THE BEAST

Vinnie Paul's HELLYEAH bandmates have commented on the drummer's passing, saying that the drummer "will be and is greatly loved and missed."

Paul, co-founder of PANTERA and DAMAGEPLAN, died Friday (June 22) in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 54. No cause of death has been announced.

HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell, who has played with Vinnie Paul since the band's inception in 2006, said in a statement: "Just so broken-hearted and in shock. I'm struggling to write this but we want to thank you all for your kind words and support in this tragic time.

"We don't have much info to give you other then Vinnie is now with Dime and they are together in a better place.

"Sadness, shock, confusion, anger, despair. We feel it all together.

"Hug your loved ones and keep them close.

"Thank you all again for all your love.

"Vinnie will be and is greatly loved and missed but his music will live forever.

"Crank it loud today and scream to the heavens so he can hear you."

HELLYEAH's fifth album, "Unden!able", came out in 2016.

Not long before his death, Vinnie laid down the drum tracks for HELLYEAH's sixth album at The Hideout recording studio in Las Vegas. It is not presently clear when those recordings will see the light of day.

Vinnie Paul and his brother "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott co-founded PANTERA. When PANTERA broke up in 2003, they formed DAMAGEPLAN. On December 8, 2004, while performing with DAMAGEPLAN at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag was shot and killed onstage. He was 38 years old. Via Blabbermouth