A supergroup is group of musicians that come together after becoming successful in other bands or as solo artists. HELLYEAH is an American supergroup metal band originating from Dallas, Texas. They formed in 2006 and are on an indefinite hiatus since May 2021. They are described as a heavy, groove and alternative metal band, and something that is different than the bands that all the members were previously apart of.
They released 6 albums during that timeframe, spanning from 2007 to 2019. The titles of the albums in chronological order are: Hellyeah in 2007, Stampede in 2010, Band of Brothers, in 2012, Blood for Blood in 2014, Unden!able in 2016, and Welcome Home in 2019.
HELLYEAH consists of members from Mudvayne, Nothingface, Damageplan and Pantera. The first lineup of HELLYEAH consists of Mudvayne’s vocalist Chad Gray and guitarist Greg Tribbett. Mudvayne was a nu metal band from Peoria, Illinois. Nothingface’s guitarist Tom Maxwell and bassist Jerry Montano. Nothingface was a nu metal band from Washington D.C. The last member was Pantera and Damageplan drummer, Vinnie Paul. Pantera was a groove metal band from Arlington, Texas and Damageplan was a groove metal band from Dallas, Texas. Damageplan was the band that Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell formed after Pantera had officially broke up in 2003. Damageplan would only go on to perform for about a year.
Troubles started to arise after the release of their first album. Jerry Montano was asked to leave the band after an incident where he made multiple gun related comments while heavily intoxicated. This struck a nerve with Vinnie Paul because his brother, Dimebag Darrell, was shot and killed while performing with Damageplan in 2004. The former Damageplan bassist Bob Zilla would step in and play bass on the next two records. Greg Tribbett and Bob Zilla would depart HELLYEAH in 2014 due to creative differences and Blood for Blood was recorded by the other three members and their producer Kevin Churko. After Blood for Blood released, Bloodsimple’s bassist Kyle Sanders and Magna-Fi’s guitarist Christian Brady would join the band, filling in the vacant spots and would record on the last two albums. Bloodsimple was metalcore band from New York City. While Magna-Fi was a hard rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada.
The idea to form a supergroup came from Chad Gray and Tom Maxwell after they became friends. They became friends from touring on the Tattoo the Earth tour in 2000 and had the idea of creating a group for a long time. But due to other commitments, they could not get the idea rolling until 2006 when both Mudvayne’s and Nothingface’s schedules were clear.
After Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage at a Damageplan show in December 2004, Vinnie Paul had not played music for the following 18 months. Chad Gray and Tom Maxwell knew that they wanted Vinnie Paul to become a part of the band and would repeatedly call him asking to come join their project. Their persistence convinced Vinnie Paul to give it a shot, and they would begin playing and recording in the same studio that the last Pantera album and the only Damageplan album were recorded. The studio was in the garage of Dimebag Darrell’s home, and the studio was left the same way Dimebag had left it. This was very challenging for Vinnie Paul to do because he was still unsure if he could do music again without his brother, especially with a group of guys he had never played with before. But the positive attitudes and energy that everyone brought was the foundation of a new beginning.
The first three albums from HELLYEAH embody Texan-ness. These three albums were recorded in Texas. As you can see by these musical examples, they have the “Texan-ness” titles and feels. For example, the songs embody what every day Texans do.
“Hellyeah”, “Cowboy Way”, “Drink Drank Drunk”
“Hellyeah”, which is the first track off HELLYEAH’s debut album. It can be interpreted as the attitude that Texans are known for about the way they live their lives.
“Fuck the norm, I can’t understand
Live my life, by the rules of no one
I am me, that can’t be wrong
I do what I do, when I do, that’s how I like it”
Another way HELLYEAH embodied “Texan-ness” is through their album art. The second album Stampede, showcases multiple long horns on the cover, which is an animal that represents Texas. Even though only one member of the supergroup was actually from Texas, they as band were able to embrace the attitude and feelings of Texas.
