Kevin's Watch

Heard a pretty cool song by Black Label Society tonight on the way home from my Grad School class. Didn't catch the name think it's What's in You? thought it was Ozboring at first (they're apparently on Ozfest this year) but abit more interesting...quick search reveals that Zakk Wilde has something to do with it. What are your takes? Any good? Worth looking into?

They are alright...

yeah, its Zakks band...guiatar and vocals...kinda like...dirty biker Metal...some songs are better than others...the blessed hellride was better than the new one, mafia somethin or other...though ive only heard a few songs from each...

I bought their <i>1919 : ETERNAL</i> CD, and I love it.

They have the feel of a basement project, but it's straight ahead metal with good solos and good riffs. Plus I happen to like Zakk's voice, it's distinct.

And they aren't all speeder songs, they do some good slow songs with really good emotional guitar solos....although, I'm a little biased here, because I play guitar and love Zakk's work.

I say definitely check them out.

I saw BLS opening for Judas Priest back on October of 2011. I thought they sounded all right, so I bought a compilation of theirs, called Skullage. I'm going to post my thoughts on the latest listen of that, because I just did it and because I think this thread could use a good bump.

Skullage

Machine Gun Man - This comes on with some sweet-sounding picking, very adroitly played (but I'd expect nothing less from somebody like Zakk Wylde who first came to prominence being hired for his ability to play Randy Rhoads solos). This has a country music sound in the verses and southern boogie in the choruses. And that's okay when I'm in the mood for that, like about right now.

Dead As Yesterday - Adding a violin helps further communicate the melancholy bent of the lyrics. It's got pretty good singing from ZW, and it doesn''t go on too long for you to get really tired of the melody.

All For You - Some entertaining noise in this one, through the rhythm section turns in a somewhat uninspired performance. But this one seems to be about the axe grinding, musically and lyrically. Not great, but passably listenable.

13 Years Of Grief - On this listen, I'm not much for the shrill tone in this song to someone facing incarceration. I don't think Black Label Society exhibits first-rate songwriting, which is why they have kind of a garage band sound. And usualy they can rock out enough to partially cover for the mediocre songcrafting---usually.

Bleed For Me - The closest I've heard to a BLS song with hit single potential, with its catchy chorus, a short-and-stirring solo, and fairly memorable lyrics.

Doomsday Jesus - I was getting more into a metal-listening mood by the time I started into this one, and I give it an enthusiastic "thumbs-up" for its formidable avalanche of a melody.

Stillborn - ZW's sometime boss Ozzy dropped by to inject more sincerity into the song for a line like "waited here for you for so very long", and he truly sounds worried. An okay rocker, but it never makes me want to playback and repeat.

Won't Find It Here - Disappointment expressed with a melody I find easy to like, though the music seems to wander aimlessly for and moment in the solo section and drags down the song a bit.

Suicide Messiah - Yeah, it rocks and it sports a quasi-infectious chorus, along with an economical solo that won't wear out my interest. So, I think I can say this tune will work well with me more oftentimes than not.

In This River - Another ballad, and the violin has been called back into service for a song I find unremarkable except for how well the vocal harmony clicks along.

Fire It Up - Nice and funky, this number, and I think I like it the best so far of any selection in this compilation. It just slithers along with style and ease.

New Religion - Well, I certainly can't accuse Black Label Society of having a bunch of songs that sound alike, not with the extended intro of strings and piano that is found here. More heavy metal music follows the intro. "My new religion is you" sounds rather strange, but it's the only real blemish on this song, in my opinion.

"Slightly Amped" - Enjoyable acoustic picking, with a down-home flavor like your favorite family recipe resurrected unto gastronomic glory. Ol' Zakk can almost make his whining sound like Layne Staley, and that's a compliment coming from this Alice In Chains fan.

The Blessed Hellride (acoustic) - This sounds fairly fitting when a single acoustic guitar carries the melody of a song about being unwilling to roll off the wagon for even a short while. It makes the song a bit more of a lament, and the vocals sound like they're dispensing some bone-dry honesty.

Spoke In The Wheel - Soothing without becoming soporific, though it almost becomes sleep-inducing because it drags on too long for my taste. There are no interesting melodic changes that I could find.

Stillborn (acoustic) - The song sounds more mournful in its acoustic version, and Zakk's voice without Ozzy's vocal support changes the tone of the words from anxiety to bitterness. But this version can't be too much of a "downer", thanks to the upbeat-sounding picking in the solo.

I'd never consider this to be a great band, with its feel of side project garge band with money to burn. But BLS is kind of enjoyable, when I'm in the mood for either acoustic ballads or fairly heavy metal.

Crap. Zakk's tone is crap, his pinch harmonics are crap, and he's stolen every look he's had from someone else.