Zakk Wylde will tell you that the writing and recording of Order of the Black, the eighth Black Label Society studio album, was no different than that of any other record he’s done. But consider the year the man had leading up to its August 2010 release. First, he lost his longtime gig as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist. He had to take time off from touring—and spend some time in emergency rooms—due to blood clots in his legs, a condition that also led to him putting down the bottle. His father passed away in January. And, the happening most directly related to the new album, he built a home recording studio, affectionately known as the “Black Label Bunker.”
Any one or two of these things might not have had a huge impact on Zakk as a musician. But taken, cumulatively, how could these events not have a major effect?
Whatever the reason, Order of the Black is the best Black Label Society album to date, rivaling Ozzy’s No More Tears as the top recorded output of Wylde’s career. This is the album BLS fans have been waiting for. While the last two, Mafia (2005) and Shot to Hell (2006), felt a little rushed at times, Order of the Black finds Zakk energized with no shortage of ideas, including the expected monster riffs and ripping solos, and a few tender ballads.
One change I have not yet mentioned occurred within the band, with Will Hunt replacing longtime drummer Craig Nunenmacher. Hunt, a true pro whose credits include Dark New Day, Tommy Lee, Bloodsimple, Evanescence and Static-X, has a tighter, more precise style than Nunenmacher. I’m not saying one is better than the other; they’re just different, and Hunt’s style gives a different feel to the whole band, which also includes bassist John “J.D.” DeServio (and live but not in the studio, guitarist Nick Catanese). The super-crisp production, credited to Wylde with DeServio as associate producer, gives the drums a little extra punch.
Order of the Black is a diverse collection, with the kind of driving metal tunes you should expect (“Crazy Horse,” “Overlord,” “Parade of the Dead,” “War of Heaven”), as well as a handful of piano-driven numbers that find Zakk channeling his inner Elton John by way of Gregg Allman (“Darkest Days,” “Time Waits for No One,” “Shallow Grave”). The Southern flavor that has seeped out of the band’s sound over the years finds its way back into some of the more rocking songs, too (“Black Sunday,” “Southern Dissolution”). We also have, in “Godspeed Hellbound,” powered by Hunt’s relentless double-bass drumming, the heaviest BLS track yet, but even within that song, there is the changeup of an acoustic interlude. Similarly, a haunting piano break finds its way into “Riders of the Damned.”
Vocally, Wylde is in top form (the best he has sounded in years), effectively mixing his nasally-Ozzy-esque tone with his deeper, soulful, Southern-inspired drawl.
Full disclosure time: Black Label Society is my favorite band. That is why I waited more than a month before reviewing Order of the Black, so I could live with the songs, give them time to fully sink in. I’ve found myself returning to it over and over again—and not just for a song or two. This is a flat-out great album front to back, 13 amazing tracks demanding the listener’s attention. |
