charlie Benate said. "He was a true friend. The phone calls in the middle of the night, talking about this and that. Playing Kings X or KISS licks over the phone. I remember this one time we were both going through these anxiety attacks. I never had them [before], nor did he. We were talking about how we stopped them. I quit drinking alcohol and coffee and he said that he started drinking MORE ALCOHOL! HAHAHA, that was him. I had some great times with him, he always put you in a good mood, DAMMIT!

"What the f--- is wrong with people??" Benate added. "How the f--- does someone get into a club with a loaded gun? HOW??
WHY??"

"I lost a really good friend on my 31st birthday," Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor said. "Dimebag was the kind of guy you could hang out with for two seconds and feel like you knew him your whole life. He made you laugh, made you drink, but most of all made you feel special. I'm really, really going to miss him, but the one thing we will always have is his music."

"No one knows why some people do the heinous things they do," said the members of Drowning Pool [ tickets ] in a joint statement. "What we do know is that once again, we leave tour to bury friends, brothers and family. Dimebag Darrell was the epitome of rock and roll. He wasn't just a player that all guitarists aspired to be ... but the genuine article and a true friend. Darrell inspired our lives and how we carried ourselves not just as musicians out on the road but also as friends in everyday life."

Drowning Pool, which toured with fellow Texans Damageplan earlier this year, have canceled their current tour as a result of Abbott's death. (In 2002, original Drowning Pool frontman David Williams was found dead on the tour bus during the group's stint on that year's Ozzfest tour. The singer died of a heart defect.)

"... I wish to thank and remember Darrell for his amazing life and the gift that he shared with me and so many other fortunates," Megadeth [ tickets ] frontman Dave Mustaine said. "... I send my deepest heartfelt condolences to the Abbott family, to Darrell's friends, and to the fantastic Pantera and Damageplan fans around the world.

"We must never forget his life, and his gifts, his genius, his terrific personality, and the legacy he left behind to remember him by," Mustaine continued. "Darrell, I will see you in heaven and I, like so many more, love you brother. You will be missed."

Mustaine is scheduled to host a special edition of MTV2's "Headbanger's Ball," billed as a tribute to Abbott, on Saturday night (12/11).

Atlantic Records, the label that released all of Abbott's music with Pantera and Damageplan, issued the following statement: "We are shocked and saddened by last night's horrible and senseless shootings. This is a tragic day for the music community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and the surviving members of Damageplan and their crew. Dimebag Darrell was an exceptional musician and an extraordinary person. Along with his brother and bandmate, Vinnie Paul, he was a member of the Elektra/Atlantic family for the past 14 years, and he will be deeply missed. The bravery displayed by Damageplan, their crew, their fans, and the local police will never be forgotten."