Hellyeah

Hellyeah is a metal semi-supergroup born of noble intention. Following the 2004 murder of his brother and longtime Pantera/Damageplan bandmate Dimebag Darrell, drummer Vinnie Paul eventually sought a new band to make his return to music, recruiting Mudvayne's Chad Gray (vocals) and Greg Tribbett (guitar) and Nothingface's Jerry Montano (bass) and Tom Maxwell (guitar).

Hellyeah entertain when they live up to their band name, bashing out profane party songs with Kid Rock levels of subtlety. "Drinking beer! Smoking weed! Ya getcha Hellyeah!" Gray enthuses on the title track. Yet, too frequently, the band resorts to limp rock ballads ("Thank You," the Southern-fried "Alcohaulin' Ass") or undermines its own hedonistic philosophy with woebegone lyrics and unconvincing macho posturing.

"Waging War" raises a forceful ruckus—particularly from Paul's drum kit—but cribs its anti-press indignation directly from Guns n' Roses' "Get in the Ring," right down to the spoken word threats. Even when the messages are dull, though, there's still plenty of muscle.

- Adam McKibbin
04.18.07

The roots of the spinoff heavy metal band Hellyeah date back to a 2003 tour by Mudvayne and Nothingface, after which singer Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett from the former combined with guitarist Tom Maxwell and bassist Jerry Montano from the latter in a songwriting session. Conflicting schedules kept the project on hold for several years, until, during hiatuses from their usual commitments, the musicians reconvened with former Pantera and Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul. The result is not exactly a "supergroup," but it is a collection of musicians who came in knowing what they were doing. Their album is a competent example of its genre, in which Tribbett and Maxwell combine to create crushing riffs over the pummeling rhythm section of Montano and Paul, while Gray howls typically enraged, expletive-littered lyrics to songs with titles like "Hellyeah," "Goddamn," and "Rotten to the Core." The aggressive attitude gives way on "Star," a song of romantic devotion as unfettered in its expression of gentle feelings as the other songs are of belligerent ones. Also dialed down from the usual thrash is the hard rock ballad "Thank You," a sort of musical version of the extensive acknowledgements section that occupies as much space in the CD booklet as the lyric sheet ("Thank you! Mother/Thank you! Father/Thank you! Brother," etc.). It's easy to imagine Hellyeah becoming a main occupation for the bandmembers, even though the music doesn't constitute a notable variation from their other affiliations. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide