Customer Reviews

The Blessed Hellride

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This album, is set to put Zakk on the charts.

Zakk Wylde, originally known as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist, has come into his own in the past 10 years, showing amazing musicianship, unrestrained dedication, and unbridled talent, in his post-Ozzy ventures. Starting with his Southern Rock influenced "Pride and Glory" album, through his piano-driven "Book of Shadows" album, and his more recent band "Black Label Society", Zakk has shown both physical and mental versatility, and inventiveness, playing every instrument on his albums, besides the drums, (including piano and banjo) and pushing the limit of guitar riffs, solo-work, and fearlessness. His intensity and dedication was further exemplified in the most recent Ozzfest tour, playing sets with both Ozzy Osbourne, and his band (Black Label Society). Keeping true metal alive, Zakk has retained a stubborn, and unchanging, yet admirable, no-nonsense, and above all, down to earth attitude throughout.

Specifically, on his new Album, "The Blessed Hellride", the listener gets to hear all sides of Zakk's musical talent, with such softer tracks as "Dead Meadow" or the Title Track"The Blessed Hellride", brutal, driving tracks, such as "Doomsday Jesus", downright catchy (don't call it radio friendly!) tracks like "Stillborn" (which features a special guest vocalist), and tracks that reflect his previous experience with Ozzy, such as "Destruction Overdrive". The only track that I would consider weak (only in comparison to the others), is "Doomsday Jesus"... however, every time I listen to it, it sounds better. Overall, Zakk's voice sounds much more refined (even Ozzy-esque), featuring more of a range than on his other albums, and the sound quality is seemingly higher on the music backing him up.

A fantastic album to pop in while taking a long drive, it's faster tracks provide an extremely rousing beat that will keep you awake, and get the blood-pumping. Also very good for alone-time, it's softer tracks are soothing, though they manage to keep one's attention, and draw a person into the sound, rather than lulling one to sleep. Simply amazing work.

Overall, whether you are a fan of Zakk, or someone who's never heard of the guy, the album provides so much diversity, and raw talent, that it cannot be ignored, and is one of his best albums to date. Don't miss this one. The only disappointment is that it eventually ends.

-UnforgivenSDMF
(BLS Street Team, NY Chapter).

I started listening to Zakk about 2 years ago, and I can't put his stuff down. Hes really gone through an evolution of sorts with Pride and Glory, Book of Shadows, etc. Black Label has become the ultimate answer to what people really wanna hear from musicians, not stuff thats designed to sell records.

The Blessed Hellride carries on the tradition, but in a whole new way. It is by far Zakk's most diverse album as far as styles go. He opens it up with Stoned and Drunk, a classic-style hardcore rock anthem, and by the end puts you out with the slow and creepy Dead Meadow (piano included).

Standout tracks include: Doomsday Jesus, a revisit to 1919 days, as well as Suffering Overdue, which displays Zakk's low-tune tradition. Blackened Waters is a slower, ballad-type song with a killer solo, while the title track is the only acoustic song (still extremely awesome).

In closing, if you want a CD that has ripping, intricate guitar work, get this CD. If you want deep, well-written songs, get it. If you like Skulls, Rotweillers, and Chains, Get out there and buy it.

BASICALLY, BUY IT!!!!! SDMF FOR LIFE

If love guitar driven, straight ahead Rock & Roll, look no further. This cd has what you crave in spades!!

Zakk continues to pump out great tunes that groove big time. This is less southern rock sounding than some of his past stuff, but I don't care, Zakk plays a mean guitar and writes great tunes and that's what it's all about!

What an outstanding CD.. no seriously.. what a completely outstanding incredible CD.. what a great.. band? artist?

whatever..

Ok so.. let's look at the good points of this CD.. an appearance from Ozzy Osbourne (who can sing so much better than what you'd expect watching The Osbournes) for starters.. then we've got a guitar player who writes riffs that are heavy as hell, yet still soothing.. great sense of melody while maintaing the agression. Yngwie Malmsteen.. eat your heart out.

So seriously.. what do we get when we get a singer who sounds like a mix between Ozzy Osbourne and the guy from Type O Negative.. a guest appearance from the Ozzman himself.. and a guitar player who writes the coolest riffs I've ever heard and always seems to include cool noises within them.. while performing malmsteen-like solos?

One hell of a CD.. and a new favourite band.

Since the release of 1999's Sonic Brew, Black Label Society has been Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde's platform to demonstrate how real metal should sound. Aside from Pantera's Dimebag Darrell, Zakk is perhaps the premier guitar god of the last decade and a half. He also is one of the most gifted guitarists to ever pick up the instrument in a world where similar sounding rap-metal riffs and senseless lyrics reign supreme.
It appears to me that with every Black Label album that's released, Zakk improves his back-breaking riffs and his squealing, pinch harmonic fueled, Eddie Van Halen like guitar solos. And solos are rare gems in todays rock world. Zakk reached his peak with Black Labels previous release, 1919 Eternal(the title is a tribute to his father, a WW II veteran). The production quality, song writing, and Zakk's singing voice had all improved greatly, as the riffs on the album were originally written for use on Ozzy Osbourne's Down To Earth album.
With The Blessed Hellride, Zakk has improved yet again. This is even better than 1919 Eternal as it is the most melodic, musical and mature metal record I've heard in years. Zakk even mixes musical styles here. The down to earth title track is acoustic guitar driven with a clean guitar solo. But the album still crushes with Sabbath-esque guitar riffs, just listen to Suffering Overdue and Final Sollution. The album even features the single Stillborn, a song about dead love which features, Ozzy, Zakk's mentor on backing Vocals. As a matter fact, Zakk's voice has gotten so much clearer, that if you listen to Final Solution and We Live No More, you'll think Ozzy's singing. This is a classic record for Zakk. Let's hope it just gets better from here. SDMF!!

