Am I the only one on the planet that thinks HELLYEAH is a heaping pile of shit? Because I do. Considering the pieces that make this band whole, it’s been disappointing to watch the de-evolution of this band into this generic bullshit metal that most of the members here would normally rally against. If it’s not the fakeness of the music then it’s the fakeness in the style that irks me. Does anyone else not get irritated that a guy from Illinois is suddenly Southern? And why is everyone wearing cowboy hats?!?!? It makes no sense.
Anyway, their new one Band Of Brothers is out now and as a Mudvayne, Nothingface, and Pantera fan, this one leaves me speechless.It’s nothing different from the other two. It’s just bland metal. There’s a lot of swearing and a lot of screaming during opener “War In Me”. “Band Of Brothers” is like Pantera lite. “Rage Burn” sounds much the same as the rest up ’til now. The first half of BOB is mostly mid-tempo metal with little to no surprises. By the time “Between You And Nowhere” kicks in with its’ stripped down guitars and pain soaked vox, the only pain listeners will have is from their eardrums from making it six tracks into this nonsense-fueled album. If you own the other two albums, then you already know what the last half of the record sounds like.
HELLYEAH makes me greatly miss all of the members former bands and has me wondering why guitarist Tom Maxwell chose this monstrosity over the infinitely better and definitely more interesting Knives Out. Mudvayne should make a new record. Vinnie should open more strip clubs. ‘Nuff said.
Grade: F