Black Label Society are very much ‘old dependable.’ Every album is worth owning. For me I do have to admit preferring their Metal side to their Rock side and consequently thinking the first four albums and also Order Of The Black are the best, but even with that being said, nothing they do it bad.
2018’s Grimmest Hits (a studio album, not a greatest hits, in case you didn’t know) is their tenth proper Studio album. If it is your first BLS album, then you’ll probably love it, if you already own a few, then you’ll probably like me enjoy it, but not think it is the best. Like AC/DC or Hatebreed or Motorhead, the band do have album on album variation, but they always sound distinctly themselves and a causaul person may say ‘heard one, hear em all.’
Its pretty much the usual fayer here, with a bit more Sabbathy and a bit less Groove Metal than some of their other work, but still very much more of the same. A few great ballads, a mix of fast, slow and mid-tempo Metallic rock songs with incredible guitar solos and vocals that owe a lot to both Layne Stayley and Ozzy Osbourne.
Highlights this time around include ‘Seasons Of Faulter,’ ‘A Love Unreal’ and the very catchy southern ballad ‘The Day That Heaven Had Gone Away.’
Its the kind of album you have on in the car and listen to over and over again without realizing how much you actually listen to it. You wouldn’t call it your favourite ever album but you certainly get your money’s worth in the end. Recommended, not a disappointment, but not their greatest. If you are a new fan try something like 1919 Eternal first, move on to this when you’re already a fan.
I need a BLS catch up. Stopped following them after Shot To Hell… not cause I didn’t like the albums. I saw them live and they were so crap it kinda soured me on them.
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I once had tickets to see em live, but couldn’t go due to being crap-yourself sick. I don’t feel so bad about that now if they aren’t good live ha ha
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I think there was too much boozing going on. Not enough songs, way too much mucking about. Might be a safer bet now that Zakk is sober.
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