Review Summary: It’s nice to see Grimmest Hits tap a little deeper into Black Label Society’s influences, but it’s pretty clear that the band is on autopilot
It often feels like Black Label Society makes the exact same record every time they release something, but each of their albums does offer a unique tweak of their glam in sludge clothing formula. Grimmest Hits, the Zakk Wylde vehicle’s tenth full-length album, in particular almost borders on doom metal. The guitar tone is darker than usual, and the songs are among the slowest that they’ve ever assembled.
As much as I’d like to pretend that Wylde’s playlist got doomed up between this album and 2014’s Catacombs of the Black Vatican, the real inspiration is likely the Zakk Sabbath band that he was touring with last year. The metal forefathers’ influence has always been at the forefront of the Black Label sound, particularly in Wylde’s persistent tendency to imitate Ozzy’s singing for some ungodly reason, but the riff play on “Bury Your Sorrow” showcases Master of Reality emulation previously unseen. There’s something a little odd about being so inspired by what is basically his boss’s old band…
But while Sabbath influence is never something to condemn, it doesn’t enhance the album’s shallow songwriting. BLS has always had a tendency to record whatever Wylde pulls out of his ass, but usually a powerful riff or strong musicianship can help a particular song stand out. None of the songs on here are bad, but there aren’t too many highlights as songs either don’t have noteworthy riffs or the structures feel too compact to naturally grow. The downer blues shuffles on “Trampled Down Below” or “All That Once Shined” are promising, but the vocals and lyrics don’t quite have the pathos needed to truly sell them.
On the bright side, the musicianship is still pretty solid. Wylde’s vocals will be an eternal deal breaker but his guitar playing remains as sharp and shred-friendly as ever. In fact, there may even be fewer of his divisive pitch harmonics this time around. It’s also worth noting that while none of the ballads are that distinct, they do sound more organic than the dull schmaltz that permeated through 2016’s Book of Shadows 2.
It’s nice to see Grimmest Hits tap a little deeper into Black Label Society’s influences, but it’s pretty clear that the band is on autopilot. The music and performances are solid enough, and diehard fans will certainly enjoy it, but it coasts by on inherent likeability that is more enthusiastic in the hands of even the most generic Sabbath acolytes. Hopefully Zakk Wylde and company can find a better way to convey these inspiration in the future. If a band is going to take four years between releases, they might as well start writing songs with actual purpose behind them…
Highlights:
“Trampled Down Below”
“All That Once Shined”
“Bury Your Sorrow”
Originally published at http://indymetalvault.com
