Many people that I have talked to about BLS have told me this was the CD that got them “into” BLS. This is why I have chosen it for review.

All songs written by Zakk Wylde.

1. “Stoned and Drunk” – 5:02
2. “Doomsday Jesus” – 3:30
3. “Stillborn” – 3:15
4. “Suffering Overdue” – 4:29
5. “The Blessed Hellride” – 4:32
6. “Funeral Bell” – 4:41
7. “Final Solution” – 4:04
8. “Destruction Overdrive” – 3:01
9. “Blackened Waters” – 3:56
10. “We Live No More” – 4:02
11. “Dead Meadow” – 4:30

Released in 2003 The Blessed Hellride: “Stoned and Drunk” opens the door to this CD with blistering drums and Zakk’s brutal vocals and guitar licks. An easy song to crank up, roll the windows down and hit the road. “Doomsday Jesus” carries on the brutality leading us down an apocalyptic road of Viking like wailing vocals, hammer like drumming, and shotgun guitars. “Stillborn” gives a taste of Ozzy himself on backing vocals and is easily one of BLS’s best known songs. A kick ASS video directed by none other than Rob Zombie can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZGt4JVX860 “Suffering Overdue” slows down a bit but maintains the heaviness of the CD and settles in for a groove that keeps you into the feel of the CD. The title track “The Blessed Hellride” hearkens towards the acoustic mastery of Zakk Wylde. My favorite version is the acoustic duet he does with the Evil Twin himself and can be found here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXiSxviwj78 “Funeral Bell” picks the pace back up and fires the engines back into overdrive. The Funeral Bell is ringing but not for BLS or the BLS Family! “Final Solution” Keeps the pace and Zakk’s pinch harmonic style prevails throughout. “Destruction Overdrive” is a dangerous song for me to listen to while driving because I just want to floor it and drive like hell. Easily one of my favorite tracks on the CD. When you look down and see the your speedometer is at 120mph “Blackened Waters” brings you back to reality and slows the pace back a bit and still keeps it heavy. The drum intro to “We Live no More” is one of my favorite songs intros. Zakk’s vocal work on this one is my favorite on the CD. Zakk closes out the CD with the piano laden “Dead Meadow” but there is nothing dead here. Great way to close out a CD that like a finely tuned engine revs up and down and gets the blood pumping! A great CD to get you into BLS. Pick it up and I guarantee you’ll be back for the rest of the collection