Black Label Society are one of American metal's most versatile institutions. Kickstarted by commanding guitarist Zakk Wylde in the late '90s, they slice a trail through sludge, grunge, Southern rock and even thrash. With its deep grooves and black-leather swagger, “Suicide Messiah” smashes biker rock into alt-metal. On “Counterfeit God” they soak their chugging engine in a psychedelic wash so thick it's delirious. Wylde's also a gifted songwriter, as shown on the 2014 single “Angel of Mercy”, a Skynyrd-style ballad that reflects on a life doomed by loneliness.