SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK LABEL SOCIETY – ENGINES OF DEMOLITION

BLACK LABEL SOCIETY
ENGINES OF DEMOLITION
MNRK

Having played a significant role in the recent Pantera reunion, Zakk Wylde has returned his attention to Black Label Society to deliver Engines of Demolition, the first record from the band since 2021’s Doom Crew Inc. The resulting 13 songs were written between 2022 to 2025, amid some of Wylde’s greatest of highs as he filled the impossibly influential shoes of Dimebag Darrell, and moments of immense loss, which led to the emotional tribute, “Ozzy’s Song.”

Engines of Demolition opens with their most recent single, “Name In Blood”, a thunderous rocker that capitalizes on some of the bands greatest strengths as Wylde’s gravelly voice soars across a wave of distorted guitars and driving drums. Black Label Society kicks things up a notch with the following track, “Gatherer of Souls,” as they flex their Black Sabbath influence proudly amid a track ripe of squealing riffs and thrashing drums. Similarly, the 10-ton brick that is “The Hand of Tomorrow’s Grave” may be among the heaviest songs in the band’s catalogue as they chug away at a relentless and momentously slow and sludgy pace. “The Hand Of Tomorrow’s Grave” is the epitome of doom metal, and under Wylde’s command – and his wah-drenched solo – it is rapturous.

True to form, Black Label Society presses forward with a myriad of riffs and full throttle rock ‘n’ roll. Across the 13 tracks, the band only lets up the pace for a few moments. First for the soft, Southern inspired balladry of “Better Days & Wiser Times” and for the album’s emotional closer, “Ozzy’s Song.” This is Wylde at his most emotional – maybe even ever – as he reflects on the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, someone who gave Wylde the career he has and, more importantly, remained a constant in his life long after he was out of his band. While Black Label Society are no strangers to writing compelling ballads, there is something especially special about “Ozzy’s Song,” and while it is placed at the very end of the album, it stands as the centrepiece of the record, giving Engines of Demolition a greater emotional weight to it. Additional highlights include the tribal and percussive grooves and winding riffs of “Broken And Blind,” the breakneck pace of “The Stranger,” and the Sabbath energy of “The Gallows.”

Engines of Demolition does not attempt to break new ground, but perhaps that was never the point. This, however, does not stop Wylde and company from delivering a straightforward hard rock record that absolutely rips. Black Label Society eats crunchy riffs for breakfast, and their 12th studio record continues to demonstrate this in abundance. Despite the familiarity that may be felt, their breed of relentless rock is a welcomed rarity among the modern landscape, making Engines of Demolition a true tour de force that is bound to stay on repeat.

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