God knows Vinnie Paul had plenty of tough shit to overcome since his brother Dimebag Darrell had been brutally shot 3 years ago. Teaming up with certain members of Mudvayne and Nothingface, now Vinnie is back. Hellyeah might be a supergroup in terms of how the band was formed, but I sincerely doubt if anyone here expects them to be the next miraculous Pantera. And they are not. And those times are over. That's why comparing now and then would be a total waste of time. This is simply Hellyeah. They have big chuggy breaks, jawdropping drumming and honest attitude of grown-up men. They have their own face and this means hell of a lot these days, doesn't it? It's amazing when you think about how all this has been accomplished with a simple-structured, straightforward debut album. Some will be unsure about the CD due to the unnecessary but inevitable Pantera/Damageplan comparisons mentioned above, but as soon as you put "Hellyeah" in the stereo, any reservations are soon to be put aside. From the opener through "Alcohoulin' Ass" and "Rotten to the Core" up to "Nausea", this album builds upon nosebleed energy and good violent fun. And Chad Gray does amazing vocal work. Insignificant complaints can be issued against the pretty generic guitar solos, but again, this band is obviously not trying to impress with complex ideas. It is a rather powerful statement of intent, so turn it up loud and enjoy!