Rebel Meets Rebel -- Self-titled [review]

Rebel Meets Rebel
“Rebel Meets Rebel”
(Big Vin Records)

It not supposed to be a country album, not supposed to be a metal album. I guess, deep down it’s a little of both though, for the most part, it’s essentially Pantera being fronted by a honky-tonk rocker.

Well, to be fair, that’s might not quite be it either.

What it is, is a testament to the driving artistic nature of the late Dimebag Darrell.

The Rebel Meets Rebel album (recorded between 1999 and 2003) features Dimebag, brother Vinnie Paul on drums, bassist Rex Brown and David Allen Coe).

The second those oh-so-familiar riffs kick up on the opener “Nothin’ to Lose,” any fan will feel a smile creep across their face. And while Coe’s voice needs a little “getting used to,” it really starts to grow on you and by the time the disc starts over after a full listen, you forget why you had any issue to begin with.

This album isn’t breaking any new ground and isn’t setting any new trend. It’s simply showcasing a group of guys jamming together for fun and the mutual love of music. Longtime fans of Pantera or Dime will be happy with the usual riff-heavy fare, but there’s a couple of curveballs thrown in for good measure. There’s Dime trading riffs with a fiddler on the title-track; Dime doing his damnedest to actually make his guitar sound like a fiddle on “Nothin’ to Lose”; Dime sharing vocal duties on the title track; Dime tearing it up with an acoustic guitar on “N.Y.C. Streets.”

Everyone else more than pulls their weight on this album. Brown throws down some sick grooves on a multitude of songs, Vinnie is a lot more subdued behind the kit but still makes his presence felt and Coe not only keeps pace with the Cowboys from Hell, but comes up with some great lyrics along the way.

Of particular note is the album closer, “N.Y.C. Streets.” As the story goes, Coe told Dime (and I’m paraphrasing here) that the true test for musicians is to just jam together, make up a song on the spot and see what comes out. The duo went up to Dime’s room and recorded a song on a four-track there and then, completely spur of the moment. Apart from a couple of added guitar tracks Dime added later, “N.Y.C. Streets” was what was recorded that night.

Fans of Dime, Pantera and/or Damageplan will eat it up. Metal fans could find a lot to enjoy. Country fans a little less. But the album is really a gift to the fans and an effort to keep Dime’s memory alive. It works — very well — on both fronts. Would this disc have seen release so soon (if ever) had the tragedy not come to pass? Who can say? But it is here and is a testament to all involved.

Black Label Society -- 'Mafia' [review]

Black Label Society
"Mafia"
(Artemis Records)


Black Label Society has been releasing new music almost non-stop since its inception in 1999 (an album a year), so it's no surprise that front man Zakk Wylde and his boys are a tight-knit group that know exactly how to craft a strong song, let alone a strong album.

"Mafia" sounds like the bastard son of Ozzy Osbourne and Alice in Chains -- the perfect blend of metal and southern rock groove that you can't help but nod along with. This new album takes a page right out of 2002's "1919 Eternal." It's chock-full of blistering riffs and insane guitar solos that continue to solidify Wylde's place among the metal elite.

"Mafia's" first single, the intentionally plodding "Suicide Messiah," rumbles along at a deliberate place, showcasing Wylde's Ozzy-influenced vocals, as well at the intricate guitar work he is know for. And the rest of the band (in its current incarnation) live up to the BLS label. Craig Nunenmacher is a beast behind the drums, accentuating each track with impressive fills and subtle cymbal crashes. Nunenmacher and bassist James Lomenzo (who previously worked with Wylde in the band Pride and Glory) lay a solid foundation that Wylde dances around vocally, on the guitar and, at times, on the piano as well.

While "Mafia" is packed with impressive bombast, there's a couple of surprises on here too. The heartfelt "In This River" (a tribute to guitarist Dimebag Darrell) is one of the highlights of the album. The ballad-esque track features Wylde on piano (with some fantastic background guitar-work and a tight little solo), accompanied by Lomenzo on bass. The song isn't over-the-top trite, but the emotion really seethes from the speakers as the song slowly takes shape and repeats.

The moments of beauty -- "In This River," the piano opening to "Forever Down," the haunting "Dirt on the Grave" -- hardly tip the scale of head-banging goodness on show throughout "Mafia." Tracks like "Fire it Up," "You Must Be Blind" and "Electric Hellfire" are vintage BLS, while the Lynyrd Skynyrd cover, "I Never Dreamed," might be one of the best songs Wylde and the boys ever recorded (and the song closes with one of the sickest solos I've ever heard).

Most are quick to point out that "Mafia" is simply more of the same from BLS, but the truth is that the band has a blueprint for the music it creates, and Wylde is such a great artist that while each song might sound like something the band has done before, that doesn't make you want to listen to it any less. Wylde is one of the rare guitarists that seems to have his craft literally flowing through his veins; it appears as if he simply plugs in his guitar and solos pour out.

While "Mafia" may be nothing new and Wylde's vocals can get slightly repetitive at times, it's still a solid rock-metal release with enough "surprises" to keep casual and diehard fans interested. BLS is definitely in an upswing and if you liked any of the band's previous work, you'll love this album.