Black Label Society - 'Shot To Hell' (Roadrunner) Released 11/09/06

'Shot To Hell' is the eighth album from guitar legend Zakk Wylde and his band Black Label Society, but their first release on Roadrunner Records. The follow up to 2005's 'Mafia' is produced by Wylde and Michael Beinhorn, who's also worked with Ozzy, Korn and Soundgarden, the album is 13 tracks of sleazy rock 'n' roll riffs and even sleazier guitar solos. Hugely influenced by two decades working with Ozzy, Zakk Wylde's vocals are similar in style and in Ozzy's own words the album "kicks ass".

The latest album from Osbourne's unltra hairy, ultra scary riff machine is a mixture of dirty, filthy rock 'n' roll and 'lighters in the air' ballads. The opening track 'Concrete Jungle' with its teasing riffs can be compared to early Guns 'n' Roses, 'Give Yourself To Me' is heavily Alice In Chains influenced, then there's 'Black Mass Reverends' sounding like Monster Magnet and coming complete with a trademark Wylde solo. At the other end of the spectrum 'Nothing's The Same' is a lot more chilled out, gentle and delicate. The artwork is amusing but also bizarre, inkeeping with the album title it features nuns playing pool and smoking cigars with the devil.

Wylde was a close friend of metal hero Dimebag Darrell who was shot during a Damageplan gig in Columbus, Ohio, in December 2004. This is clearly reflected in the lyrics for many of the albums ballads, whilst live they may cite 'In This River' as a tribute to Dimebag, it's impossible to escape the song 'The Last Goodbye' with its melancholy piano and touching lyrics "Take this love, take this life, take this blood, it'll never die..."

There may be a weighty rock 'n' roll presence but the metal foundations are still very much in place. Dedicated fans may be divided over 'Shot To Hell' after the hard rocking, head banging 'Mafia' album, but there's still riffs and solos a plenty and most of these songs will sound huge live.