Hellyeah is officially "on hiatus" for now, according to drummer Roy Mayorga . He discussed the current situation in a recent interview.
The confirmation is not a big surprise: vocalist Chad Gray is returning to Mudvayne , and guitarist Tom Maxwell had previously expressed doubts about another Hellyeah album.
Mayorga, also a member of Stone Sour , replaced the late Hellyeah drummer and Pantera , Vinnie Paul . This came after the heavy metal supergroup released their first album following Paul's death, Welcome Home , in 2019.
Last Sunday, May 9th, Mayorga (who also played in Soulfly, Ministry , and others) appeared on a podcast about New York's hardcore punk scene to talk about the history of the region's underground music and his artistic career.
During the interview, the drummer was asked if Hellyeah is still an active band.
“Not now,” Mayorga replied, “because Chad is going to the Mudvayne reunion. So, we’re on hiatus for the time being.”
When addressing the subject last year, Chad Gray, who also has solo projects underway, didn't rule out a future Hellyeah. However, he was honest about the lack of material: "Everyone's waiting now," the singer said. "I don't have any new music. I've been telling Tom to get some riffs so I can write, because now is a great time to write. So, we'll have to see," he explained.
Finally, Mayorga also confirmed over the weekend that he would be returning to Ministry for the band's tour in the second half of the year.
