Black Label Society - "Shot to Hell", 2006

A year and a half after the disappointing and unfocused—though commercially successful—"Mafia," Wylde and his gang returned with yet another full-length album. The odds were not in their favor, as doubts about Zakk's inspiration and direction were widespread at this point, and the album's cover suggested a more humorous attitude that would increasingly define the band's image in the years that followed, especially after Wylde became sober in 2009. The hulking guitarist also began wearing a kilt on stage on several occasions starting in 2007, a choice of attire I've always found over the top and not fitting with the original image of BLS. However, I digress.

"Shot to Hell" turned out to be much better than expected. While the straightforward hard rock style and Ozzyfied vocals found on "The Blessed Hellride" and especially "Mafia" remain, I find the album more solid and fresher than its predecessor, despite some flaws. One shortcoming is the similarity among several ballads, all built around nearly identical structures based on piano and haunting synthesizers; "Nothing's the Same," "Sick of It All," and "Lead Me to Your Door" sound as if they were written on the same day, as they are virtually interchangeable. However, they are not necessarily bad songs; the mellower tracks on this record are actually better than most of the ballads on previous BLS albums, with "The Last Goodbye" standing out as the best of the bunch—a true gem, featuring touching melodies and soulful vocals. The more up-tempo "Blood Is Thicker than Water" is also a softer track that serves as an unexpectedly effective continuation of the material previously heard on "Hangover Music Vol. VI."

Nobody buys a BLS album for the ballads, though, so how does "Shot to Hell" fare when the band really starts rocking? Judging from the first three tracks, very well, although the rest of the tracklist is not always as impressive. The opener, "Concrete Jungle," is a powerful start and an instant classic: every riff, melody, vocal line, and pinch harmonic is perfectly placed, making it a beast of a song that should have been a staple of every BLS live setlist from then on. The impressive, ferocious guitar solo is the so-called icing on the cake. It should be noted that Zakk seems more inspired than usual with the solos on "Shot to Hell," as they are extremely memorable and truly elevate most of the songs.

"Black Mass Reverends" and "Blacked Out World" are the other standout tracks here, with the former delivering a massive groove that crushes everything in its path, and the latter standing out as a raucous, irresistible rocker that masterfully plays with dynamics; it features more restrained verses that erupt into a memorable, singalong chorus before culminating in an exhilarating guitar solo. The relentless "Faith Is Blind" is not far behind—a faster track reminiscent of "1919 Eternal" material like "Battering Ram"—while the concert opener "New Religion," with its atmospheric yet deceptive piano intro, builds around a tense riff and an anthemic chorus. The remaining three songs feel like filler by comparison, relying on typical Wylde tropes that have been heard many times before on other BLS records. Still, they are on par with most of the material on "Mafia," if not better; it likely comes down to personal preference, but I find them a bit more enjoyable, if not exactly unforgettable.

The production is not as strong as on "The Blessed Hellride," but it's better and punchier than "Mafia," with Craig Nunenmacher's snare sounding particularly powerful, complementing the barrage of in-your-face guitars. The vocals are also well-produced, featuring several effects and double tracking that help dissimulate the frequent Ozzy-soundalike comparisons.

Overall, "Shot to Hell" is another above-average BLS album that does not reinvent the wheel but offers a convincing collection of songs. Wylde and company sound energized, despite not having taken a break in years, and seem to have perfected the more rock, less sludge formula the band had been developing for some time. Although the general sentiment at the time of release was that BLS was reaching a creative dead end, in retrospect, the band still sounded vital, with a few more strings to its bow. The record captures the best lineup the band ever had, sounds cohesive, and even brings back some of the bravado missing from the rather soulless "Mafia," although the heavier, more uncompromising BLS of old was already a distant memory.

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