Hellyeah

Featuring current and former members of heavyweights Mudvayne, Nothingface, Damageplan, Pantera and Rebel Meets Rebel, Hellyeah is a groove-metal supergroup of epic (and crushing) proportions. Falling somewhere between the sonic brutality of the aforementioned Pantera and Clutch's love for the blues, the Dallas-based band laces its gnarly breakdowns and smack-your-face riffage with touches of Southern rock and brooding neo-grunge. Because of the members' respective bands being so busy, the group's evolution from concept to an actual recording and touring act took some time. Nearly seven years, in fact. After a long and winding road littered with brainstorming sessions, recording dates, business meetings and the obligatory scheduling conflicts, Hellyeah dropped its self-titled debut in 2007. In addition to its punishing sound, another highlight is vocalist Chad Gray's wildly aggressive lyrics, which crawl across the underbelly of American culture: booze, anger, madness and more booze. Despite performing well both commercially and critically, its follow-up didn't arrive for another three years. Nevertheless, 2010's Stampede built upon the successes of its predecessor.