Condition: New
Black Label Society – Mafia
Back On Black
RCV069LP
Genre: Rock
Style: Hard Rock
Year: 2005
Red 180 Grm Vinyl 2LP
Includes Plastichead T Shirt Catalogue Insert
Country: UK
Tracklist
Fire It Up 4:59
What's In You 3:00
Suicide Messiah 5:47
Forever Down 3:39
In This River 3:52
You Must Be Blind 3:27
Death March 3:05
Dr. Octavia 0:50
Say What You Will 3:46
Too Tough To Die 2:50
Electric Hellfire 2:28
Spread Your Wings 4:09
Been A Long Time 3:07
Dirt On The Grave 2:51
I Never Dreamed (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover) 6:08
Think of Zakk Wylde as a great pastry chef. An extremely gifted and experienced artist who doesn't take his craft lightly (and, after trying just one sampling of his cooking, you realize that you shouldn't take it lightly, either.)
Zakk does what all greats do: draws inspiration from past greats. After just one sampling of his work, the customer should be able to tell that Zakk draws influence (especially vocally) from Ozzy Osbourne and the late Layne Staley of Alice in Chains fame.
Zakk may not be famous for mastering every genre of his art form, but he is world-renowned for one recipe: Southern-tinged, alcohol laden metal that's as heavy as a seven-layer torte. What does such a recipe call for? For starters, you need the best guitarist in the business who can lay down some monstrous solos and churn out many doom-y, sludgy riffs. Once you have that, you'll need some lyrics like: "Crawl through the things that eat your flesh." Put these lyrics down, then lather them, thickly, with a deep, gruff, alchohol soaked voice. To make sure you did this right, check to see that there are only one or two rays of visible light shining through to the bottom of your product. Finally, garnish it with some catchy, store-bought drumming and enjoy.
Zakk has formed a following of fans, and all of his past creations have been popular amongst them. So when it came time for Zakk to write up the recipe/menu of his new album, it was only natural that he go back to where he started and sculpt the kind of he music he knows best. Thus, "Mafia" offers more of the same. To prove his guitar chops are as big as his biceps, he uses his Gynsu knife guitar to carve out thick, buzzsaw riffs that are as crunchy as croutons, and precise, juicy solos that sizzle like the finest sirloin.
Highlights include:
"Fire It Up" does just that. It begins sounding sort of like a Kid Rock song, with slow wah-wah guitars and a simple but catchy drum beat. The song eventually becomes crunchy, and includes a nice and long acrobatic guitar solo, which might be my favorite on the album. I'd swear part of it was written by Zakk's best friend, the equally as talented Dimebag Darrell, if he were still alive.
"Suicide Messiah" ties a high(er) pitched voice with fast chugging riffs.
"Forever Down" has a piano intro (!), but all is forgiven when the fiery guitar punch makes an entrance. This song is topped of a by a wild up and down solo.
"In this River" is a Dimebag Darrell tribute. I wondered if there was going to be a song like this on "Mafia," and sure enough. It doesn't rock in typical Dimebag fashion, however. Rather, "In this River" is a power ballad with piano and clean singing. Zakk doesn't have the best voice, but this song sounds good otherwise. Plus, you've got to give him props for making a lovely little tribute.
Zakk returns to form for the very next track, "You Must be Blind," which has dizzying heavy riffs.
"Death March" is catchy enough to be the next single. It has a stop-start beat and another good (albeit short) ascending solo.
Since Dimebag Darrell has passed away, Van Halen hasn't made a new album in 10 years, and Tom Morello is playing softer, almost alternative rock, Zakk Wylde stands as the clear choice for cream of the crop in modern metal.
The bottom line is Zakk Wylde has the talent and potential to be making some of the world's most exquisite and complicated music.
Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society - In This River Live #1
Black Label Society - Fire It Up
black label society was the last heavy metal band with big succesful in the USA.
Black Label Society - Suicide Messiah
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