On May 17th, Black Label Society will release 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. 

Speaking to Billboard columnist Mick Stingley, Zakk offered the following: “The whole thing is, I don’t have the two-inches [tapes] — I don’t have all the recordings I’ve ever done, but I own all the masters. But I don’t have them on those, so to actually go in and remix the record, it’s impossible, you know what I mean? So what exists is what exists: just the DAT and the CD of the actual record.”

Therefore, Wylde went into The Black Vatican (his recording studio) and had BLS drummer Jeff Fabb and bassist John DeServio replay certain parts. “We just call it ‘reblended’ because we’re a bunch of doofus hipsters, so that’s what we go with,” he says with a laugh. “So everyone thinks we’re that much more genius!

“The whole thing is that I don’t want to change the performances on the record because the magic that was in those performances is what we all love,” he continues. “I don’t want to hear Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones going in and rerecording Led Zeppelin II because what’s the point?”

Learn more at this location.

Black Label Society has also announced their 20 Years Of Sonic Brewtality Tour, a brand-new batch of 2019 North American tour dates in conjunction with the release of a new, reimagined version of the band’s iconic 1999 debut LP, Sonic Brew, on May 17th, 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!”

The band will play two shows in each market - the first night will feature Sonic Brew played in its entirety, while the second night will see the band play a set of greatest hits. Support will come from Conan and The Atomic Bitchwax. Black Label Society will also participate in US festivals Sonic Temple, Epicenter, and Welcome To Rockville on this run.

Dates begin April 24th at The Oriental Theater in Denver and wrap up in Los Angeles at the famous El Rey Theater for two nights ending on May 23rd. Tickets are on sale this Friday, February 1st.

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.

Tour dates:

April
24 - Denver, CO - The Oriental Theater
25 - Denver, CO - The Oriental Theater
27 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
28 - Dallas, TX - Canton Hall
30 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall

May
1 - Chicago, IL - Concord Music Hall
4 - Jacksonville, FL - Welcome To Rockville
6 - New York, NY - The Bowery Ballroom
7 - New York, NY - The Bowery Ballroom
11 - Rockingham, NC - Epicenter
14 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
15 - Toronto, ON - Opera House
17 - Columbus, OH - Sonic Temple
18 - Clarksville, TN - O'Connors
22 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre
23 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

BLS lineup:

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

(Photo - Justin Reich)