Mafia
Ozzy Osbourne's lead guitarist for nearly two decades, Zakk Wylde slips the off the leash again to release his seventh album with his band, the Black Label Society, creating a weighty masterwork that stands muscled shoulder to muscled shoulder with anything his liege lord is putting out. But then, the slinger is responsible for co-writing some of Osbournes's most memorable tunes fromNo Rest For The Wicked,No More TearsandOzzmosis.Mafiadoes sometimes feel like Wylde is still in search of the heavy metal grail, especially on the Sabbath-esque "Mr. Octavia," but the slinger shows a surprisingly vulnerable side on "The River." The gritty-yet-sensitive song, dedicated to (but not written for) Pantera guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott who was shot by a fan in December of 2004, has a noble gravity and depth, and would fit comfortably on a Springsteen album. Wylde has hidden depths and reserves of talents he hasn't even scratched yet.--Jaan Uhelszki