Los Angeles, CA · heavy metal

Black Label Society

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Zakk Wylde's biker-metal brotherhood — pinch harmonics for days, Sabbath-weight riffs, and guitar solos treated as main events.

Black Label Society formed in Los Angeles in 1998, built around Zakk Wylde after his earlier band Pride & Glory broke up in 1994. Wylde recorded a solo acoustic album, Book of Shadows, in 1996, then teamed with drummer Phil Ondich to record what became the debut, Sonic Brew. Rather than treat it as another solo effort, the pair decided to build a permanent band.

The music combines doom- and Sabbath-influenced riffing with Southern rock inflections, and Wylde's playing is marked by heavy use of pinch harmonics and extended solos. On the band's first four studio albums Wylde played every instrument besides drums, including bass, piano and guitar, before settling into a full band lineup.

Alongside the heavier material, the band's albums have consistently included acoustic and piano-led ballads. The group has a strong visual identity, with its own logo, colours and fan following known as the Black Label Society chapters.

The band's lineup has shifted repeatedly around Wylde, with bassists including John DeServio, Steve Gibb, Mike Inez, Robert Trujillo and James LoMenzo passing through over the years, alongside guitarist Nick Catanese and various drummers. Twelve studio albums have followed since Sonic Brew, along with live and compilation releases; 2010's Order of the Black reached number four on the Billboard 200.

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heavy metal