According to the amusing amIright site, Black Label Society got their name when their lead singer Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist, played Osbourne a demo of the group’s early work. Upon hearing this, Ozzy apparently said: “It’s so fucking Black Label.” An improbable story as that Osbourne quote contains just the one swear word.

AmIright do, however, provide an alternative reason for the LA group’s epithet. This one suggests Zakk Wylde and fellow BLS founder, Phil ‘Philth’ Onditch were hell-bent on going with Hell’s Kitchen, until they realized they’d struggle to land a trademark for that moniker. So, they went with Black Label Society instead because being seasoned drinkers, they’re aware the black label’s a sign of a quality whisky.

Since forming in 1999, this is incredibly BLS’s eighth album. At times as heavy as Mastodon on opener ‘Concrete Jungle’ for example, there are also ballads such as ‘Sick Of It All’ which conjure up memories of Dokken’s power ballads of the ‘80s. Or as Wydle himself more succinctly puts it: “It's a real cool mix of heavy shit and mellow shit."

There are those who claim Wylde is a fake rocker, a Tenacious-D-style spoof. Not Roadrunner Records Director of A&R Mike Gitter who declared when the label recently signed Black Label Society: “The guy is genuine, rock royalty whose talent is only matched by his vision. He is the real deal and his legacy, as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, has already been cemented.”

Nor Metal Hammer who bestowed the coveted ‘Riff Lord’ and ‘Golden God’ awards upon the master shredder. So it turns out that Wylde and Onditch chose their name well. If Johnnie Walker could capture the essence of the band and bottle it, we’d be talking of another Black- Label-like bestseller.
(3½/5)