Hellyeah

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Hellyeah is an American heavy metal supergroup formed in Dallas in 2006. The band brings together members from Mudvayne, Nothingface, and Damageplan, with the idea dating back to 2000 on the Tattoo the Earth tour. After years of scheduling conflicts, the group finally came together in 2006 and started recording their first album.

The early lineup included Chad Gray (vocals), Tom Maxwell (guitar), Greg Tribbett (guitar), Jerry Montano (bass), and Vinnie Paul (drums). They recorded at Chasin’ Jason, Paul’s backyard studio in Arlington, Texas, and released their self-titled debut, Hellyeah, on April 10, 2007. The album reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and sold about 45,000 copies in its first week. The singles “You Wouldn’t Know” and “Alcohaulin’ Ass” did well on rock radio.

After the album, Montano left the band following an incident at the release party, and Bob Zilla joined as the bassist. The group launched a busy touring schedule, including the Fire It Up tour in 2007, appearances at Download Festival, and the Family Values Tour with Korn and Evanescence. A documentary-style DVD, Below the Belt, was released in 2007, detailing the album’s making and the world tour.

Hellyeah released several more albums over the years. Stampede came out in 2010, recorded at Vinnie Paul’s Texas home studio. It debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, with singles like “Cowboy Way” and “Hell of a Time.” Band of Brothers followed in 2012, produced by Jeremy Parker, with singles “War In Me” and the title track “Band of Brothers.” In 2014, Blood for Blood saw lineup changes: Tribbett and Zilla left, replaced by Christian Brady and Kyle Sanders.

The band continued to tour and release music, including the 2015 video for “Hush,” which was linked to a campaign against domestic violence. In 2016, Hellyeah released Unden!able, which featured a Phil Collins cover, “I Don’t Care Anymore,” using archived guitar work from Dimebag Darrell. The project faced tragedy when drummer Vinnie Paul died on June 22, 2018 due to heart disease. He had laid down drum parts for Hellyeah’s next album before his death.

In March 2019, Hellyeah announced a new album and released the single “333.” After Paul’s passing, Roy Mayorga of Stone Sour joined as the new drummer for a memorial show in May 2019 and then became the band’s drummer. The album, titled Welcome Home, was initially set for June 28 but was later released on September 27, 2019.

As of 2021, Hellyeah is on an indefinite hiatus, partly because Chad Gray and Mudvayne began reuniting for new shows. The band is generally described as groove metal and alternative metal, known for heavy riffs, a pounding rhythm section, and a high-energy, collaborative approach that reflected members’ diverse backgrounds. Vinnie Paul once described Hellyeah’s sound as a familiar groove with a new twist.