Black Label Society "Sonic Brew (Russia, CD-Maximum, CDM 0904-2013)"

Sonic Brew is the debut studio album by American heavy metal band Black Label Society, released on October 28, 1998, in Japan and May 4, 1999, in the United States by Spitfire Records. Unlike the albums that followed, this album still possessed a distinct Southern rock overtone that up to this time had predominated Zakk Wylde's solo writing style. It contained 13 tracks (lacking "Lost My Better Half" and "No More Tears"); the cover art was printed on clear plastic, with a separate paper booklet. The back cover was printed with golden ink, and the packaging was, overall, a lot higher quality than all later versions.

There was a long delay before it was released outside Japan because of poor audio mixing. Due to the delay, Wylde and drummer Phil Ondich recorded "Lost My Better Half" as a bonus track for the U.S. edition. (The recording of the more aggressive track reportedly prompted Wylde to pursue a heavier direction for the band's music thereafter.) Sonic Brew was finally released on May 4, 1999, with a standard gloss-printed booklet. Early copies came packed with a free Zakk Wylde guitar pick.

Subsequently, the Johnnie Walker whisky company issued a cease-and-desist order to Wylde on the album cover, which had been designed to match, except for its wording, the distiller's graphic design for its bottles of Black Label Whisky. The band decided to reissue the album with a different album cover, this time merely the band's skull logo and as an added incentive, they wanted to record a further bonus track for the fans who wanted to buy this now-third version of the album. Wylde, Ondich, and Mike Inez of Alice in Chains (who alongside Wylde had helped write the original) recorded their cover of Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears" accordingly.

"Born to Lose" and "No More Tears" were released as promotional singles for the album, though no videos were made. Bored to Tears had a promotional video released for the album's 20th anniversary.

On May 17, 2019, Black Label Society released the 20th Anniversary Edition of Sonic Brew, titled Sonic Brew - 20th Anniversary Blend 5.99 - 5.19. The remixed album contains two bonus tracks, a piano version of "Spoke in the Wheel" and an acoustic version of "Black Pearl". On May 31, 2019, the remixed album was ranked number 8 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums Chart.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Zakk Wylde except where noted.

1. "Bored to Tears" 4:28
2. "The Rose Petalled Garden" 4:55
3. "Hey You (Batch of Lies)" 3:53
4. "Born to Lose" 4:23
5. "Peddlers of Death" 4:33
6. "Mother Mary" 4:26
7. "Beneath the Tree" 4:09
8. "Low Down" 5:04
9. "T.A.Z." 1:56
10. "Black Pearl" 3:27
11. "World of Trouble" 5:20
12. "Spoke in the Wheel" 4:13
13. "The Beginning... At Last" 4:26
14. "No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne cover)"  06:56

Time: 01:06:32

Licensed by CD-Maximum from Eagle Records, a division of Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd.

Recording information:

Produced and mixed by Ron Albert, Howard Albert, and Zakk Wylde, except tracks 10 and 15 (Wylde)

Engineered and mixed by Lee DeCarlo, assisted by Rony Brack

Mastered by Frank Cesarano

Black Label Society "The Blessed Hellride (Japan, Universal Music, UICE-1044)"

The Blessed Hellride is the fourth studio album by Black Label Society. It contains a mix of heavy (Stoned and Drunk, Stillborn) and lighter (The Blessed Hellride, Dead Meadow) tunes.

The second track "Doomsday Jesus" was featured on the soundtrack to the game MTX: Mototrax, but with altered lyrics.

The third track "Stillborn" is featured on the soundtrack of the game Guitar Hero: World Tour, Zakk Wylde was also a playable celebrity rockstar in that same game.

Ozzy Osbourne appears on the first single "Stillborn," though his name was not used to promote the track. He is credited inside the booklet, however, due to Ozzy being on Sony Records at the time, Spitfire Records were not allowed to promote this song with Osbourne's name - a sticker on the cover of the album said "featuring special guest star."

The Japanese bonus track "F.U.N." is a joke song, presumably recorded while Zakk and Craig Nunenmacher were horsing around in the studio. The song's lyrics poke fun at the cheesiest of the 1980s hairband's "party" lyrics.

A song called "No Other" was recorded, mixed, and mastered for this album, however, it remained unreleased until the next album, "Hangover Music Vol. VI."

Track listing

1. "Stoned and Drunk" 5:02
2. "Doomsday Jesus" 3:30
3. "Stillborn" (feat. Ozzy Osbourne) 3:15
4. "Suffering Overdue" 4:29
5. "The Blessed Hellride" 4:32
6. "Funeral Bell" 4:41
7. "Final Solution" 4:04
8. "Destruction Overdrive" 3:01
9. "Blackened Waters" 3:56
10. "We Live No More" 4:02
11. "Dead Meadow" 4:30

Total length: 45:02

Japanese edition bonus track

1. "F.U.N." 2:58

Total length: 48:00

Recording information:

Produced by Zakk Wylde

Associate producer and engineer – Eddie Mapp

Assistant engineers – Christopher Rakestraw and Steve Crowder

Mixed by Eddie Mapp and Zakk Wylde

Mastered by Steve Marcussen

Illustrations by Rob Arvizu

Management – Bob Ringe (Survival Management)

Recorded at Paramount Studios, Hollywood, CA; Ameraycan Studios, North Hollywood, CA. "The Blessed Hellride" was recorded at Cartee Day Studios, Nashville, TN.

Mastered at Marcusen Mastering, Hollywood, CA.