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Hellyeah  

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Sadly, the two terms “super-group” and “short-lived” are invariably synonymous. Here’s the all-too-familiar tale: talented individuals from different bands join forces to a huge fanfare of hype and all is well.

But then, a mere album/tour cycle or two later, the so-called “super-group” implodes and disappears. History has proven this irrefutable truth time-and-time again…

Thankfully, every rule has an exception and HELLYEAH is a truly remarkable exception to this one….to the tune of 12 years; six albums; tireless touring; and a genuine brotherhood that’s as palpable off-stage as it was on. Unfortunately, as we are all acutely aware, the band’s story took a tragic twist on June 22nd, 2018, when world-renowned drummer, Vinnie Paul Abbott, left this mortal coil to once more be reunited with his beloved brother, Dimebag Darrell. Dauntless, the heartbroken HELLYEAH bravely soldiered on to complete the album Vinnie had already recorded his drum parts for – the outfit’s sixth offering, the brand new, Welcome Home. “The world deserves to hear Vinnie’s last piece of work,” lead guitarist, Christian Brady, states. “He was so proud of it. There was definitely a huge sense of responsibility to honor his legacy.”

HELLYEAH is the brain-child of Mudvayne frontman, Chad Gray, and Nothingface founder, Tom Maxwell. It became a reality in 2006 when the pair successfully convinced Vinnie Paul, the legendary drummer of Pantera and Damageplan, to pick up his sticks again after the tragic loss of his equally legendary brother. “The first few times Chad and Tom asked me, my answer was ‘No.’” Vinnie told me a few years later, before adding with his usual trademark grin: “But, they were real persistent and also had a really infectious, positive attitude, so I eventually decided to give it a go.” Hard rock and metal fans all over the globe joyously celebrated Vinnie’s return and HELLYEAH was immediately dubbed “a heavy metal super-group” by press and public alike.

The band’s self-titled, debut hit the streets in 2007, entering the Billboard 200 album chart at number 9. 2010’s Stampede hit number 8 on the same prestigious chart, and 2012’s Band of Brothers proved that HELLYEAH was in it for the long haul. “I honestly feel that Vinnie found something with us that gave him that passion again,” Tom states. “HELLYEAH reignited his fire and made him love getting back on stage again. That’s what’s kept us all going for so long – our genuine love for what we do.”

For the band’s ever-growing legion of fans, 2014’s, Blood for Blood, was the “bar-setting” release they’d been anxiously anticipating since day one. This critically acclaimed album deservedly debuted at No.1 on the Billboard Hard Rock Album chart. It also saw the group’s membership stabilize in rock-solid fashion with the introduction of Christian Brady on lead guitar and Kyle Sanders on bass.

As a result of the burgeoning success of Blood for Blood, HELLYEAH toured the globe for 18 grueling yet glorious months. Then, after a mere two-week break, the boys started working on album #5. The resulting release, 2016’s metal-masterpiece, UNDEN!ABLE, continued the brutal bombast of its predecessor.

“As well as being one of the best drummers of all time, Vinnie also knew his way around songs really well,” Maxwell reveals. “His input was always really positive and he taught me how to harness hooks and really focus on riffs, while not being busy or disjointed. His philosophy, especially since Blood for Blood, was to write songs that were so musically good that you could listen to them without vocals and they’d still take you for a ride. We really reigned in on that art on this new album, Welcome Home.”

In late 2017, after another successful bout of touring, HELLYEAH started work on album six with their producer since Blood for Blood, Kevin Churko. “Kevin is a huge part of the HELLYEAH family,” Christian Brady states. “He’s brought a lot of things out of this band.” All was going well – really well – until Friday, June 22nd, 2018, when the heart-wrenching news of Vinnie Paul’s sudden and unexpected passing, quite literally stunned the hard rock world into silence. He was 54 years young…

“We were so far ahead with the music that we decided to take a little breather, to give Chad some time to work on his melody lines and lyrics,” Sanders states. “We all left the studio that Thursday evening, Tom and myself flew home on Friday and Vinnie passed that night.”

The fact that Vinnie had not only completed recording his drums on HELLYEAH’s new Welcome Home album but was truly delighted with both his performance and the material is perhaps the only slight glimmer of possible solace regarding his tragic passing. “Once a song was completed to Vinnie’s satisfaction, he’d put his stamp of approval on it and move on to the next one,” Vinnie’s bass playing partner, Kyle recounts. “He did that for every single song on this album.”

