Black Label Society – Hangover Music Vol. VI
Author: ‘SyKo’
I’m going to make this very clear to you as early into the review as I can. “Hangover Music Vol. VI” is in no way a heavy-as-satan-metal-up-your-ass-thrash-attack. It’s not even close. This is an extremely mellow rock album, which borrows flavors from classic rock greats like Neil Young, Elton John, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cat Stevens, and Bob Dylan. If this type of music doesn’t appeal to you, then I suggest you stop reading now. But those of you metal-heads who have a strong appreciation for classic rock are in for a treat.
This is the Black Label’s sixth album in six years, and that’s not counting the two other Zakk Wylde solo albums (”Book Of Shadows” and “Pride And Glory”) he did prior to forming BLS. Needless to say, that’s quite the impressive feat. Most bands these days struggle to put out one quality record in the entire course of their existence. Yet Zakk has done it each and every time. The fact that he puts out such great albums in such a short span of time makes it all the more amazing. I don’t know how he does it, but he ALWAYS seems to find a way to impress me. And as with all of his previous work, “Hangover” is no exception.
Sweet Jesus there is a lot of music on this disc! Fifteen tracks with a running time over sixty-five minutes, this is definatley an album made for the long drive home. But it does it purpose and it does it well. This is the PERFECT album to listen to on the long ride home after concerts. You know the feeling. You’re ears are ringing, it’s around one in the morning, and you’re completely drained of all energy. I don’t know about you, but the LAST thing I want to hear after a night of head-banging and mosh-pitting is the sound of a BC Rich Warlock screaming through my car’s speakers. If you have that feeling, then this album is for you. All of the songs are fairly slow paced, with a lot of blusey guitar licks trown in from time to time. There’s virtually no double-bass blasts at all, either. In fact, the entire album sounds like it was recorded in someone’s bassment on a couple little sixty-watt amps. It sounds very raw, but at the same time it works perfectly. Everything feels very soft. I can just see Zakk behind a baby grand singing these songs in his living room. If they were going for an album that made the listener feel closer to the band, then they sure as hell succeeded.
Vocally this is an album that boasts every bit of Zakk’s signature sound. We get a lot of his Ozzy-esque wails on songs like “Crazy Or High” or “Steppin’ Stone”. Yet at the same time we get a lot of his usual southern John Fogarty-ish coos on tracks like “Whiter Shade Of Pale” or “Queen Of Sorrow”. He really tests his vocal limits on this album, much like he did on the “Book Of Shadows” record. For the most part it’s the same thing you’ve come to expect from Zakk: southern style love it or hate it vocals. And I love it.
I do have some rather small issues with this CD however. As a hardcore SDMF, I believe in being as critical of Zakk’s work as humanly possible. So I will. First off, like I said before, this is a REALLY long CD. And the problem with really long CDs like this one is that they can tend to drag on to the point where you may lose interest. The first half of the album is great, but towards the eleventh or twefth track it started to get a little repetitive. The quality of the songs also dimishes towards the end as well, with a few tracks sounding like rehashed songs from the beginning. This CD is at least three songs too long. If Zakk and Co. had made this a ten or twelve song album, the overall quality of everything would have been better. But again, this is only a small issue I have with it. Other’s will disagree with me but I felt it was just too long.
The other thing I have a slight problem with is something I ussually love. Zakk’s guitar playing. Ok now before the earth splits in two and Satan rapes me in the ass with a firey pitchfork, let me explain. Zakk is awesome on this album, as he always is. Those of you who love acoustics will enjoy it as I do. But my beef is with the solos. Normally, I have a hard on for his solos. But on many tracks they just don’t fit the song style at all. Listen to “She Deserves a Free Ride” and you’ll see. The song is one of the mellowest on the album, and it ’s all very soft and quiet for the most part. But then the solo kicks in, screaming and shredding electric Les Paul squealies out the ass. It sounds so out of place its sick. Now if Zakk had thrown in a melodic solo (ala “Mama I’m Comin’ Home”) instead of his standard mutes and hammers and pinch harmonics from hell, the song would have had more of an ethereal sound. But instead it just seems sloppy. This only happens on a few songs, but it’s still something you notice.
Aside from those minor defects, it’s another solid album. It’s clearly not for everybody, though. If you are one of those people who need heavy-earth-shattering-ear-drum-popping-metal 24/7, than I don’t recommend it. But if you are someone who can enjoy the mellower side of music without feeling like a pansy, than this should definately be on you Xmas wishlist. It boasts sure to be classics such as “House Of Doom”, “Steppin’ Stone”, “Queen Of Sorrow”, “Damage Is Done”, and the beautifully done “Whiter Shade Of Pale”. Been up all night? Hungover? Feel a pounding in your brain that won’t cease? Take this. Doctor’s orders.
Score: 4.0 (out of 5)
-Tracklisting-
1. Crazy Or High
2. Queen Of Sorrow
3. Steppin’ Stone
4. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
5. Takillya (instrumental)
6. Won’t Find It Here
7. She Deserves A Free Ride
8. House Of Doom
9. Damage Is Done
10. Layne
11. Woman Don’t Cry
12. No Other
13. Whiter Shade Of Pale (Procol Harum)
14. Once More
15. Fear
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