The Zakk Wylde / Black Label Society Thread

[Anxiety35]

Bump.

The new BLS "Grimmest Hits" is out. It's kind of a misleading title. It's not a greatest hits record. It's all new material. I think it stands as one of the best BLS releases. Solid song writing. Nothing groundbreaking, has interesting turns in the songs in a Sabbathy/blues feel with a distinct BLS sound. I think his vocals are better. More singing instead of the "nasal" approach he's done lately as if he's trying to mimic Ozzy.

I always wondered what a Zakk Wylde record would sound like without all the pinch harmonics. This is it. I was pleasantly surprised when I gave the album a listen. Many people find all the pinch harmonics annoying in his playing. To an extent I agree but I get that's his style. There's only 1 song on Grimmest Hits that has the squeals, and it's tastefully dialed back.

$9.99 on iTunes. 12 songs. Worth the pick up.

[JayOctavarium]

Bump.

The new BLS "Grimmest Hits" is out. It's kind of a misleading title. It's not a greatest hits record. It's all new material. I think it stands as one of the best BLS releases. Solid song writing. Nothing groundbreaking, has interesting turns in the songs in a Sabbathy/blues feel with a distinct BLS sound. I think his vocals are better. More singing instead of the "nasal" approach he's done lately as if he's trying to mimic Ozzy.

I always wondered what a Zakk Wylde record would sound like without all the pinch harmonics. This is it. I was pleasantly surprised when I gave the album a listen. Many people find all the pinch harmonics annoying in his playing. To an extent I agree but I get that's his style. There's only 1 song on Grimmest Hits that has the squeals, and it's tastefully dialed back.

$9.99 on iTunes. 12 songs. Worth the pick up.

I gave it a listen in the background while at work. I agree... it's more bluesy than recent records... I liked it but I dont think I really love it.  Zakk just seems to have lost something when he got sober

[wolfking]

Haven't heard it but probably won't be too impressed if it's more blusey.  I've kind of lost interest with the last few though.  A lot of the early BLS albums are just so good.

[JayOctavarium]

Blessed Hellride and Mafia cant be beat IMO

Except by Book of Shadows

[Anxiety35]

Bump.

The new BLS "Grimmest Hits" is out. It's kind of a misleading title. It's not a greatest hits record. It's all new material. I think it stands as one of the best BLS releases. Solid song writing. Nothing groundbreaking, has interesting turns in the songs in a Sabbathy/blues feel with a distinct BLS sound. I think his vocals are better. More singing instead of the "nasal" approach he's done lately as if he's trying to mimic Ozzy.

I always wondered what a Zakk Wylde record would sound like without all the pinch harmonics. This is it. I was pleasantly surprised when I gave the album a listen. Many people find all the pinch harmonics annoying in his playing. To an extent I agree but I get that's his style. There's only 1 song on Grimmest Hits that has the squeals, and it's tastefully dialed back.

$9.99 on iTunes. 12 songs. Worth the pick up.

I gave it a listen in the background while at work. I agree... it's more bluesy than recent records... I liked it but I dont think I really love it.  Zakk just seems to have lost something when he got sober

I don't know if it's that exactly. He's 51 now and believe it or not, BLS is in it's 20th year. I suppose that has some to do with it as well. Maybe we can say it's a more "mature" BLS.

[wolfking]

Blessed Hellride and Mafia cant be beat IMO

Except by Book of Shadows

Mafia is probably my fav, along with Stronger Than Death.

[emtee]

Bump.

Been on a BLS kick recently. The man sure knows how to create a head-banging riff. So many great songs spread out over the discography. Order Of The Black is the one really connecting right now.

[Grappler]

Bump.

Been on a BLS kick recently. The man sure knows how to create a head-banging riff. So many great songs spread out over the discography. Order Of The Black is the one really connecting right now.

I stopped paying attention to them after they released Mafia.  It seemed like the album after that was just more of the same.   A handful of years ago, I heard a couple of songs from Order of the Black and didn't realize how crushing they were (Parade of the Dead, God Speed Hellbound).  Since then, I've kept up with the band again. 

I really love the lead off song from the newest album - Set Me Free.

[emtee]

Yes indeed, those 2 songs kick ass!

[Madman Shepherd]

A story if you will...

It's the 90s. I worship Ozzy. He is the greatest songwriter in existence. I know, I know...he doesn't write ALL the music. Zakk writes some. So I seek out Zakk's stuff. My buddy has Pride and Glory and it's ok. I see Zakk released something called Book of Shadows and it looks cool. There's no way to hear if it's good because it's the 90s. Surprisingly the radio does play a song or two and I actually caught it once. It sounded acoustic but cool. Maybe that was a slow song off the album. 

I buy it and it's all that way. Holy crap it's good! This may be the single greatest album ever written. He's going to release another under the BLS label but it's going to be heavy. I like heavy!

Sonic Brew blows. I'm defeated. I started to learn Ozzy is a hack and has very little do to with his albums. Zakk is outdone in using the F word in interviews by only Tommy Lee. I decide to start listening to black metal or other classic rock like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep.

I haven't liked anything Ozzy or Zakk have done since then.

Now, the question is, is Book of Shadows II worth a darn?

[WilliamMunny]

A story if you will...

It's the 90s. I worship Ozzy. He is the greatest songwriter in existence. I know, I know...he doesn't write ALL the music. Zakk writes some. So I seek out Zakk's stuff. My buddy has Pride and Glory and it's ok. I see Zakk released something called Book of Shadows and it looks cool. There's no way to hear if it's good because it's the 90s. Surprisingly the radio does play a song or two and I actually caught it once. It sounded acoustic but cool. Maybe that was a slow song off the album. 

I buy it and it's all that way. Holy crap it's good! This may be the single greatest album ever written. He's going to release another under the BLS label but it's going to be heavy. I like heavy!

Sonic Brew blows. I'm defeated. I started to learn Ozzy is a hack and has very little do to with his albums. Zakk is outdone in using the F word in interviews by only Tommy Lee. I decide to start listening to black metal or other classic rock like Deep Purple and Uriah Heep.

I haven't liked anything Ozzy or Zakk have done since then.

Now, the question is, is Book of Shadows II worth a darn?

Wow. I consider Sonic Brew to be the best of the bunch. Of course, I loved Zakk with Ozzy, and I worshiped P&G and Book of Shadows, so Sonic Brew felt like a natural extension.

That said, I fell off after Blessed Hellride, as the records began to feel a little ‘assembly-line-ish.’

As for your question on BOS2—it is definitely in the same vein, but the combination of Zakk’s Ozzified vocals and some rather uneven songwriting left me wanting more. Def worth a listen, but in no way does it compare to BOS1 in my opinion.

[Grappler]

I never really got into Sonic Brew.  I discovered BLS with the next album, Stronger Than Death, and fell in love with it and the follow-up, 1919 Eternal.  Blessed Hellride had some killer songs as well, like Funeral Bell.  That's one of my favorite BLS riffs.

[Madman Shepherd]

I actually won a copy of 1919 Eternal in some online contest when it came out so I obviously gave it a listen. It was better than I thought it would be but by that point the ship had sailed so I never really went back and listened.

Zakk's ozzified vocals don't sound appealing at all on BOS2 so I'll probably pass on even giving this a try unless I can find a cheap copy.

[wolfking]

Blessed Hellride and Mafia cant be beat IMO

Except by Book of Shadows

Mafia is probably my fav, along with Stronger Than Death.

These days, Stronger Than Death easily beats Mafia.