In my review of Stronger Than Death, I explained why I felt like that album was Black Label Society’s peak.  It is the one album that best represents their heavy, straightforward sound and the one that most features Zakk Wylde’s most ferocious and brooding vocal work.  That album was released in 2001.  Fast forward five years later, and Black Label Society released their seventh studio album: Shot to Hell.  The difference in quality is glaring.

BLS started falling back a little on the brutality meter with 2003’s The Blessed Hellride.  That album had all the crunch and punch of BLS, but there was a noticeable change in Zakk’s vocal style.  He began singing a bit higher – which would become his normal pitch afterward – and the riffs became a little less on the heaviness.  The band then would record an all mellow album (which is actually quite good) and returned with Mafia in 2005.  The change was fully developed at that point.  Zakk was in full bore “Ozzy sound-a-like” mode and the lyrics were becoming less and less impressive.

It all came to head with Shot to Hell.  Too many songs, too many similar sounds, and too little heaviness.  Now, I’m not opposed to mellow metal, in fact, I tend to listen to it more than anything else, but it needs to be good.  And Shot to Hell sounds like Zakk went into the studio for a few hours, recorded whatever came to his head, and left.  According to some quotes, that is exactly what happened. 

Whether or not that is the case doesn’t matter.  What is apparent is that the band just goes with their first ideas and cranks them out.  This is fine to an extent, and there is something to be said for going with comes to you, but excellent art is made via revision and it’s clear that some tracks on Shot to Hell are in desperate need of some.

Once again, the lyrics leave a lot to be desired, as verses get repeated and choruses come and go so quickly it seems like the songs themselves are on speed dial.  The ballads that the band is so good at are too plentiful and end up sounding the same.  “The Last Goodbye,” “Nothing’s the Same,” and “Sick of it All” each has its merits, but overall don’t hold up to what’s come before, and merge together.  “Blood is Thicker than Water” sounds like it was recorded for Hangover Music, and would have fit in better there.  “Lead me to Your Door” also sounds like it would fit there, but is actually a pretty good song.

Despite my complaints, there are some good, heavy songs.  “Concrete Jungle” is quality, as is “Faith is Blind,” “Devil’s Dime,” and “New Religion.” “Hell is High” I can do without, "Black Mass Reverends" shouldn't have even made the cut, and “Blacked Out World,” though a good track, sounds like it was leftover from Mafia.

And therein is the inherent problem with Shot to Hell.  Too many songs sound like they are retreads from previous albums, and the album as a whole ends up sounding like a compilation album rather than a new offering.  It also suffers from burnout because BLS had been putting out an album every year since 2000 at this point, and it was bound to catch up.  I don’t necessarily recommend the album, but check it out if you’re a completist or want to hear the evolution of the BLS sound.  4.5/10