Chad Gray says a song on Hellyeah's upcoming fourth album is a tribute to late Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell.
Black December is the last track on Blood For Blood, released on Monday, June 9. Hellyeah singer Gray says it is a tribute to Dimebag, whose brother Vinnie Paul is Hellyeah’s drummer.
Gray tells Metal Sickness: “I didn’t really know Dime, but he inspired me and his band inspired me. A lot of people I have a brotherhood with were really close to him.
“I’ve heard just about every story you can hear about him. He lived in the moment and that how I strive to be. He very much lived for right now and it was awesome, he loved to put smiles on people’s faces.”
Dimebag was shot and killed while onstage with his band Damageplan in Columbus, Ohio, in December 2004.
Gray adds that Blood For Blood “feels right”, giving a lot of the credit to producer Kevin Churko.
He says: “We’re stoked about the record and getting back to where we once were as far as who we are. Hellyeah started as a band that wanted to play songs that we couldn’t play in our other respective bands. And it’s turned into this, so it’s fuckin’ cool. I love every single record we’ve done but this feels fuckin’ right.
“The last record felt really close to being right, but bringing in Kevin Churko was awesome. Everybody checked their egos at the door and had a tremendous amount of respect for each other. We listened, all the criticism that was delivered was delivered constructively and with respect.”