Despite their unimaginable feelings of both loss and pain, the four remaining HELLYEAH members regrouped to do what they knew Vinnie would want them to do: Finish what he’d started. And driven by their love, loyalty, reverence, and respect for their fallen brother, they did exactly that. The result is Welcome Home - a truly stunning album that does both Vinnie’s memory and groundbreaking legacy proud.

Live reviews

Heavy metal supergroup Hellyeah (appropriate name) features singer Chad Gray from Mudvayne, Tom Maxwell on guitar from Nothingface and, as the beating heart of the band, Pantera legend Vinnie Paul on drums. Hellyeah was the first time Vinnie Paul got back behind the kit (publicly) after the tragic murder of his guitarist brother Dimebag Darrel, and as a result there has always been something of a celebratory and emotional vibe about the whole project (lots of their songs are about or dedicated to Dimebag).

Of course, Chad Gary’s vocals are extremely distinctive and as a result their recorded output can sound like a mutated, straightforward version of his day job - but they are so much more than that, taking influences from all the members’ past and present bands.

I first encountered their brand of southern-tinted groove metal at the Apollo in Hammersmith, London, when they were supporting Avenged Sevenfold and Stone Sour (on Halloween!). They gave it their all and triumphed with relative ease, with songs like ‘Alcohaulin Ass’ perfectly summing up their cowboy, country metal aspirations. Witnessing Vinnie Paul behind a drumkit was something of a dream come true for me, a former drummer and Pantera superfan.

Hellyeah seem to get better with each album, so I would recommend going to check them out live when they next tour.

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Some bands get their name absolutely right and Texan supergroup Hellyeah are a great example of this as if you ask anybody after their show if they enjoyed themselves the resounding response is: 'hell yeah!'.

The metal supergroup features previous members of Mudvayne, Nothingface and Pantera so when they announced tours back in 2006 a fanbase was already present for the band to go out and play to. They have now released four albums and the setlist comprises of the best selections from all releases without having to rely on the members' previous back catalogues. The energy of the whole room is high and the crowd are ready to clap, stomp and jump along to gigantic renditions of 'Matter of Time' and 'War in Me'. There is a small mosh pit near the front which remains throughout the show which impresses lead singer Chad Gray as he commands the audience to 'lose their fucking minds' for the last two songs 'You Wouldn't Know' and 'Hellyeah!' as they surge as one towards the piercing guitar riffs and thumping percussion booming out of the stage above.

HellYeah were absolutely amazing from the offset, and although this may sound a little byest but from my point of view, but their presentation, performance, interaction and message to and with the crowd no matter how little or over powering we were was clear and second to none.

Wether or not anyone is into this kind of music, I would highly recommend listening or even reading through the lyrics, researching them or just taking a chance at something new.

HellYeah rocked hard! I left refreshed in heart, Mind, soul and body. Highly recommend.

Awesome show -4th time seeing HELLYEAH and they keep getting better! I was told that someone hit the floor and stayed down for a few in the mosh pit, I was front row centre and enjoyed every minute of it. When HELLYEAH returns I WILL BE THERE!! Venue was new for me and I loved the set up very comfortable and sound was excellent !! All bands did a great job definitely a good night out !!

In one word? Hellyeah! Awesome performance. Had seen them before opening for Avenged Sevenfold and they were awesome then but didn't get to do too long of a line-up, but this was great, they were from and center this time and I think they really cut loose more, therefore. Will never miss them when they're in my area!

The "Hellyeah" concert in Christchurch was amazing!!!

Had the best time. Good venue, well organised.

Would see them again.

The best therapy money can buy!!!

The only bad thing was there didn't seam to be many people attend, which was disappointing.

Killer show! Was our second time seeing Hellyeah. Both shows had high energy, great music, this is a band that really knows how to get the crowd jumping! Plus Chad Gray has the most intense vocals! Was totally worth braving the cold night.

This was an awesome experience something I wouldn't change down for anything what a great time great people got good and drunk had good friends I would do this again and again and again and again Hellyeah is one of the best groups there is

It was a really good show. I was a little disappointed that they didn't play "Hush", but it was a cool venue and a rocking show.The 1st opening band Righteous Vendetta was also really good. That was a pleasant surprise.

We had a fantastic time. They put on the best hard rocking concert. The music was so kick butt. We enjoyed it so much. Can't wait to see them again. The lights, the music and everything about them was terrific.

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About hellyeah.

