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Black Label Society - Mafia

 

	RELEASED: March 8 2005 PRODUCER: Zakk Wylde LABEL:Artemis BAND: Zakk Wylde: Vocals, Guitar Nick Catanese: Guitar Craig Nunenmacher: Drums James Lomenzo: Bass
+ Zakk's passion Guitar's, Great ballads - Some Filler	TRACKS: 1.Fire It UpFire It Up 2.What's In You 3. Suicide Messiah 4. Forever Down 5. In This River 6. You Must Be Blind 7.Death March 8. Dr. Octavia 9. Say What You Will 10. Too Tough To Die 11. Electric Hellfire 12. Spread Your Wings 13. Been A Long Time 14. Dirt On The Grave 15.I Never Dreamed (Lynyrd Skynyrd cover, bonus track)

 

OVERVIEW

Zakk Wylde has continued to pump out albums since the mid nineties. With his massively growing iconic status, it’s hard not to ignore him. For a long time fan like myself, it’s always good to hear new material from the man. However, his blue-collar workman like attitude is also his downfall. Constantly churning albums out leaves little time for growth

SONGS

Things couldn’t start off stronger than with the almost-epic Fire It Up, irresistible groove and vocals, a great rock anthem. What’s In You keeps the riff’s coming, and complements itself with a great melodic chorus. This typifies the best BLS songs, a constant driving riff, and a catchy melodic chorus. Lead off single Suicide Messiah is much the same affair, and points forward to a re-occurring BLS style. Forever Down firstly seems to be another beautiful Zakk Wylde ballad, before it blows you head off! The album highlight is undoubtabley In This River, where Zakk takes his trademark pride on another great ballad. You Must Be Blind is hard an almost industrial, the chorus sounding like its from a Dr Who episode! He even throws in a guitar instrumental – Dr Ovtavia, um...with an octave pedal. Say What You Will has some cool riffs. The opening of Too Tough To Die almost sounds like 80’s Metallica, but soon changes to Zakk’s wah-saturated guitar and proves to be a great, moody, mid tempo rocker. Electric Hellfire has some wicked rhythms, but forgettable vocals. Spread Your Wings sets up to be epic, and although it doesn’t go that far, it is a great track. Been A Long Time is also decent. But the album finishes up in sensational style with the brilliant Dirt On The Grave. But a massive highlight is the so-called bonus track. The cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s I Never Dreamed strays far from the original, and fairs better for it, what a masterpiece.

CONCLUSION

BLS albums are always uneven, and this is no exception. But this is definitely one of, if not the strongest Black Label album to date. Blessed Hellride is the only other one that comes close. Long time fans will be more than pleased and others will be taken away by exquisitely crafted ballads like In This River and I Never Dreamed. A strong album, and a great vibe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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