BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – Mafia

While Ozzy Osbourne is bringing Black Sabbath back to life once again, Zakk Wylde and his Les Paul are keeping Metal music fresh with Black Label Society … and maybe it was a wise move to work apart for a couple of years now, as Mafia is the most consistent outing from Black Label Society so far.

This guy looks like he could eat a Harley Davidson motorcycle for breakfast, and his music sounds like it too. But Zakk Wylde has developed into a highly talented songwriter and singer. Mafia offers anything from hard-rocking Metal to piano-driven ballads.

Zakk sets it straight right from the beginning with a gushing “Fire It Up” with intense vocals. This is a really heavy piece, and it sets the standard through 14 songs without any dull moments. On “What’s In You” he sounds like the lovechild of Axl Rose of Guns ‘n’ Roses and the late Layne Stayley from Alice In Chains — great harmonies, and tasteful arrangements.

“Forever Down” brings the screaming Les Paul Guitar up front again, as we know him from Ozzy Osbourne’s band. A great track with an awesome guitar riff … and this guy possesses quite a lot of them. Wylde shows some wicked harmonies in the “You Must Be Blind” chorus, and he is testing out his new Octave Guitar Pedal in the short instrumental “Dr. Octavia.” Delightful.

Zakk Wylde has grown to be a full worthy musician all on his own. “In This River” proves that. A fine piano ballad, very Southern state based with fine vocal arrangements. All in all, Mafia contains 14 tracks, and justifiably so because they all are included on a very even effort. Every track deserves to be on this album, and it just may turn out to be Black Label Society’s most successful release so far.