Zakk Wylde Hangover Music, Vol. VI CD

Zakk Wylde is among a rare breed of guitar heroes, an iconic role that, by the time of this release in 2004, had all but disappeared from hard rock. Not simply content with sideman status (as a veteran of the Ozzy Osbourne band), Wylde uses Black Label Society to channel his songwriting and his voice into a persona akin to a demonically possessed Bob Seger. For this volume of raunchy, Southern-tinged, blues-based hard rock, the approach is scaled back from his usual unforgiving style.

HANGOVER MUSIC VOL. 6 features songs predominantly built around acoustic guitar and piano. Fans of Wylde's soloing style will be blissfully sated; his overdriven, searing vibrato and screaming false harmonics are as omnipresent as ever. Echoes of Alice in Chains ("Queen of Sorrow"), Zakk's mentor Ozzy ("Steppin' Stone"), and even his inaugural solo outfit, Pride & Glory, ring out clearly here. A gut-wrenching treatment of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" rounds out the modestly produced, solid set.

Recorded at Paramount Studios, Los Angeles, California.

Personnel: Zakk Wylde (vocals, guitar, piano, bass guitar); James LoMenzo, John DeServio, Mike Inez (bass guitar); Craig Nunemacher (drums).

Personnel includes: Zakk Wylde (vocals, acoustic & electric guitars, piano, bass); John "J.D." DeServio, James Lomenzo (bass); Craig Nunenmacher, John Tempesta (drums).