Since Pantera and HELLYEAH are both bands that originated in Texas, they share some common ideas. For example, both bands were considered Groove Metal. Groove Metal was a big thing in Dallas, and they got inspiration from it. However, after the 3rd album, HELLYEAH started to record in Las Vegas. This is because their producer was based there, and it was easier to collaborate. Once they left Texas, the band lost their Texas flair and went in a more serious direction.
In June 2018, Vinnie Paul passed away in his sleep due to dilated cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease. Before he passed away, he had recorded all his parts for the next album. The rest of the band felt that they needed to finish the album because it is what Vinnie Paul would have wanted. They also wanted to finish it because it was the last recording of Vinnie’s talent. After the album was released, the band went on a tribute tour for Vinnie and the album, with Stone Sour’s Roy Mayorga joining the band to fill in on drums. Once the tour finished, they decided to go on a hiatus due to COVID and because of Vinnie Paul’s death.
“Skyy and Water” was written after Vinnie Paul had passed away and is at the end of the track list for Welcome Home and it serves as a tribute song for Vinnie Paul.
If Hellyeah were to continue, they would be moving on without one of their biggest influences. Vinnie Paul gave this band their edge, especially their “Texan-ness.”
Fun fact: I saw HELLYEAH live in 2017 at the Gramercy Theater in New York City.
Works Cited
Alternative Press. “HELLYEAH: The LEAST Metal Thing They Do Together, Their Three Essential Songs | AP.” YouTube, 14 Aug. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=AB6i90mAD2Y.
Death Wish Coffee Company. “Chad Gray: How HELLYEAH got started.” YouTube, 27 Aug. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cnl_ty3qAgg.
Graff, Gary. “Hellyeah Helps Pantera’s Paul Face The Music.” Billboard, 4 Jan. 2013, www.billboard.com/music/music-news/hellyeah-helps-panteras-paul-face-the-music-1053327/.
“HELLYEAH Taps Former MAGNA-FI And FRANKY PEREZ & THE TRUTH Guitarist CHRISTIAN BRADY.” BLABBERMOUTH.NET, 16 Apr. 2014, www.blabbermouth.net/news/hellyeah-taps-former-magna-fi-and-franky-perez-the-truth-guitarist-christian-brady/.
“HellYeah: Newfound Power.” Loudersound, 6 June 2007, www.loudersound.com/features/hellyeah-newfound-power.
“HELLYEAH’s CHRISTIAN BRADY: ‘Trying To Move Forward Without VINNIE PAUL Has Been Really Tough’.” BLABBERMOUTH.NET, 13 Mar. 2021, blabbermouth.net/news/hellyeahs-christian-brady-trying-to-move-forward-without-vinnie-paul-has-been-really-tough/.
Loudwire. “Hellyeah – Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?” YouTube, 6 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1CZKyOGvfI.
—. “Vinnie Paul – Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?” YouTube, 30 Nov. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2K-AS-2iAk.
—. “Vinnie Paul Talks Hellyeah vs. Pantera Legacies.” YouTube, 12 Dec. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLlqQx0xxxQ.
“Pantera Drummer Vinnie Paul’s Cause of Death Revealed.” Consequence, 27 Aug. 2018, consequence.net/2018/08/late-pantera-drummer-vinnie-paul-cause-of-death/.
“The Scream Queen Interviews Vinnie Paul of HELLYEAH and Pantera!” Wayback Machine, web.archive.org/web/20110522214140/thescreamqueen.com/VinniePaulInterview.html.
Trapp, Philip. “Hellyeah Officially ‘On Hiatus,’ Drummer Roy Mayorga Confirms.” Loudwire, loudwire.com/hellyeah-on-hiatus/.
“Vinnie Paul of HELLYEAH – “I Feel Like if You Live in the Past, You Have No Future” | Legendary Rock Interviews.” Legendary Rock Interviews, 10 June 2014, www.legendaryrockinterviews.com/2014/06/10/vinnie-paul-of-hell-yeah-i-feel-like-if-you-live-in-the-past-you-have-no-future/.
