Black Label Society - "Hangover Music Vol. VI", 2004

Zakk Wylde is certainly not one to take breaks or sit idle for long; his work schedule since the formation of Black Label Society has been hectic, to say the least, averaging a full-length record per year, along with various stopgap releases such as live DVDs, greatest hits, EPs, and more. Between the successful "The Blessed Hellride" and "Mafia," the band also found time to release the excellent live DVD "Boozed, Broozed & Broken-Boned," celebrating the "1919 Eternal" tour and featuring numerous extras, as well as an acoustic live EP, before releasing another full-length album, "Hangover Music Vol. VI."

The record is somewhat unusual, as it is essentially a collection of ballads and softer material. While Wylde has always included at least a couple of mellower songs on his records, until then he had attempted such a bold move only with his solo album "Book of Shadows" in 1996; however, this BLS effort is a different animal altogether. "Book of Shadows" was a wonderful record, showcasing Wylde's singer-songwriter talents and his folk, country, and southern influences; it had a certain magic, sounded genuinely heartfelt, featured high-quality arrangements, and overall felt like an extension of his Pride & Glory experience. "Hangover Music Vol. VI" actually sounds more like a partially unplugged version of BLS; some songs feel as if they were originally written as more conventional electric tracks but were later adapted to an acoustic setting as an afterthought. In general, most of the material bears little resemblance to "Book of Shadows" or the mellower work by Pride & Glory and should be judged on its own merits.

The first thing that stands out, not necessarily in a positive way, is the vocal approach. Zakk's vocals are a far cry from his mid-1990s days, and his nasal snarl becomes rather grating when he attempts to hit the higher notes on certain songs. This shortcoming is usually less noticeable on regular BLS albums, where the vocals are rounded out by studio effects and blended into the mix with the other instruments, but here they are somewhat dry and stick out awkwardly. Zakk should have stayed within his range or reverted to his 1990s tone, which seemed less demanding and more natural for him than the Ozzy-ish wail he increasingly adopted throughout BLS's discography. The production also sounds somewhat flat, although the performances by the musicians are all solid, with more prominent bass lines than usual thanks to guests such as James LoMenzo, Mike Inez, and the ever-reliable John DeServio.

Over the course of his career, Wylde wrote many ballads and acoustic pieces, but the songs presented here often feel like a collection of B-sides. That is not to say the material is subpar or mediocre, but it is certainly not Wylde's strongest work on the subject, and it somewhat lacks a narrative. The album often relies on a familiar formula, which can be divided into two types of songs: softer tracks—often centered around piano—and acoustic mid-tempos, which offer more robust electric guitar choruses or codas, as well as the obligatory shredding that frequently sounds out of place.

That said, there is still some strong material here, with songs such as the up-tempo opener "Crazy or High" and "Queen of Sorrow"—the latter featuring slide guitars and a pinch harmonic-laden bridge reminiscent of Danzig; the solemn, darker "Steppin' Stone"; the country-tinged ballad "Woman Don't Cry"; and the more rocking "House of Doom" and "Layne" (dedicated to the late Alice in Chains singer) continuing the positive trend.

It's when Zakk moves to the piano that things begin to go a little awry; "Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow" is a Beatles-esque, old-fashioned song that recalls the unsuccessful pop experiment "It's Alright" by Black Sabbath, while "Damage Is Done" sounds like an even weaker version of it, and the Procol Harum cover of "Whiter Shade of Pale" also feels unnecessary.

Despite a few other lackluster tracks, the album gains momentum toward the end of the tracklist with what are likely the two best songs, "No Other" and "Fear." The first is a lively, 70s-tinged acoustic song with a slight southern flavor, groovy bass lines, and a strong vocal performance; the latter is a drumless, solemn piano and acoustic ballad enriched by harmonized lead guitars, partially evoking the "Book of Shadows" era.

Overall, "Hangover Music Vol. VI" is not a terrible record, despite a certain lack of focus and a tracklist of uneven quality. The positives tend to outweigh the negatives, but the average is only slightly above a passing grade. It probably would have worked better as an EP, or Wylde could have spread its best tracks across several subsequent Black Label Society albums instead of writing additional ballads that, in some cases, have not been particularly strong. It marks the beginning of a hit-or-miss phase for BLS, also due to Wylde overworking himself and—probably—losing focus and inspiration because of his then-excessive drinking habit.

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