{"id":349314,"date":"2026-03-26T19:50:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T19:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/349314\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T19:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T19:50:09","slug":"black-label-society-engines-of-demolition-spinefarm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/349314\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Label Society \u2013 Engines Of Demolition (Spinefarm)"},"content":{"rendered":"

This isn\u2019t just another release \u2013 Engines Of Demolition reinforces what makes Black Label Society unique: gritty groove metal, soaring solos, and bluesy, introspective ballads.<\/p>\n

Imagine a smoke-filled, biker\/bogan bar; Think whiskey, leather, and music with riffs thick enough to hang in the air \u2013 Black Label Society would be the house band. If you blended the vocal tones of Ozzy Osbourne, Chris Cornell, and Layne Staley, you have the band\u2019s singer, Zakk Wylde.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With 11 albums across nearly three decades, Engines of Demolition brings in number 12. This record runs 13 tracks and just over 50 minutes. Written across several years, it came together, as previous recordings, at the Black Vatican. Wylde himself described the offering as \u201cpeaks and valleys.\u201d<\/p>\n

I will admit, I have not explored much of BLS\u2019s catalogue, so this un-bias review will appeal to both long term fans, a.k.a \u2018Berzerkersas,\u2019 as well as those who haven\u2019t come across them yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Like me, however, Wylde\u2019s reputation is impossible to ignore and you\u2019ve no doubt heard his name somewhere along the line. He broke through as Ozzy Osbourne\u2019s guitarist in 1987 and never slowed down. Between his Black Sabbath tribute band, Zakk Sabbath, touring for Pantera for the past 4 years and his own impressive empire, his legacy speaks for itself.<\/p>\n

Four singles introduced the sound of Engines Of Demolition over the preceding 18 months before release.The Gallows, with raspy vocals, signature guitar solo and dense instrumentation. Lord Humungus delivers stomping depth and chunky chords, standing tall among the heavier tracks. Broken And Blind rides a weighty groove with controlled vocals, an anthemic track.<\/p>\n

Opening track and their most recent single, Name In Blood wastes no time putting the pedal to the metal. It launches straight into dense, fast driving guitar work and a commanding chorus. This is a clear standout and my personal favourite. It sets the tone with intent.<\/p>\n

Gatherer Of Souls further stokes the fire, with crushing weight and a clear Sabbath influence. Guitars grinding forward with solos cutting through cleanly.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Hand Of Tomorrow\u2019s Grave is another highlight. Slamming throughout with heavy, hypnotic riffs and raw vocals that give it punch and grit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Track four, Better Days & Wiser Times, shifts gears completely. Acoustic guitar and piano take over and Wylde adopts more of a southern drawl, giving this a bluesy feel. It slows things down significantly. Not my usual preference, but it brings contrast to the album\u2019s pacing.<\/p>\n

Broken Pieces guitar assault is an electrifying, psychedelic squall and The Stranger lifts the pace again, opening with a sharp lead, building into something more chaotic.<\/p>\n

Guitar work remains a constant highlight from start to finish. Wylde and Dario (Lorina) both six-string masterpiece magicians, forming a tight, relentless pairing. Juggernaut riffs and soaring solos amidst. This is where the band truly finds its strength.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Bass, John (DeServio) and drummer Jeff (Fabb) lock it all in with backbone that gives each track its weight, drive, and undeniable punch.<\/p>\n

Wylde\u2019s vocal range is impressive, with many layers; Raspy, gritty, but also more soulful tones when needed. It gives the album broader appeal without softening its core. There\u2019s a good flow, even though slower tracks are scattered across the record \u2013 really, something to appeal to everyone.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Lyrically, through some darker lines, there is a theme of resilience and purpose. Some favourite lines: On Pedal to the Floor, Wylde sings, \u201cI\u2019ll walk through the fires of hell to get to what makes me feel alive.\u201d On Lord Humungus, he sings, \u201cNo more tomorrows; let\u2019s live before we die.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The closing piece, Ozzy\u2019s Song, is a poignant tribute to the Prince of Darkness and carries raw emotional weight. Even if you prefer heavier material, this one lands. Opening with \u201cI saw you yesterday, before you went away.\u201d For any fan of Ozzy, it\u2019s hard to hard back the water-works.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The lyrics were added to the music after Ozzy\u2019s passing (Wylde earlier playing Ozzy\u2019s final show, \u2018Back to the Beginning.\u2019) The skies weren\u2019t the only ones crying during this one. With this track at the end of the album, it feels like the end of a rollercoaster. Name In Blood kicking it al off and then Ozzy\u2019s Song, sending it home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Engines Of Demolition strikes a compelling balance between sheer force and emotional weight, flowing seamlessly from crushing & high-impact into more restrained, reflective passages without ever feeling disjointed. The result is a well-shaped record that highlights the band\u2019s depth and control, delivered through a sound that feels both unfiltered and finely honed.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Evana Patterson<\/p>\n

Engines Of Demolition is out now on Spinefarm Records.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Evana<\/a> \"Evana<\/a>Latest posts by Evana Patterson (see all<\/a>) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This isn\u2019t just another release \u2013 Engines Of Demolition reinforces what makes Black Label Society unique: gritty groove…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":349315,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[156,157,111,139,69],"class_list":["post-349314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-music","tag-new-zealand","tag-newzealand","tag-nz"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=349314"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/349314\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/349315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=349314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=349314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=349314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}