Search - Black Label Society :: Skullage

BLS please come back!

spiders-n-vinegaroons | Miami, FL | 05/26/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Yet another Greatest Hits compilation by Zakk and his crew?? Why? We were damaged enough by Shot to Hell and how much of a mediocre album that was when you compare it to the first three albums in the BLS collection, but this is not the kind of album you follow up Shot to Hell with. We've all heard these songs before and we've probably downloaded all the "acoustic" versions of Stillborn that there is out there. Why not come out with some new material to re-energize the fanbase??



I think BLS is a victim of their commercial success what with their merchandising and all that. It's practically a brand name and the BLS letters have more hype behind them than actual substance. As a die-hard fan, I feel that the last 5 or 6 years of BLS have been a letdown musically and we've been suckered into the image of BLS rather than what made us fans of them in the first place. Great albums like Sonic Brew and Stronger Than Death. Please, Zakk. Put out another Metal album before you hang it up!"

It's Good But A Bit Of A Money-Grab

Markus Pacal | Austin, TX | 06/03/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"O.K. On it's own merits, "Skullage" is a good cd. Maybe very good since the songs are all solid. But I've got a major problem with this disc, Zakk's record label & Zakk himself.



For those of you who don't know the history, read on! In the late '90s, Spitfire Records re-released "Pride & Glory," Zakk's southern-rock band, "Book of Shadows," his solo disc & "Sonic Brew," the first release by Black Label Society. Then, over the course of the next 5 or so years, Spitfire released 6 more BLS cd's, including a live record & a 19-song compilation ONLY 4 years ago...in 2005. After leaving Spitfire & putting out "Mafia" and "Shot to Hell" on Artemis & Roadrunner Records, Zakk took a brief hiatus...for him! Which leads us back to this release.



It's on Armoury Records, a division of Eagle Entertainment. Spitfire Records, which put out, count 'em, 9 Zakk Wylde cd's over the last decade, is also a division of Eagle Entertainment. So, basically, Eagle Entertainment puts out this 12-song compilation with 3 extra live tracks a mere FOUR years after issuing a 19-song compilation called "Kings of Damnation: '98-'04." Yeah, it's got those 3 additional tracks plus an instrumental & "Mafia/Shot to Hell" are represented here but there's not one track from "Sonic Brew" and it still comes in with a grand total of 15 or 16 songs. Still 3 or 4 songs shorter than the '05 compilation. In addition, Eagle Entertainment has remastered & is re-issuing virtually the entire Zakk Wylde catalog on Armoury Records, a division of Eagle Ent., less than a decade after releasing most of his releases on Spitfire Records, another division of Eagle Ent. Rip-off? Stealing money from Zakk's loyal fans? You be the judge. And why Zakk would allow this is beyond me. He's always seemed like the kind of guy who stands behind his society-dwelling fans no matter what. Or maybe only if they're willing to hand him their hard-earned cash while the record company smiles a fat-cat grin!"