Review Summary: Thinking of buying Mafia?
Don't.
In 1999, Black Label Society released their debut album Sonic Brew. In 2000, came Stronger than Death, and in 2002 there was 1919 Eternal. The Blessed Hellride followed in 2003, and soon after Zakk Wylde and BLS decided to unplug and tone it down with Hangover Music Vol.6. So what do all these albums have to do with BLS's 2003 release? Well, other than the fact that they were all made by the same band, nothing. Black Label Society's first 5 albums contained something that Mafia is lacking...substance and originality.
Black Label Society (Mafia) is...
Zakk Wylde - Vocals, Guitars, Bass Piano
Nick Catanese - Guitars
James LoMenzo - Bass
Craig Nunenmacher - Drums
The first thing you will notice about this album is Zakk's use of the talk box and mini moog. And you will continue to notice them throughout the album, seeing as they are used on 7 of the albums 14 tracks. The manage to add to songs like "Fire It Up" and "You Must Be Blind", but make the other tracks they are used on dull, generic, and just flat out annoying.
The lyrics on Mafia seem tired, as if they written just to fill in the verses, as opposed to actually adding to the songs. Some of the lyrics drag and bring down the already generic music to an unlistenable point. Tracks like "Too Tough to Die" and "Electric Hellfire" sport lyrics that sound like Wylde was trying too hard to be a badass:
"Have you ever met Jesus, soon you will see
Your gonna meet Jesus if your messin with me"
~Electric Hellfire
Musically this album isn't much better. For a guitar hero like Zakk Wylde, the riffs and solos on Mafia are bland and uneventful; and the rest of BLS fairs just as bad. James LoMenzo, a very accomplished bassist (and current member of Megadeth) seems to lock up with Zakk and Nick for the entire album, doing nothing more than creating a wall of sound. The bass lines sound like they were written by a novice of the instrument as opposed to a seasoned veteran. The guitar work isn't much better. The riffs on "Forever Down" and "Death March" are unispiring and boring. The solos drag out, as for once, Zakk running up and down penatonic scales doesn't seem to work, hence "Dr. Octavia", and 50 second guitar solo with a very uneventful guitar...what the Hell happened? It's like a filler track and a guitar ***ed and had a kid; it sucks. Nunenmacher holds a simple 4/4 beat for the duration of the album; BLS would have been better off using a drum machine (you don't need to pay it). When all of these elements come together, what do you get? MAFIA! And what does Mafia equal? A *** album.
In short, this album was a waste of money, and the only reason I haven't returned it is because it's open (*** you Best Buy!). I comprehend that BLS aren't supposed to be the fastest, most aggressive, or even the most technical band around, but they could atleast produce some quality music.
Track by Track:
Fire It Up - 7/10
What's In You - 7/10
Suicide Messiah - 8/10
Forever Down - 6/10
In This River - 8/10
You Must Be Blind - 8/10
Death March - 6/10
Dr. Octavia - 4/10
Say What You Will - 6/10
Too Tough to Die - 6/10
Electric Hellfire - 6/10
Spread Your Wings - 7/10
Been a Long Time - 6/10
Dirt on the Grave - 7/10
