Black Label Society are gearing up to release their thirteenth studio album, Engines of Demolition, and in news that will surprise absolutely no one who’s been paying attention for the last three decades, it’ll end with a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne.
The album is set to be released in March via MNRK Heavy, the closing track titled ‘Ozzy’s Song’ will honour the late Prince of Darkness, given Zakk Wylde’s history with Ozzy, it doesn’t come as a surprise at all.
Wylde’s connection to Ozzy runs deep, he first stepped into the spotlight in the late ’80s after replacing Jake E. Lee, making his recorded debut on No Rest for the Wicked. From there, he became one of the most recognisable guitarists in Ozzy’s orbit, playing alongside him across multiple eras between 1987 and 2025, that run ultimately came to a close at last year’s ‘Back to the Beginning’ farewell show.
Speaking to NJ.com back in November, Wylde reflected on that final performance, admitting he didn’t realise the significance of the moment at the time:
“I wasn’t thinking when we were doing the show that this was the last time I’m going to be doing ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ with the boss or this is the last time I’m going to play ‘Crazy Train’ with him or anything like that. I was just going, ‘Let’s do this and let’s have a good time, like always.”
Zakk Sabbath
Outside of Black Label Society, Wylde also fronts Zakk Sabbath, a full blown tribute to Black Sabbath’s catalogue. Between that, his decades with Ozzy, and his role in carrying that legacy forward, a dedicated song felt like it was meant to be.
So far, three tracks from Engines of Demolition: ‘Broken and Blind’, ‘Lord Humungus’, and ‘The Gallows’ have been released, all three stick firmly to the Black Label Society blueprint, thick riffs, bruised bravado, and zero interest in subtlety.
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