Zakk Wylde
Book of Shadows II
Label: Entertainment One/ Caroline Records
Release Date: 8 April 2016
American guitarist Zakk Wylde, best known for his workhorse tenure in Ozzy Osbourne’s band, may have a partially self-inflicted image of plundering rock guitar hero to many but his various ballads and solo albums provide well rounded depth of musical appreciation that is certainly worth exploring. The man has played alongside Southern US rock bands of note, contributed plenty of guest appearances on numerous albums, toured the world relentlessly and survived the wild rock’n’roll circus yet still managed to make time to write a follow up to his initial solo album of Book of Shadows. That album is now twenty years old but proving that good music is timeless, this sequel album, as it were, continues in the tradition of mellow songs albeit in a solemn and occasionally dark mood. The results are impressive especially considering the material was probably written, recorded and produced during limited windows of time between international tour runs for his rock monolith band of Zakk Wyldes’ Black Label Society [BLS].
The variations of sounds throughout the album even impact on the approaches of the guitar solos. To some extent, there are enough passages of virtuoso guitar shredding to pacify the guitar heads and metal heads alike just in a different context to the usual rock onslaught of BLS. The vast range of musical influences are clear yet not overbearing or plagiarised and are further embellished by the unmistakable tones of a Hammond B3 organ to fill out the sound and offer a layer of accompaniment to the drums, bass and backing vocals. The song Sorrowed Regret is just one good example of the aforementioned judicious use of instrumentation.
Songs such as Lost Prayer, Darkest Hour and Sleeping Dogs expose a vulnerable side to Zakk’s seemingly impenetrable aura alongside some jaw dropping guitar work with both passionate playing and succinct delivery tastefully combined. Regardless of the guitar shredding on display, the songs remain the priority as is evident in the strength of the melody flowing throughout the choruses, verses and bridges of songs as heard in a later album track titled Useless Apologies. Lyrically the material is largely introspective but with a well-earned amount of self-confidence and a subtle strand of dry humour.
The songs are tightly constructed but with enough freedom in the arrangement s to allow for musical interludes or soloing excursions which are utilised to full effect. In other words, this is chock full of guitar playing that is pretty damned good. The album never shies away from a sense of melancholy but manages to avoid the trappings of being over emotive or self-indulgent, probably through the restraint learnt through life experience which bleeds though a number of the songs presented here.
Zakk is not reinventing the wheel here in any capacity but he has created an enjoyable bunch of songs to listen to that will appeal to a wider audience than just the hard rock and metal community without alienating that loyal core fan base. To do that is quite achievement. To do it a second time two decades later is remarkable. This is a fantastic album full of light and shade that many should appreciate.