Black Label Society - Grimmest Hits

Despite being called Grimmest Hits, this is not a greatest hits nor compilation album. Zakk Wylde has returned for twelve new tracks on his band’s tenth sojourn through the audioverse of hard rockin’ rollin’ bad boy blues. 

I’m always excited to see which roads Black Label Society cross next, and I’m really happy with the finished product on their new release through eOne Music. My favorite BLS albums are Stronger Than Death and 1919 Eternal, so when it comes to the sound I look forward to it’s these two albums that always cross my mind when drawing a comparison.  BLS proved themselves as more than just a side project for the guy who played with Ozzy, because Zakk wrote a string of five solid albums between 1998 and 2005. These were roller coasters with jaw stomping juggernauts, but also dipped low into sweet ballads and testimonials that defined the band’s character as more than just riff fueled mountains of testosterone, and most importantly the execution was spot on. Grimmest Hits caters to that vision, and almost has a semblance of Pride & Glory mystique to it on several tracks, also.

Although BLS has always been about tapping into different ranges, the last few albums have missed that polished sweet spot where everything just melds together. For instance, Catacombs of the Black Vatican had some strong songs from a formulaic standpoint, but they also lacked the energy for a lasting impression. In other words, something feels like it was lost between creating and recording the music. On the other hand, Order of The Black is the exact opposite; the songs sound loose and uninspired, but the energy on the recording is great. There may have been a few blind spots in its creative vision, but there’s no mistake that Black Label Society went all out with a purpose to kick ass in 2010.

So if you share that opinion of Black Label Society’s recent offerings, you may be relieved to discover that Zakk has rediscovered the fountain of fresh mana. The music is refreshing and full of genuine energy. Grimmest Hits is going to stand out differently lined up against many of the other Black Label Society albums, and that’s a great thing. There are good harmonies and strong leads that range between soulful teary eyed southern ballads including an impressionable “The Only Words”, and face melting dungeon busters like “Room of Nightmares.” 

Even at its heaviest, Grimmest Hits never loses focus of that organic melancholy that makes Wylde such a versatile and strong blues writer. There aren’t any solos that sink themselves in overambitious attempts to be wild. The music never loses itself in one extreme or the other. Wylde does such a great job of leading us along with excellent grooves and then dips down into somber hooks, for example on tracks “A Love Unreal” and “Disbelief.”

Black Label Society released Grimmest Hits through eOne on January 19th.