IN REVIEW: Black Label Society - "Grimmest Hits"

Not to be confused with a compilation plucked from the band's previous records, Grimmest Hits is in fact an entirely new collection of songs; that said, there are certainly callbacks to some of Zakk Wylde's greatest moments to be heard. Take the slow-burning lead-in on Trampled Down Below, the bass lick for which sets the song up in the same way Ozzy Osbourne's No More Tears was nearly thirty years ago. Wylde has never been shy about his affinity for Sabbath and Ozzy, and several tracks mine for that sweet, sweet sludge. Seasons of Falter takes its groove from the playbook of Sabbath, while incorporating some Alice In Chains-type brooding (the latter band themselves rarely hesitant to dabble in the dark grooves of Sabbath). Then, All That Once Shined takes the AIC hat-tip even further, pushing its tempo down and adding in some vocal harmonies that approximate Cantrell/Staley levels on the chorus. That is, before exploding into a thick, double-time Sabbath groove.

So as to say, perhaps the album's title is in reference to the homages being paid; to be fair, though, Wylde has been paying homage to his influences his entire career, so what makes this new album any different? Well, in comparison to what came before (Catacombs of the Black Vatican four years ago), Grimmest Hits is a much more varied and energetic affair. There aren't as many mid-tempo tracks bogging the album down this time; to wit, the album's first true ballad (The Only Words, a gorgeous one) is followed by one of the album's heaviest tracks, the fleet and groovy Room of Nightmares. It's also worth noting the callbacks to Wylde's lone album with Pride & Glory back in 1994; there are instances where his playing is soulful enough to recall that record, especially on late-album ballad The Day That Heaven Had Gone Away. It's a nice nod to fans who have been there for the long haul, even before Black Label Society existed. Oh, and that ballad is followed by another of the record's most aggressive tracks to keep you on your toes.

Considering this is Wylde's tenth album with Black Label Society, I think it's safe to say we've come too far to expect wild sonic exploration at this point. A record filled with those familiar riffs, grooves, soul and (of course) face shredding solos is pretty much best-case scenario in 2018 with BLS; I will say that I feel Zakk needed to put out something that proved he still had some fire in his belly after Catacombs, because that record made me feel like the Society were perilously close to running out of steam. Grimmest Hits, fans will be pleased to hear, is best-case scenario.

January 19, 2018 • eOne
Highlights Seasons of Falter • All That Once Shined • The Day That Heaven Had Gone Away