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View Full Version : Black Label Society - The Blessed Hellride



Elidroth
03-27-2003, 03:14 PM
OK.. so if you've read this section much you know I'm a huge Zakk Wylde fan. The stuff he writes outside of Ozzy's camp is much more diverse and heavily southern rock based. The Blessed Hellride, the 4th studio CD from BLS continues on this theme, but does so building on prior releases with truly his best effort ever (including Pride & Glory and his acoustic CD Book of Shadows). I swear Zakk is the long lost Alman brother.. Combine Pantera with The Alman Brothers and you have Black Label Society.

The Blessed Hellride is just a 'take no shit, this is what I want to write' kind of CD with no regard to radio or 'popular' music. His guitar work is nothing short of brilliant and his piano isn't bad either. This is the CD I've been waiting for from Zakk since he 1st did his own thing outside of Ozzy's band some 9 years ago.

Highlights:
Stoned and Drunk leads off the CD with a heavy, typically booze fueled romp.
Dead Meadow, so laced with Alman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd influence that you start thinking your sister is pretty cute.
Doomsday Jesus The Black Sabbath head rears up again, and comes into a HEAVY, Iommi feel riff that just rocks. If you can't feel this, you don't like heavy music, or you have a toe tag.
Suffering Overdue Well.. back to the swamp we go. This is southern moonshine rock laced right to the core. This is a NASTY groove song..
Blessed Hellride Zakk just continually impresses me with his versatility. Acoustic based, you get an eyes closed, jack daniels soaked near-ballad with another display of Zakk's impressive guitar talents. It's one thing to play a million notes a minute, but another to say what you want with only a few. This may be my favorite track on the CD.
Funeral Bell Ooh.. this'll get your head going. This is another monster swamp riff. Sometimes the simplest songs turn out the best.

This CD comes out April 22nd. If you've never heard BLS, this is a good CD to start with.. If you have heard of them.. I don't need to sell you on this CD :D