...The album starts with "Stoned and Drunk", which is a great start to the album. It's a more uptempo song, and the title pretty much is a fitting description of everyone who rushed out to buy the album. It's a heavy riff as usual, along with a blindingly fast solo. It starts off with a little bit of chickin' pickin', which is executed incredibly well.

Following this is the are the songs "Doomsday Jesus" and "Stillborn". "Doomsday Jesus" is one of the heaviest on the album, and is packed full of Zakk Wylde's signature pinch harmonics. "Stillborn" is the first single, which features the godfather Ozzy himself on guest vocals. It's a decent track, and makes for a good single.Other highlights include the slow stomp of "Suffering Overdue", the detuned Sabbath-esque "Funeral Bell", and the incredibly impressive "Blackened Waters". This song sees Zakk Wylde going into ballad mode at first, but then pummeling the listener in true BLS fashion.

While it is nothing really new, "The Blessed Hellride" proves to be their best yet, by taking the songwriting from "1919 Eternal" and the production of "Stronger Than Death" and creating one of the first solid rock/metal albums of 2003...

I got this CD the day it came out being that I thought the "1919 Eternal" CD was pretty damn awesome and I expected the same from this one. Well, as good of an album as "1919 Eternal" is, this is a much more solid effort with much more substance. I can listen to this from start to finish and enjoy every track, its got some beautiful light stuff ("Blackened Waters"...) along with some brutal heavy stuff ("Doomsday Jesus"...) and it doesn't let you down in any way, musically or lyrically. It even has a track called "Stillborn" with Ozzy himself. I would deffinatley say this is the best metal album in years and anyone who liked BLS before will love this. If you're not really into BLS but you like stuff like Exhorder, Pantera, early Metallica, Anthrax, Black Sabbath...etc, you'll still enjoy the hell outta this. Zakk Wylde is an axe master and anyone who enjoys great metal guitarests is gonna love this album. Zakk honestly did a superb job on this and made a great metal album with an old school feel. What more can I say? Buy this now.

Zakk Wylde has spent the better part of his rock career trying to express in as many ways possible what a badass he is. And while this is the rock attitude in the extreme, the very things we all enjoy most in heavy metal, it gets tiring to hear Wylde sing, for the umpteenth time, how he's going to crush you with his war machine while he drinks booze and plays guitar.

This first eight songs on this ablum are exactly this, and while they are solid riffs with plenty of Zakk string-wrangling, they are entirely one-dimensional, despite what other reviewers may think. You all know the drill by now if you've been a metal fan through the last fifteen years; if it's not heavy, it's not metal. Right, but if heavy means the same riffs/lyrics over and over and over again, then you start to learn something about the fans of metal too. Incidentally, the only band to really accomplish this with total success is Slayer; how, I don't know.

The final three songs are the ones to really write home about. "Blackened Waters" shows Zakk finally dropping the whole frenetic pick-hand act, at least for a while, and trying to let some emotion in on the proceedings. I have one gripe, and that he didn't revisit the killer ascending-riff that begins the song. We hear it once and never again.

After that is "We Live No More" a blatant homage to Black Sabbath. This is the best song on the album, and quite possible the best song BLS ever put out. The riff is quintessential Iommi, simple, heavy, and timeless, but Zakk pulls it off with such naturalness you wonder if he wasn't meant to write this sort of riff more often. The guitar solo is a fusion between Iommi's style and Zakk's lithe fingering, something he should explore more of. Kirk Hammett talked about using speed as a texture in his solos later on in his career (something I'm sure you all loathed), but Hammett actually burst the whole metal-solo bubble by saying that, showing us how that thrashy soloing can be put to good use.

The last song on the album "Dead Meadow" is one of the most quiet BLS songs, and totally necessary considering how the first part of the album is nothing but metal cliches. This ending puts a silent exclamation point on the album, gives it some weight, and puts some serious contrast onto a blistering album that has very little behind it. Despite Zakk's shortcomings as a lyricist, he manages very well in the last three songs.

If you're a serious BLS fan it's a no-brainer. This album is a must. To occassional listeners it's hit or miss. If you're looking to get into metal, pass this one over for now. Keep in mind this is a product of the 21st century rock scene which is replete with mediocrities (even Ozzy's latest efforts are up to his usual snuff). Had "Blessed Hellride" come out in mid-80's or even early 90's, it would have gotten very little attention.

All I want is hard and heavy music. There are very few bands that deliver anymore. But, I can always count on Zakk! If only a few more bands would follow his lead...

One of the best Heavy Metal albums in the last few years. Heavy guitar riffs interesting lyrics and overall crisp production.