Hellyeah is an American heavy metal supergroup, consisting of Mudvayne vocalist Chad Gray, former Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell, bass player Kyle Sanders, guitarist Christian Brady and former Pantera and Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul. The idea to form a supergroup originated in 2000 on the Tattoo the Earth tour, although plans were constantly put on hold due to scheduling conflicts. The summer of 2006 allowed the band to take the project seriously and record its first album. Recorded at Chasin' Jason studio in Dimebag Darrell's backyard, a self-titled album was completed in roughly one month. Released on April 10, 2007, the album entered the Billboard 200 at number 9, selling 45,000 copies. AllMusic reviewer William Ruhlmann stated the album is "a competent example of its genre" awarding the album three and a half stars.

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Back on the road…HELLYEAH Releases New Music and Summer Tour Dates

HELLYEAH will release its sixth studio album, “ Welcome Home “, on Friday, September 27 via Eleven Seven Music and will feature Vinnie Paul’s final recordings with the band. In addition, HELLYEAH will head on the road this summer for an 18-city headlining tour that will kick off July 23 in Atlanta and will wrap-up with a special celebration August 17 in Dallas, Texas. The tour is the band’s first since the death of their legendary drummer Vinnie Paul . Joining the band on tour will be Stone Sour drummer Roy Mayorga .

HELLYEAH bassist Kyle Sanders stated: “While Vinnie Paul is obviously irreplaceable, one thing we can’t not do is tour. As easy as it would be to say we’re not going on the road, we have to. Vinnie would be extremely disappointed in us if we didn’t promote this record properly. He’d be pissed off at all of us for putting all this work into finishing the record and then just letting it sit there on the shelf while we put a couple of songs to radio and whatever… and we know that.”

Joining HELLYEAH on tour will be NONPOINT as they promote the band’s latest album, titled “ X ” and pronounced “Ten,” out on via Spinefarm Records .

You can listen to the title track to the band’s upcoming album “ Welcome Home ” below…

The Estate of Vincent Paul Abbott and HELLYEAH are helping raise early awareness of this disease and raising funds for the American Heart Association to save lives from the No. 1 killer globally – heart disease. This cause effects fans and family every day. Help keep the memory of Vinnie Paul’s legacy alive by supporting this lifesaving mission of the American Heart Association. Follow the link below to make a donation in Vinnie’s name.  https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/vinnie-paul-abbott

You can listen to the first track released on the upcoming album “ 333 ” below…

HELLYEAH 2019 tour dates:

Keep up with HELLYEAH:

http://www.hellyeahband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/hellyeahband

https://www.instagram.com/hellyeahofficial/

https://www.youtube.com/user/HellyeahVEVO

Photo credit: Roman Sobus 

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“When Dime went away, my heart went with him. I didn’t think I’d ever really be able to do this again”: Vinnie Paul’s return from tragedy with Hellyeah

In 2007, Vinnie Paul returned to the fray with the debut album from the supergroup Hellyeah – his first band since the death of his brother Dimebag Darrell

The US supergroup Hellyeah saw former Pantera /Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul teaming up with members of Mudvayne and Nothingface to return to the fray following the death of his brother, guitarist Dimebag Darrell . In the spring of 2007, as the band prepared to release their self-titled debut album, Metal Hammer caught up with Vinnie – who passed away in 2018 - to talk rebirth, resurrection and how metal had changed while he was away.

On the morning of October 31st, 2006 news broke that a band had decided on a name for itself. The only thing giving this acutely unremarkable event any distinction was that this particular ensemble would include Nothingface bassist Jerry Montano and guitarist Tom Maxwell, Mudvayne singer Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett, and one-time Pantera/Damageplan drummer Vinnie. Paul. Abbott. 

Muted rumours of a supergroup had already surfaced, but it wasn’t until its assembled cast of musicians had settled on a moniker that they could really be given credence. The band would be called Hellyeah, and – for Vinnie Paul at least – it was more than a new project. It was a new beginning, because Hellyeah would be the first group he’d play in since he witnessed the murder of his own brother, ex-Pantera/Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell, while playing on stage with Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio on December 8, 2004. That the senseless death of one of the greatest guitarists in the history of heavy metal was a tragedy cannot be overstated, but this is not the story of that dismal night. It’s about what happened in the aftermath of inestimable loss: the birth of a band whose ethos is so brilliantly personified by the sheer obviousness of its name.

