This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Ozzy Osbourne might have the best job in the world. But his guitarist Zakk Wylde isn’t far behind.
Zakk pays the bills — and pays them quite handsomely, I expect — by hauling his trademark bull’s-eye Les Paul all over the damn globe, cranking out Iron Man and Paranoid for arenas filled with Ozzy fans. Then, between tours, he cranks out solo albums, mostly under the moniker Black Label Society. Blessed Hellride, his seventh or so, delivers everything you would expect: Dark, Sabbath-inspired guitar riffs, manic fret-burning solos, hard-hitting beats, death-obsessed lyrics and vocals that are obviously influenced by Ozzy but delivered with more aggression (speaking of Oz, the Iron Man sings on one track). But even if it’s unlikely to indoctrinate his detractors, it’s unlikely to alienate any of his current fans. And ultimately, you get the sense Wylde could care less. After all, he can always look forward to his next Blessed Hellride around the world with Mr. Osbourne.
