Black Label Society

Doom Crew Inc.

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Genre: Heavy Metal.
Released: 26/11/2021
Via Spinefarm Records

Album Review: Black Label Society – Doom Crew Inc.

Black Label Society are a name known throughout the metal universe and for good reason. Being the home of Ozzy Osbourne’s lead guitarist Zakk Wylde, the band have utilised their impressive guitar skills and matched them with inventive songwriting to make quite the name for themselves. ‘Doom Crew Inc’ is their latest entry into the music landscape and I’m eager to hear what it’s all about. Here is my review of Black Label Society’s ‘Doom Crew Inc’.

Opening up the album is ‘Set You Free’, a no-nonsense metal track that boasts an infectious riff progression and a steady yet heavy beat to bang your head to. Black Label Society are known for their two-guitar style and straight off the bat, the band utilise this with harmonies throughout the track. The way they blend together is something worth experiencing at least once. Picking up the pace now and ‘Destroy & Conquer’ brings a bit more oomph to the equation. This song has an awesome progression that really captures that old school metal feels. Not to mention just how great the solo is in this one.

Continuing down the album and Black Label Society remaining consistent with tracks like ‘You Made Me Want To’ adding an eerie element to the record while ‘Forever and A Day’ is quite the unusual track for the band. A more ballad esc song that doesn’t really fit right for me. Something about this track just misses the mark for me and I can’t help but think it’s the weakest song on the record.

‘End Of Days’ follows and it really picks up the standard of the album. Once again the guitar work is what makes this song so good. I found myself going back to this song a few times just because it’s such an easy listen. It’s one of those songs that sticks with you for a while after listening. On the other hand ‘Ruins’ just kinda came and went for me. The song does have some great riffs however I just found myself losing interest in it each time I listened to it. Maybe it’s just not my kinda song.

Following that is ‘Foresaken’, an in your face track that will have you banging your head for its entirety. Everything from the intricate harmonies to the impactful percussion works so well together here. If I had to choose just one song to listen to from this record, it would be this one. Absolute banger! ‘Love Reign Down’ returns to the balled style and once again, I am not a fan. This is a re-recording that just does not do the original justice. Black Label Society’s old school metal tracks always hit the mark whereas these ballad tracks always leave a lot to be desired.

‘Gospel of Lies’ is a pretty good track that has its great moments. Once again the solo is on point and is Infectious as all hell while ‘Shelter Me’ comes and goes without really leaving much of an impression. ‘Gather All My Sins’ is the penultimate track and its groovy nature matched with powerful vocals and memorable harmonies really picks up the scraps. This song is just a great time and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of no-nonsense metal. Finishing the album is ‘Farewell Ballad’, and as the title suggests, it’s a ballad. This is by far the best ballad on the record but still doesn’t quite hit the same quality as everything else on display here. It’s an ok ending to an ok album.

Overall, I think theirs a lot to be desired from this release. Black Label Society has always been one of those bands that either strikes gold or miss and unfortunately, I think this is more of a miss than anything else. The album has its moments but it’s not the sort of record I’d put on time and time again.