HELLYEAH Tour Stops in Chicago at House of Blues on August 8th – 1st Tour Sans Vinne Paul | UnRated Magazine - Your Music Entertainment

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By Jenafur Schlangen

Super group, HELLYEAH is currently on tour in the U.S., and it is their first tour sans Vinnie Paul. The group is currently promoting their sixth album, “Welcome Home,” which was recorded just prior to Vinnie’s untimely death. The band’s current tour is not only to promote “Welcome Home,” it also serves as a multi-city tribute to their fallen drummer.

Stepping into the enormous shoes of Vinnie Paul is drummer, Roy Mayorga (Soulfly, Stone Sour, Sepultura, etc.). Roy is an amazing drummer and a perfect choice for this tour. At this time, it is unknown whether he will continue with HELLYEAH as a permanent member. However, his performance at House of Blues in Chicago was beyond stellar.

The show at House of Blues was intense, right out the gate. Actually, it was exactly like that. Imagine the gates lifting at a horse race and the horses charging (full-throttle) out of the gate. Now, imagine that gate as being the curtain rising at the House of Blues. Because, believe me when I tell you, what happened next was full-on intensity. Every single light glared and the drum and bass could literally be felt in your chest. Then, with thunderous animation, Chad Gray (vocals) ambushed the stage….making every single person in front of him his hostage for a full-on assault that would go on for a bit longer than an hour.

Within seconds, it became crystal clear that the band was on a fucking mission to rock the faces off anyone standing before them. They succeeded in a huge way. The fans were completely shell-shocked…stunned, really. Truly, there was no mercy given or received. But, believe me, the pause didn’t last long because as if on cue and as one cohesive unit, everyone began jumping to the bass-pounding cadence (Bassist, Kyle Sanders) and intensely raw vocals (Chad Gray) which is, in a nutshell……HELLYEAH. Of course, I could never leave out guitarists, Christian Brady and Tom Maxwell. They are most certainly the high-end glue that binds the HELLYEAH thunder…plus, they’re both just so fun to watch!

Playing a mix of their new stuff from the new “Welcome Home” album and some of their older stuff, they then took a few moments to properly honor their fallen brother, Vinnie Paul. The video shown over the large screen was a perfect (and heartfelt) tribute and the band’s emotions were obvious. Hell, I think everyone was feeling a bit “misty.”

Immediately after the conclusion of the video tribute, it was back to destroying the eardrums of the masses, hurling old-school Pantera tunes into the ether, perhaps reminding us of exactly how this band came about in the first place. It was awesome. The entire damn show was awesome, period.

HELLYEAH’s sixth album, “Welcome Home” will be released on September 27, 2019. Until then, if you’re in need of a “jolt,” I highly recommend that you find the nearest venue where this band is performing and GO.