The album art for Hellyeah’s Blood for Blood resembles a cutaway from a snuff film. It’s pretty messed up, but it’s not like this cast of oddball metal maniacs give a shit what squeamish folk think. Pissing off conservatives is all in a day’s work for your typical metal band, right? Okay, maybe not. Whatever. Let’s cut to the music.
While most supergroups disband when the gimmick begins to wear thin, the Texan crew – featuring Mudvayne vocalist Chad Gray, Nothingface guitarist Tom Maxwell, and ex-Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul – have soldiered on, for better or worse, churning out groove-inflected headstompers since ’07. They’ve never strayed far from the sonic terrain of their other bands either, fusing metallic chug with southern rock swagger and whisky n’ BBQ blues (see: ode to Jack Daniel’s, Alcohaulin’ Ass). Cowboy hats are worn without a hint of irony in this camp.
Blood for Blood does, however, mark a few shifts in the template. For a start, guitarist Greg Tribbett and bassist Bob ‘Zilla’ Kakaha have been given the arse, making way for ex-Bloodsimple bassist Kyle Sanders (yes, brother of Mastodon’s Troy Sanders). The testosterone levels have also peaked with this lineup change, tweaking the band’s modus operandi: everything’s now harder, faster, and darker. With the exception of token acoustic filler Hush and radio-friendly pomp like Moth, all those country-inspired and sometimes bluesy interludes of yore have been axed in favour of straight-for-the-jugular metal assaults. Sangre por Sangre (Blood for Blood)’s Spanish title promises hints of flamenco flavour, but it’s more chug-a-lug slug. Demons in the Dirt and DMF are made-for-the-pit brawlers, while Say When could easily be a Pantera b-side (not a bad thing).
If innovators like Deafheaven and Mastodon are pushing metal forward, then Hellyeah are in the majority holding it back. Blood for Blood is straight-off-the-shelf groove metal. But if you’re after something to simply bang your head to, then, you know, whatever pops your balloon.
BY JACK PILVEN
Best Track: Say When
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: Five Finger Death Punch, Pantera, Mudvayne
In A Word: Knucklehead
