Black Label Society is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1998 by guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Zakk Wylde β one of the most iconic and immediately recognizable figures in hard rock. Born Jeffrey Wielandt in Bayonne, New Jersey, Wylde was still a teenager when he smuggled a demo tape into Ozzy Osbourne's hands and landed the lead guitar slot in Osbourne's band in 1987, replacing Jake E. Lee. He would go on to become the longest-serving guitarist in Ozzy's career, co-writing modern classics including "No More Tears," "Mama I'm Coming Home," "Miracle Man," and "Road to Nowhere," and earning a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for the live recording of "I Don't Want to Change the World." During a brief departure from Ozzy's orbit in the early 1990s, Wylde formed the Southern rock outfit Pride & Glory and later released a solo acoustic album, Book of Shadows (1996). Black Label Society grew out of that restless creative energy and has been his primary vehicle ever since.
Wylde formed BLS in 1998 with drummer Phil Ondich, recording the debut album Sonic Brew largely by himself β playing lead guitar, rhythm guitar, and bass on most tracks. Rhythm guitarist Nick Catanese, who had contacted Wylde on a whim after spotting his email address in a magazine, came aboard as a touring member and eventually became a full-time presence through the early years of the band. The bassist chair has rotated through a remarkable cast over the years: Mike Inez of Alice in Chains, Robert Trujillo β who joined Metallica shortly after his BLS tenure β and James LoMenzo, later of Megadeth, all held the position before John "JD" DeServio, Wylde's childhood friend from New Jersey, settled in as the permanent bassist from 2005 onward. The drum chair similarly saw several occupants β Craig Nunenmacher handled the role through the band's most prolific early period before Will Hunt and eventually Jeff Fabb, who has been the drummer since 2014, took over. Dario Lorina replaced Catanese on rhythm guitar in 2013 and rounds out the current lineup.
The studio discography is one of the most substantial in modern heavy metal: Sonic Brew (1999), Stronger Than Death (2000), 1919 Eternal (2002), The Blessed Hellride (2003), Hangover Music Vol. VI (2004), Mafia (2005), Shot to Hell (2006), Order of the Black (2010), Catacombs of the Black Vatican (2014), Grimmest Hits (2018), Doom Crew Inc. (2021), and Engines of Demolition (2026). Order of the Black was the band's commercial breakthrough, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200 and selling 45,000 copies in its first week. Phil Anselmo of Pantera contributed vocals to "Suicide Messiah" on Mafia, one of the more celebrated guest appearances in the band's catalog. Hangover Music Vol. VI stands apart from the rest β a largely acoustic, piano-driven record that demonstrated Wylde's range as a songwriter well beyond bone-crushing riffs.
Wylde's accolades as a guitarist are staggering. His signature Les Paul Bullseye guitar hangs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. His handprints are on Hollywood's Rock Walk of Fame. He has graced the cover of virtually every major guitar publication on the planet and wrote the 2013 Major League Baseball theme for ESPN. He has toured with Pantera and leads Zakk Sabbath, a Black Sabbath tribute band featuring Ozzy's original bassist. Despite the pull of all those outside commitments, Black Label Society has never stopped β releasing music and touring with an almost fanatical consistency that has built a devoted global following known as the BLS Army.
Wayne Dennon photographed Black Label Society as part of a catalog that spans heavy music's most enduring acts. Wylde's stage presence β the massive frame, the Viking beard, the pinch harmonics that could strip paint off a wall β is the kind of thing that demands a camera. Wayne's images of BLS capture a band that performs with the conviction of a true believer, because that is exactly what Zakk Wylde is.
