I've been listening to Black Label Society's Mafia album lately. I love this album, but every person who I talk to thats into metal seems to hate it. It can only be the pinch harmonics. For those of you how may not know pinch harmonics (if I remember correctly) are when you strike your thumbnail on the guitar string at the exact same time that you strum it. The result is a high pitched squeal. To say that Zak Wylde loves them would be an understatement. His guitar work with Ozzie and his solo stuff is filled with them.
Zak Wylde is the founding member of BLS but is probably better known as Ozzie Osbourne's main guitarist since Randy Rhodes died and an unlockable character in Guitar Hero: World Tour. If you haven't heard any BLS discs this is a great place to start. Wylde's vocals are reminiscent of Ozzie in that they tend to be a little bit on the high side of the spectrum. We're not talking Michael Sweet high but they are up there. What I like about them is that even though they are much higher than lots of grunting, shouting vocals that you get a lot of nowadays they are still very aggressive.
While the vocals are good the music is what really makes this band. BLS plays great straight up metal. The band knows how to find a great groove and ride it. I can definitely see why Wylde and Dimebag Darrell from Pantera/Damage Plan were such good friends, they both love the groove. Zaks rhythms are generally not as down and dirty as Dime's were but they are still fantastic. In addition Zak Wylde is not afraid to solo. So many bands have done away with solos out of inability to adequately play them or out of a desire to follow trends (I'm looking at you St. Anger). I highly recommend you check this band out. Some of the highlights on this disc are Fire it Up, Suicide Messiah, In this River (a tribute to Dimebag), Death March, and Dr. Octavia.
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