Former OZZY OSBOURNE lead guitarist Zakk Wylde saddles up his six string guitar for a shot at musical redemption with the little band he fronts named BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. Did the new period of sobriety for Zakk do any good for the post-Ozz music he now creates? Unless you live under a rock, you know that Mr. Wylde’s got a bone to pick here on the group’s eighth studio offering entitled Order of the Black . From the opening riff-tastic crunch of “Crazy Horse”, this reviewer was grabbed by the cahones. I loved the positively sickening guitar solo Wylde shreds here too, which simply crushes at its peak. I also need to admit that the killer chugging groove employed all throughout worked my pulse up so much it made me want to ram my head through the nearest wall in sheer heavy metal bliss.
All one needs to hear is the first Sabbath-sounding strains of track two’s purely sensational “Overlord” to know that the man has come forth with his A-game on steroids and is here to take every single person that doubted his guitar playing talents to the school of Wylde. This music is so improved to what he’s done in recent years that it is frankly quite startling. The five star solo unleashed here is possibly better than anything Wylde has ever laid down… yes, I said it. Many fans felt Wylde’s par-for-the-course work on Ozzy’s “Black Rain” is what brought ole braided beard to this father-less point no matter if he was sick, too drunk or busted for kicking the neighbors cat. Ozzy felt Wylde made ‘Ozzy’s own music sound too much like BLS’. I guess that’s an argument that father and son are just going to ultimately have to iron out, though I can hardly see Zakk Wylde ever going back to playing at the old man’s side any time soon. Any way you look at it though… you the listener are in for a real treat. You can literally hear the vengeance coming out of your speakers from the scorned man-child on the perennial ass-kicker “Parade of The Dead”. Don’t get me wrong, all kidding aside… yes, this is an all grown up Zakk Wylde, sober and possibly ready to present to even your parents for the first time: “That’s my friend Zakk, mother and father… and he wants to rip your faces off with his Gibson Les Paul.”
Wylde is at his all-time best on the simply majestic “Black Sunday” and “Southern Dissolution”, showing everyone why he rocks harder now than ever before in his storied career. He flashes his phenomenal guitar brilliance in continual bursts on the latter song like his life depends on it. This reviewer believes Zakk Wylde is point blank the greatest living rock guitar player and fourth of all time, finishing behind only Jimi Hendrix, Randy Rhoads, and Dimebag Darrell Abbott. He is also simply heart wrenching on the piano during track seven’s “Time Waits For No One”, then takes you by the head and face plants you like only Zakk Wylde can with the most excellent “Godspeed Hellbound” that demonstrates his guitar wizardry like it was the 1990’s all over again.
It’s a shame that Ozzy and Sharon could not come to their senses and let Zakk just do his thing
on the lackluster Scream, because I truly feel – as most heavy metal fans already know – that
the soul of Ozzy’s band is indeed… a fierce ass guitar player named Zakk mother fucking Wylde.
ROCKET REVIEW:[starreview tpl=16]
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – “Order of The Black” (CD)
(E1 Music/2010)
1. Crazy Horse
2. Overlord
3. Parade of the Dead
4. Darkest Days
5. Black Sunday
6. Southern Dissolution
7.Time Waits for No One
8. Godspeed Hell Bound
9. War of Heaven
10. Shallow Grave
11. Chupacabra
12. Riders of the Damned
13. January
http://www.myspace.com/blacklabelsociety
great album, zakk is fucking heavy and also the ballad are beautiful.
Good Job
8/10
Fuckin best album since “Stronger Than Death.” Zakk Wyylde is the man, keep coming out with great tunes brother,SDMF!!!!!!
Black label is a great band!!!!!Zakk is AWESOME!!!This album is unbeleiveable.Ozzy made a HUGE mistake by parting ways with the master..Zakk Wlyde is a f#cking GREAT GREAT guitarist…..He blows my mind with his axe..BLS FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!