Customer Reviews

Stronger Than Death

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I thought Mr. Wylde couldn't get any heavier than he did on his BLS Sonic Brew masterpiece, but Stronger Than Death proves me dead wrong. Much heavier this is an awesome CD. Lyrically, Zakk's best, while not a strong songwriter in the past, this is Zakk's best lyrical and musical solo CD yet. Sounding a bit like Ozzy on a few tracks most notably the opener, Zakk lays down some blazing solos and maximum riffage to put all those so called new meatllites to shame. Great tracks include All for You, title track, Superterrorizer and Counterfeit God. Black Label Society is the new metal band of the millenium and is Stronger than DEATH!

Zakk Wylde is one of the few respectable names left in the pure heavy metal scene. This is no nu-metal crap, the album is full of strong riffs and excellent solos. "All for You" kicks the album off, an adreniline-pumping opener with a fret-burning guitar solo near the end; this song is amazing! "Stronger Than Death" is strong too, with backing vocals at the end by baseball player Mike Piazza. The rest of the songs are gauranteed to please Zakk's fans as well, because many have powerful riffs and all of them have at least one guitar solo. I wish Zakk would convince Ozzy to put out material like this. I feel that Zakk's vocals leave much to be desired (they sound like a mix between Phil Anselmo, Layne Staley, and Scott Stapp), I long for Ozzy's glory days of "No More Tears." Zakk should form a full time band dedicated to playing true heavy metal and kicking rap-metal like Limp Bizkit out of the music scene.

Different people are put on this Earth to do different things. Zakk Wylde was put here to make the heaviest, bone crushing music around. "Sonic Brew" was a monster CD in it's own right, but "Stronger than Death" is quite possibly Zakk's finest collection to date. The cd kicks you in the teeth from the beginning with the heavy groove of "All For You". "Phoney Smiles and Fake Hellos" sounds like a cross between Sabbath and Pantera. The lead work throughout the entire cd will leave you in awe. Zakk has finally shed all remnants of his Ozzy years and created a masterpiece in HIS own style. If heavy metal is truly on the rise again, then Zakk Wylde has issued a challenge to all 80's guitar heros to wake up and do what they do best.

If you are looking for an album which blends the music of Pantera, Black Sabbath, and Corrosion of Conformity, here you go. Zakk has listened to what his fans have always wanted and has delivered an album full of thick heavy riffs and exploding solos. Yes there are a couple slower songs "Rust" "Just Killing Time", but they too are impressive for this one time Ozzy hacker. I doubt that any radio station will have the balls to play any of these songs, but I know I will be cranking this cd over and over. The stand out tunes are "Superterrorrizer" "Counterfeit God" and the epic "Love Reign Down". Go get it now!

I am very happy to find out that Pantera is not the only group keeping hard heavy music in the mainstream. Zakk Wylde and Black Label Society pound out some of the heaviest songs I have ever heard. The main thing I like about this album is, much like Pantera, there is no fear of a guitar actually being heard. Guitar solos are not back, they never left. Zakk proves this throughout this CD. When Zakk said that this album was to dismiss all the "boy bands" he wasn't kidding. All you have to do is hear Counterfeit God and it will all be very clear. Just buy this CD. I cannot say enough good bout it. Except that he is one of the best "real" musicians around.

I first heard Black Label Society on the 2000 ozzfest tour and my mouth dropped at Zakk Wylde's ungodly guitar playing. I will make a BOLD statement here and say that he is on par with Jimi Hendrix and Angus Young. He is a master of guitar. He could blow away ANY LIVING MUSICIAN alive today on guitar. HE REALLY COULD! I saw the band perform at the troubadour (a small club) here in L.A. last weekend and he BLEW the place away. Mouths dropped! His bandmates just watched him during a nearly 10 minute guitar solo! STRONGER THAN DEATH is the best CD recorded the past few years. It blows away every metal release in existence. Its pure metal. Hard as hell. Words cannot describe how powerful this CD is. You must BUY IT NOW! You will love it. Dont listen to anybody. Just buy it and you will be brought to your knees in awe! This deserves 10 stars.

Zakk Wylde again proves he is worthy of Guitar God status. He is, above all, a wonderful musician who takes the listener on a rollercoaster of alcohol-fueled emotions. For guys, it's a beer-drinking CD that you should listen to with some old buddies who like to headbang, but also appreciate intelligent lyrics and awesome guitar. I only hope that more people appreciate this CD after Zakk appears in "Metal God" starring Mark Wahlberg and the song, "Counterfeit God" appears in on the soundtrack...if you can find a woman who likes this CD, marry her. The guitar is rich, fast, and furious with riffs that I describe as chunky. I recently read in another publication that the vocals were raw (and they described this as a negative). I, however, think it's a positive. Having heard Zakk live, that is how he sounds...there is no electronic manipulation of his vocals. What you hear is what you get, and it is good!

Wow is all I can say! It's hard not to be impresses when you like pretty much every single track on an album. BLS has hit a peak with this album, as I wholeheartedly call Stronger than Death their best to date. Zakk disappoints us in no way! The greatest thing about the album is the heavy, brutal riffs that sound characteristically Zakk...you can always tell when he's playing somewhere, whether it's in Ozzy or BLS because of the little twang in the guitaring. FYI--Mike Piazza from the NY Mets does a little guest growling in the track, Stronger than Death! How great is that? FYI2--BLS was featured on WWF TV late in '99 when the Undertaker wore their teeshirt loud and proud on Smackdown. Cool, huh?

Zakk has created a monster on this new cd! You want hard driving music that gets your blood pumped, get this cd. This is heavy stuff, so if you expect the style of his Pride and Glory days, think again. I do not see how anybody can write negative comments about this cd. It is such greatness. There is a not a weak link to this cd. Zakk is an amazing musician, and puts on a heck of a show in concert! Let us pray to the man upstairs for blessing us with the greatness of Zakk Wylde and BLS!

The fact that this album was written and recorded less than a year after BLS's "Sonic Brew" might have something top do with its unfinsihed sound and unfocused songs. Zakk Wylde just probably didn't have enough time. "All For You" opens in good Sabbath form, but after that there are problems. The vocals in "Phony Smiles" and "13 Years Of Grief" are so poorly mixed as to be inaudible. I thought maybe one of my speakers was out. The laid back laments of "Just Killing Time" and "Rust" are redeeming, but short-lived before the album careens back into more uninspired monolithic riffs. This work feels rushed and under the gun, as it more than likely was.