Back in the mid-2000s, Hella did a split live record with Dilute, a more obscure but also awesome band from that math scene.
The band Hella during a very normal moment
The record slays.
Click this link right here to hear the record.
BTW: The Live Hella Songs are Mis-Tagged
Both halves of the album on Spotify are labeled as being tracks by Dilute, but in reality the second disk is all Hella. If you are a fan you’ll recognize the song titles immediately.
Don’t be fooled. This is all Hella.
In fact Hella did a ton of live recordings from around this era. They did a tour to Japan around this time, captured in the documentary (or whatever you call it) “Concentration Face” which contains a lot of footage - it’s a bit too much to sit through in one go, but a great reference for any mega-fans.
Why This Live Record is Awesome
While there is a lot of Hella live material on YouTube, it’s a bit too crunchy for casual listening. There are a few GREAT vids, you definitely can hear everything and I’ve geeked out to them probably more than a hundred times by now… but its just not the recording you are going to put on in the background to listen to.
This live record on the other hand captures the energy and sheer fun of live Hella - but with the recording quality just a bit better. It isn’t harsh and all of the drums and guitar are nice and clear.
On the studio albums, Hella and Lightning Bolt are pretty different - but I feel like this live recording brings Hella closer to the Bolt style, with the sheer speed and energy of the music overtaking the catchier elements. I love it. I’ve listened to this three times in the last four days and it is now a definite piece of the Zach Hill canon in my mind.
Awesome!!!
Does anybody know about decent live recordings of Hella from any other time in the band’s career? I know of one or two vids from the “No 666 in Outer Space” days, but not much else.