In a new interview with Grammy.com, Zakk Wylde discussed Black Label Society’s 20th anniversary reissue of their Sonic Brew album.

Wylde said, “Any of our favorite bands and records that we love and listen to, whether it's the Eagles doing Hotel California, why redo it; it's a snapshot in time. The performances are the performances; it is what it is. The vocals; that's what I sounded like 20 years ago. The only thing we wanted to do was sonically improve the fidelity of the record."

On what made them decide to do a 20th anniversary edition, Wylde revealed, “The whole thing is I don't have the two-inches [master tapes] for the original. I have everything I've ever recorded, right? Solo, Book of Shadows; everything. The only thing I would've done was just clean up the mastering. And give the drums a little more TLC. Obviously it was the 20-year anniversary which, is like wow, I can't believe it. Twenty years is gone.

“I was looking at guitar magazines, at an old Guitar Player, the cover had Keith Richards and it said, ‘14 years in the Rolling Stones.’ It was a big deal when a rock band was around for 14 years. Like the life expectancy of a rock band back then was eight years. Even though the Beatles were playing for a while, it was really like '62 to '69, then by '70 and it was over. So the Stones, when they just kept going, that was big news. So somebody goes,’"what are you going to do to celebrate the 20th anniversary?’ We got the birthday cake that said ‘Happy Birthday Black Label Society,’ and then says, ‘32 more to go’ to get even up to the Rolling Stones.”

On May 17th, Black Label Society released a new, reimagined version of the band’s iconic 1999 debut LP, Sonic Brew, titled Sonic Brew - 20th Anniversary Blend 5.99 - 5.19, original formula with enhanced flavor. 

“The original recording back in 1997 was mastered with high volume, alcohol, and dance," says Wylde from his home studio. “We went in and worked off the existing performances and focused on the high volume and dance while replacing the booze with viagra and anabolic steroids.”

The new re-blended version of Sonic Brew will feature two new bonus tracks, a full band/piano version of “Spoke In The Wheel” and an acoustic version of “Black Pearl.”

Wylde continues, although we wish he would stop, “I wanted to re-blend and re-choreograph this release to be the most brewtal and dance-tactic album since Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive” dominated the dance floor at Studio 54!”

Sonic Brew was initially released in Japan on October 28th, 1998, and contained 13 tracks and a free Zakk Wylde guitar pick. The album was subsequently released in North America on May 4th, 1999, with three bonus tracks including a cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s “No More Tears”, recorded with bassist Mike Inez of Alice in Chains.

BLS lineup:

Zakk Wylde - Vocals/Guitar
John DeServio - Bass
Dario Lorina - Guitar
Jeff Fabb - Drums

(Photo - Justin Reich)