Origin:	Dallas, TX, USA
Genres:

Hellyeah

Expectations were bound to be high for this supergroup of sorts, combining members from Nothingface, Mudvayne, and Pantera, and most notably welcoming back drummer Vinnie Paul, who had understandably gone through a lot after the tragic death of his brother Dimebag in December 2004. The self-titled debut is, for the most part, a sum of its parts, as there's a lot of Pantera crossed with Mudvayne going on here, which isn't as incongruous as some might think. It's arguably a tad safe, as there really aren't a lot of surprises to be found -- Vinnie's drumming is excellent as everyone would expect, Chad Gray's vocals alternate between clean and screaming, as he does in Mudvayne, and the guitar riffs fine if not terribly distinctive. Lyrically it's a mixed bag, ranging from the not-too-serious (judging from song titles such as "Alchohaulin' Ass" and "God Damn") to something more substantial ("Thank You", a tribute of sorts to Dimebag, does have something relevant to say). Overall, it's a welcome site to see Vinnie jumping back into the fray, and while Hellyeah the album may not be earth-shattering, it's a fine debut from a band that could well develop further as long as it's not treated as just a side project.