The seeds of Hellyeah were planted six years ago, when Washington DC’s Nothingface earned a slot on Pantera’s Reinventing The Steel tour. A friendship that already existed between Vinnie Paul and Nothingface bassist Jerry Montano was strengthened (before Nothingface Montano had played for Pantera label mates The Deadlights). But it wasn’t until Nothingface toured with Mudvayne the following year that singer Chad Gray began talking about a side-project with Montano and Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell. Once the tour was finished they assembled in Nothingface’s Baltimore studio to record a demo that would eventually become Hellyeah track Waging War . But as Mudvayne became busy with their next effort, 2005’s Lost And Found , the project was put on hold. Fast-forward to the summer of 2006. Mudvayne were left with a summer off and another chance to pursue the project. And they needed a drummer.

“I told them I was busy,” chuckles Vinnie Paul in a moseying Texan drawl. “I’d just gotten my record company [Big Vin] off the ground, we’d just released Rebel Meets Rebel [2006’s country-metal collaboration with David Allen Coe], and I really didn’t know if I was ready to get back in the plan or not. I guess persistence pays off, ‘cause the calls kept coming and coming and finally I said, ‘you know what? Sounds like a great fucking idea, let’s do it man.’”

It was at that point that Vinnie Paul called Gray, who he didn’t know, to discuss the particulars. It was a 15-minute conversation that would cast the as-yet unnamed band’s attitude in stone.

“He called me up and we kind of shot the shit a little bit,” says Gray. “I said, ‘you know what Vinnie, I don’t really know you. I know you don’t know me, and I know more about you than you know about me. At the end of the day, it’s going to be five guys jammin’. If it’s something we feel like we want to give to the public then we give it to them, and we’ll be proud of it. If it’s not, it just what it is and if nothing else we’ll drink some beers and we’ll make some new friends and it’s all good.’”

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Great fucking idea indeed. A few weeks later the assembled ranks of Mudvayne and Nothingface players flew down to Dallas, Texas – the location of a studio built by Dimebag and Vinnie Paul. 

“So we’re all just standing in his kitchen and I hadn’t even really talked to the guy,” says Gray. “I was like, ‘OK what’s going on, we ready to do this?’”

But there was someone in the room even more nervous than Gray. Vinnie Paul hadn’t sat behind a drum kit since making a well-known surprise appearance alongside Disturbed, Soil, Drowning Pool, and Anthrax at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom for a Dimebag benefit show on February 23, 2005. For Vinnie Paul that night was more than a chance to pay fitting tribute to his brother. It was an evening when he rediscovered purpose.

“I thought it was over, man,” he says. “When Dime went away my heart went with him. I didn’t think I’d ever really be able to do this again. I didn’t touch the drums, I didn’t listen to music, I didn’t do anything for three solid months… I committed myself to playing the first Dime tribute, and the night before I knew that I had to go up and face the drums. I knew I had to sit down and play ‘em, to go over the songs, ‘cos I didn’t want to make an ass out of myself. Once I started playing I just started crying. I just went, ‘you know what man? I love this.’ This is what I’ve done my whole fucking life. The drums have been everything to me, performance is everything to me. And the next night when I played with those guys, to hear the crowd, to feel the interaction and them chanting, ‘Dime’… From that point on I knew that I was going to do it again, I just didn’t know when.”

But one last confrontation remained. The Dallas studio that Vinnie Paul and Dimebag had built to give them the freedom to write and record at their leisure had remained virtually untouched since Damageplan last rehearsed before embarking on their final tour, and it still held fresh memories of easier times.

“The first night in the studio was very strange,” says Vinnie Paul. “I’m sure it was for everybody just because you walk in the door and there’s all of Dime’s amps exactly like he had ‘em left with police tape around them because he didn’t want anybody fuckin’ with his shit. All the pictures on the wall, the gold records, the notes – his handwritten notes from the Damageplan demos before we left to go on tour – it was all really surreal, just a big blur.” 

As Vinnie Paul describes that night, he was anxiety-stricken about being in a creative position with a band after two years of keeping away, but as the night progressed his inhibitions disappeared and a sense of trust between the musicians was forged. The ideas began flowing. 

“Once all the weirdness went away it felt like Dime was right behind us driving us all the way. I felt really good about it, and it really helped me to breathe normally so to speak. It was a heavy night, but we got some good tones and just started going. It was that fast. It was like, ‘OK what have you got?’ It was like, ‘ok here’s a riff,’ and it’s Hellyeah from there…”

“It was like a drag car, man,” says Gray through a smile. “We were on fire.”

