ALBUM REVIEW ~ BLACK LABEL SOCIETY ~ 'DOOM CREW INC'

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Legendary Heavy Metal band, Black Label Society are set to release 11th studio album, Doom Crew Inc, today (11/26) via eOne.

The quartet celebrate 23 years of existence with a tribute to their road crew, and the die-hard fans that have lent their support throughout the years. The record was produced at lead singer Zakk Wylde’s home studio AKA The Vatican.

This album is eleven tracks of full-throttle metal with plenty of influences ranging from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. It marks a change within the presentation of the band.

Opener “Set You Free” is the lead single off the album and it is easy to understand why. The rumbling groove-orientated riffs accompany up-tempo melodic vocals with plenty of typical Black Label spirit makes this a promising start.

Next up is the heavy “Destroy Conquer” that introduces the real meat and bones metal Black Label are known for. A gritty and pummelling song with a guitar-driven sound and Sabbath-esque doom-laden breakdowns. Wylde bursts into trading solos with rhythm guitarist Dario Lorina. This pairing proves to be a show stealer on the album throughout, as Wylde has given Lorina more freedom to express himself as a guitarist.

Black Label Society have added a new impetus to their atypically solid music with sludge-fused guitar riffs, rumbling bass and drummer Jeff Fabb’s pounding drumming. There is a sense of trying anything new to appeal to the fans. The typical ballads are still present for those who enjoy them from the band in the guise of such tracks like “Forever and A Day,” “Love Reigns Down” and closer “Farewell Ballad,” which shows Zakk Wylde’s improvements on vocals, as the singer shows his softer side with some serious outpouring of emotions.

There are some attempts at something new with The Allman Bros-esque “Ruins” starting with a wah-wah pedal fused intro, reminiscent of the brother’s earlier work segues into crunching guitar wizardry and harmonic vocals, “Forsaken” is another distortion- soaked track that sees the album become a new favourite for this writer.

Overall, Doom Crew Inc is the perfect gift for the fans and crew that have remained faithful.

I’m Music Magazine Writer Anselm Anderson