Metal Underground.com

It'd be easy to dismiss Black Label Society's mostly-live "Unblackened" as mere space-filler between studio albums. Most serious fans have at least studio versions of nearly every track here -- and did the mostly acoustic tunes from "Hangover Music Vol. VI" really need to have even more acoustic "Unblackened" versions made? Plus, haven't we had enough of Zakk Wylde doing the "Jar Of Flies" acoustic metal bit? What started out as revolutionary on "Book Of Shadows" has now become a bit of a crutch for the ex-Ozzy Osbourne ax-man.

And yet, when that banjo gives way to the thundering twin-guitar assault of Zakk Wylde and Nick Catanese on the opener, the old Pride & Glory chestnut "Losin' Your Mind," damned if I didn't find myself more impressed than I thought I'd be. Yeah, this live set does indulge some of Wylde's worst instincts, but there is plenty to love here as well.

For one thing, Wylde doesn't limit himself to the Black Label Society catalogue. As noted above, "Losin' Your Mind" makes a spectacular return, as does "Machine Gun Man" from the Pride & Glory days. Zakk's solo disc, "Book Of Shadows" also gets quite a bit of exposure, with a new version of "Sold My Soul" feeling particularly impressive. I also quite enjoyed hearing stuff off the often-ignored "Hangover Music Vol. VI," especially the killer "House Of Doom."

On the other hand, some of the tunes feel pretty much by rote. I get that "In This River," the tribute to Dimebag Darrell, had to be here, but the delivery falls pretty flat, as does the ill-advised cover of the classic Bill Withers soul song "Ain't No Sunshine."

Zakk's guitar work is spot-on here, but his vocal performance can be a bit spotty in places. His marble-mouthed take on "The Blessed Hellride" (which, ironically, is more electric than the album version) is especially notable in this regard.

As for the rest of the band, they're in great form, for the most part. Guest keyboardist Derek Sherinian blasts through the guitar solo "Speedball," keeping pace perfectly with Zakk's fast fretwork. Though the quieter take on "Stillborn" takes a bit to get used to, the shredding session that closes it out is nothing short of spectacular.

Yes, Black Label Society's "Unblackened" is a great live showcase for Zakk Wylde's acoustic material. Is it all that essential, even for fans of the band? Hardly. Still, the band's chops are excellent, the crowd is into it, and for all its acoustic trappings, it still rocks pretty mightily.