What’s the point in having a longform discussion about Black Label Society? They’re now 12 albums in, comfortably in legacy-act mode. Zakk Wylde is among the contemporary pantheon of guitar heroes with that being unlikely to change. They’ve just reached a point where nothing is unexpected or all that new. So again, what’s the point in having a longform discussion about Black Label Society?
…dunno, they’re just kinda cool.
Yeah, apologies that the album whose lead single is called Lord Humungus hasn’t unlocked a new philosophical avenue to explore, but that’s how it is. And here, that isn’t a problem. It’s okay to just be squarely good when it’s done as consistently as Black Label Society do. They’ve got the skill for it, and even if you’re unlikely to find them at the vanguard of hard rock and heavy metal anymore, they’re never bad to have around. Engines Of Demolition is another perfect example of that: it’s a Black Label Society album—nothing more, nothing less—and that’s all it needs to be.
If a standout feature must be identified, it’d probably be the ballads. The eye immediately gravitates towards Ozzy’s Song on the tracklist, the piano-and-acoustic tribute to Wylde’s longtime frontman Ozzy Osbourne that lets his burly man-voice get as vulnerable as it can. Better Days & Wiser Times might actually be the stronger version of that formula, though, largely thanks to the cues taken from Tuesday’s Gone and how immaculately its solo slides through the country-rock sway.
It’s actually a decent indicator of the range that Black Label Society continue to show off. You might think they’d become more sedentary a dozen albums deep, but that’s evidently not the case. Noteworthy is how, for a man who’s become so intrinsically tied to Ozzy, Wylde will more often channel a different departed icon in Chris Cornell. The hollers and grunge-metal tremor of Broken And Blind have undergone some not-insignificant Soundgardening, and Back To Me simmers lowly like an Audioslave ballad. Later, the stoner-metal vibe of Lord Humungus is the ideal fit for a title that High On Fire might dish up.
There’s also the Airbourne-style rock ‘n’ roller Pedal To The Metal, a valiant effort at ruckus that unfortunately exposes the limitations of Black Label Society more than anything else. Wylde is already not a terrific technical singer, but when he sounds this mush-mouthed on here, you’d almost be inclined to scrap it and start over. It’s a high floor that Black Label Society are working with, meaning there’s more of a chance to notice the streaks and stains. The other main one is Name In Blood, a false start that really isn’t as meaty or presence-filled as near enough everything to follow.
Other than that, though, there isn’t too much to complain about. In performance, this is obviously a band with decades of collective experience, though it’s nice to see they aren’t so well-oiled that the personality is gone. It’s the upside of Wylde’s hoary bellowing, where—between that and his compulsion for soloing—you can feel that the effort is still there. And while he’s undoubtedly become the main man of this lineup, the rest of Black Label Society are putting in good shifts, too. There’s never a wild rhythm section to pluck out, but John DeServio and Jeff Fabb remain present throughout on bass and drums respectively. Best of all, Dario Lorina sticks to guitar work and is safely away from any microphone, as he should be after that abominable Dark Chapel album from last year.
Put it all together and you get the Black Label Society album of 2026. It’s not meant to sound snide and derisive; it’s just a fact. Engines Of Demolition is another Black Label Society album, and a really good one, as they tend to be. Again, consistent ability is this band’s trump card, and it’s nowhere close to being worn out yet. A couple of missteps here and there is a better track record than most of their vintage, and that’s by a sizable margin, too. In some cases from similar bands, you wouldn’t get half of the great moments that this album has. And even if Engines Of Demolition fills out the release calendar more than defines it, there’s no better evidence for why Black Label Society are worth still believing in.
For fans of: Soundgarden, Clutch, High On Fire
‘Engines Of Demolition’ is released on 27th March on Spinefarm Records.
Words by Luke Nuttall
