Introduction

Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998 by Zakk Wylde. The band has released nine studio albums to date, two live albums and two compilation albums. The group has gone through numerous line-up changes over the years with guitarist Zakk Wylde being the only constant member.

History

Wylde formed Black Label Society in 1998 shortly after leaving Ozzy Osbourne’s band. Their first album, Sonic Brew, was released in 1999 and featured bassist John DeServio and drummer Phil Ondich who had both previously worked with Wylde on various projects. The album managed to peak at No. 74 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Albums

The band has released 9 studio albums which include, Sonic Brew (1999), Stronger Than Death (2000), 1919 Eternal (2002), Hangover Music Vol. VI (2004), Mafia (2005), Shot To Hell (2006), Order of the Black (2010), Catacombs of the Black Vatican (2014) and Grimmest Hits (2018). In 2006, a live album called Skullage was released featuring live recordings from their 2005 tour.

Collaborations

The band has collaborated with various other artists throughout their career such as Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Zombie. They also contributed to the soundtrack for the video game Need for Speed: Underground 2 (2004). They have also made guest appearances on other artist’s tracks such as Rob Zombie’s song “Sick Bubblegum” and most recently Machine Gun Kelly’s song “My Ex’s Best Friend” in 2020.

Legacy

Black Label Society have been credited as one of the pioneers of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal and have been praised for their unique sound which blends elements of traditional heavy metal with Southern rock and blues. They have been cited as an influence by many bands such as Avenged Sevenfold and Trivium. The band has sold over one million records worldwide.