Band:	Black Label Society
Album:	Hangover Music Vol VI
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	April 20, 2004
Guest review by:	hottercraft

01. Crazy Or High
02. Queen Of Sorrow
03. Steppin' Stone
04. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
05. Takillya (Estyabon)
06. Won't Find It Here
07. She Deserves A Free Ride (Val's Song)
08. House Of Doom
09. Damage Is Done
10. Layne
11. Woman Don't Cry
12. No Other
13. A Whiter Shade Of Pale [Procol Harum cover]
14. Once More
15. Fear

I think the BLS sound has changed a lot in this cd, but... for the better!!! I think all groups have to make improvements (or changes) their sound. In this CD all of us will hear a very different sound of BLS. There are 15 songs, and a lot of them are acoustic songs, but there also are some powerful songs, with strong guitars. Excellent lyrics in this CD and also excellent chorus in some songs. It isn't boring at all because there are excellent solos and guitars. If we heard this CD more, we'll see that this CD is almost perfect. Zakk Wylde... he knows what he does, he's an expert musician, he's... a master!!!

I think Zakk Wylde can't be understood. He plays hard Heavy Metal or he shows his acoustic spirit, but he does the two things with a special talent. He can also combine the two things for made an explosive mix of two great styles of music, and this mix is what we'll hear in this CD, powerful and strong guitars with an acoustic rhythm.
We can think that we're in front of an acoustic song, and suddenly the change is enormous: he begins to play very strong his Les Paul (Crazy or High, Layne). I can also say that he has begun to look after his vocal style, her voice sounds better (No Other).
We can see the most sabbatical Zakk Wylde in "Steppin Stone." In the short instrumental interlude "Takillna (Estyabon)" he dares to play acoustic Flamish notes. The most brutal song of this CD may be "House of Doom," with the most strong guitar sound of the CD and with an incredible solo, just like old times! "Damage Is Done" is one of the slowest song of this CD, a beautiful acoustic ballad for the relaxation moments or depressing moments, really lovely. To end this CD, Zakk Wylde has compossed a nice acoustic masterpiece: "Fear," another precious acoustic song with an amazing slow guitar and excellent vocals by Zakk, an acoustic masterpiece but with an amazing guitar solo. Excellent John Tempesta's drums in "Once More," and amazing vocals.

In general, there are great lyrics in this CD and the more you listen, the more you'll see the best mix of Heavy Metal and acoustic music ever made. Really interesting and nice CD made by a Heavy Metal monster. Long live Zakk Wylde!!!!