Black Label Society has recorded ten studio albums and solo records and according to their biography, band leader Zakk Wylde has even performed with Ozzy Osbourne as the “longest serving guitar-shredder.” Now, they’re about to release their newest album “Grimmest Hits,” which is due January 19^th.

“Trampled Down Below” has a hard rock sound with a hint of jazz mixed in. The guitar solo is awesome and will make you want to break out your guitar and engage in your own private rock session. “Seasons of Falter” is the song that will make you get up and dance. “The Betrayal” starts out with a powerful guitar intro, complete with strong drumbeats and vocals that will leave the fans wanting more.

The intro to “All That Once Shined” starts out slow and appears to be a mellow slow song, but we are soon treated to the rock sounds we know and love. Just as before, this track includes an amazing guitar solo that makes your heart race. “The Only Words” includes a softly played guitar, a relaxed drum beat and a sweet guitar interlude that soothes the soul. It’s just beautiful.

The energy we hear in “Room of Nightmares is so amazing that the audience will call for an encore of this song at the next concert. The guitar intro in “A Love Unreal” makes you think you are in for a love ballad; however, the following guitar performance packs a powerful punch and shocks the listener.  “Disbelief” stands out as a song that will have you singing along with every word.

“The Day That Heaven Had Gone Away” has a country-rock feel to it and is a song you can dance to. Two things make “Illusions of Peace” awesome: the powerful vocals and the stunning guitar solo. “Bury Your Sorrow” is fun to listen to and starts out with a jazzy intro, which is also heard later as an interlude. Finally, we have “Nothing Left to Say,” which is a fun song to listen to, and includes a beautiful guitar solo.

“Grimmest Hits” will make you believe you are at Black Label Society’s concert. Each song will have you on your feet for the duration of the album. Whether you are a longtime fan or you’re just discovering Black Label Society’s music, this is a must have for your music collection.

Final Grade: A

About The Author

Lauren Beverly

Music Reviewer

I love to write and have been doing so since the age of eight. Fictional stories have always been a favorite of mine, because it gives me a chance to be creative and to express myself in a multitude of ways. On more than one occasion, a song proved to be the inspiration to several stories I have written. Believe it or not, some of those songs were on soundtracks! That’s mostly what I listen to, aside from hits from the 1950’s up to the 1980’s. I’ve learned that anything can be the inspiration to a story, even a poster from the 1990’s or a DVD cover.

I’ve lived in Upper Marlboro all of my life and spent much of my childhood watching cartoons of all kinds, and listening to my older sister’s cassette tapes. Growing up, I listened to everything Jackson related, Paula Abdul, Elton John, and even the controversial group Milli Vanilli. As a teenager, I continued to listen to old-school hits and that was pretty much all I liked, aside from listening to all of Michael Jackson’s music. To this day, I still love old-school hits. That hasn’t changed.

I own a variety of CDs from artists such as Styx, The BeeGees, Michael Jackson, Queen, The Yellow Submarine Soundtrack, and many others. When a soundtrack comes out, there will always be one specific song from that album that I’ll love. It never fails.

I’ve graduated from Bowie State University in December 2013 with a B.A. degree in English.

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