In the eight nocturnal days that followed, seven songs were written. It helped matters that despite the short timeframe set by Gray and Montano’s Mudvayne responsibilities, Hellyeah were under no pressure to be overly productive because nobody at US label Epic knew what they were doing. Their secrecy paid creative dividends, but they still didn’t have a name, and kept an ever-growing list on a speaker cabinet. Next to the list, someone had written ‘Hellyeah!’ and as Gray relates, that name was better than any of the other candidates because it summed up the atmosphere in the studio, or what Vinnie Paul describes as a, ‘big barbecue, drinkin’ good time session’. 

It was a vibe assisted by good omens. Dimebag’s love of the number three was well remembered by the band. According to Vinnie Paul and Gray, they’d often look up at the clock at precisely 3:33, day or night. It gets spookier. The first demo of the new album’s title track, Hellyeah , was exactly three minutes and 33 seconds long. Believe what you will, but to Vinnie Paul, it was, “Dime saying, ‘hey man, I’m still here, I’m with you.’” For him it was a source of strength through the recording sessions that would eventually produce Hellyeah’s debut, an album serrated by ferocious intensity and a distinctly live feel.

“It reminds me of summertime when I was 18-years-old when you lit a bonfire, had a kegger, and tried to get a piece of ass,” says Gray. Vinnie Paul agrees.

“It’s a record that hasn’t been made in a long, long time,” he says. “Metal’s really gotten more intricate and faster, louder and harder. It’s really gotten away from two things that we really brought out on this record, and that’s the groove and songs people can remember, songs people want to sing along and headbang to.

But as horn-worthy as it is, Hellyeah isn’t without its moments of unadulterated emotion, such as the unabashed sentimentality of Thank You , which lyricist Gray wrote to memorialise each of the Hellyeah’s individual losses. 

“I lost my grandma like two years ago,” says Gray. “When something like that happens you start questioning yourself, like, ‘did I ever really say thank you?’ I think Dime and Vinnie had that within themselves and I think it was unspoken. I think they drove each other to strive for their own excellence by watching the other one.” 

Other lyrics, such as ‘ Judged by a weak little man with a pen in his hand/And just doesn’t fucking get it ’ off the nitro-fuelled Matter Of Time have a darker, more venomous bite that Gray explains isn’t a directed attack, but more the expression of his wish to be able to respond to critics who may not appreciate the work poured into the records they’re reviewing or the people behind them.

“I see people looking very fast to rip Hellyeah apart because of the players that are in the band,” says Gray. “We’re pretty vulnerable. I don’t have a personal vendetta against the press or publicity. If you don’t like it don’t buy it, we’re just having a good time with it. And people who come to our live shows are going to have a lot of fun.”

But while trouble within the ranks might already be hinted at by the announcement on April 18 that bassist Jerry Montano was leaving on account of what are reservedly referred to as personal differences (“We all love Jerry, we’re going to miss him, but we felt like that was what we needed to do with the band,” says Vinnie Paul). His replacement has recently been announced as ex-Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla, who’ll be part of the band come their Download appearance.

Besides, Hellyeah have bigger things to think about, like an upcoming tour that’ll see them appearing at Donington – where the second stage was recently anointed ‘The Dimebag Darrell Stage’ – and what to do if longtime fans expect to hear Pantera songs?

“We really feel like Hellyeah is a band that can stand up on its own two feet,” says Vinnie Paul. “We’re not gonna cross that bridge. The reason me and Dime did Pantera songs in Damageplan was because we wrote those songs and we wanted people to hear them. This is all about Hellyeah and we want to keep it that way.”

The confidence in his voice leaves no doubt as to his intentions, and it’s without doubt that for all its history Hellyeah is a group fuelled by its past but intent on keeping its gaze planted firmly ahead. Here’s to new beginnings then. Dime would be proud.

Originally published in Metal Hammer issue 167

Alexander Milas is an erstwhile archaeologist, broadcaster, music journalist and award-winning decade-long ex-editor-in-chief of Metal Hammer magazine. In 2017 he founded  Twin V , a creative solutions and production company.  In 2019 he launched the World Metal Congress , a celebration of heavy metal’s global impact and an exploration of the issues affecting its community. His other projects include Space Rocks , a festival space exploration in partnership with the European Space Agency and the Heavy Metal Truants , a charity cycle ride which has raised over a million pounds for four children's charities which he co-founded with Iron Maiden manager Rod Smallwood. He is Eddietor of the official Iron Maiden Fan Club, head of the Heavy Metal Cycling Club , and works closely with Earth Percent, a climate action group. He has a cat named Angus. 

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