HELLYEAH

Listening to HELLYEAH‘s newest release Unden!able  (Eleven Seven Music) brought back many memories. In an earlier incarnation, I was a regular at L’Amours in Brooklyn. At one time, I actually lived only five blocks away. I remember stumbling out many a night with bleeding eardrums after unbelievable shows by Metallica, Slayer, and Guns and Roses. The energy in the club was intense. The music loud and pounding. Unden!able has that same feel. Put aside HELLYEAH‘s “super group” status. Put aside expectations. Unden!able changes everything. It’s the album that has always been inside. Most of the songs are raw, with an at your throat “aggressiveness”.  From the opening instrumental “!” to “Be Unden!able” the songs are fierce. HELLYEAH takes no prisoners. “Blood Plague”and “Startariot” continue in this same vein. Mosh pit angst and frantic. But HELLYEAH needs to give the listener a break. So along the way the music remains hardcore but the intensity lessens. “Human”, the first single, harmonic and moody. The Phil Collins’ cover, “I Don’t Care Anymore” (featuring synched Dimebag Darrell guitar licks) brings a new sense of urgency. But HELLYEAH doesn’t disappoint. The final song on the album brings back the tempest. “Grave” raises the bar and leaves you head banging and arms thrashing.

Since its inception HELLYEAH has had a turbulent line up. But this current group with two releases under their belt have proven most resilient and brazen. Experimentation seems their norm and a new darker sound the result. Hopefully Unden!able is just the tip of the iceberg.

HELLYEAH

• Chad Gray——- Vocals (Mudvayne)
• Tom Maxwell—–Guitar (Nothingface)
• Vinnie Paul——-Drums (Pantera)
• Christian Brady–Guitar
• Kyle Saunders—Bass

Unden!able is HELLYEAH‘s fifth release.

• Hellyeah (2007)
• Stampede (2010)
• Band of Brothers (2012)
• Blood for Blood (2014)
• Unden!able (2016)

Next Post————-Jason Isbell

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