Black Label Society stormed MGM Music Hall at Fenway with special guests Dark Chapel and Zakk Sabbath.
The first band of the evening was Dark Chapel. Fronted by guitarist/singer Dario Lorina (Black Label Society), blends precise guitar work, sludgy grooves, melodic hooks with bluesy touches and grunge allure. Dark Chapel’s 2025 debut LP, “Spirit in the Glass”, balances heavy, ethereal, and passionate elements.
Dario also unleashed two instrumental solo albums through Shrapnel Records, namely Dario Lorina (2013) and Death Grip Tribulations (2017) before assembling Dark Chapel in 2024.
The album’s first single, “Glass Heart,” combines gritty vocals and searing riffs, while “Hollow Smile” explores internal battles with thrash- inspired rhythms. Other tracks like “Corpse Flower” evoke gothic imagery, and “Dead Weight” delivers emotional blues. “All That Remains” pays tribute to a lost friend, and “Bullet In Our Chamber” channels Bukowski’s idea of being consumed by passion. Dark Chapel’s debut captivates with raw emotion and dynamic storytelling.
From the moment they stepped onstage, Dark Chapel leaned into a sound that felt both familiar and slightly off-center. Led by guitarist Dario Lorina—already known to many in the room from his role in Black Label Society—the band blended sludgy riffing with blues-inflected phrasing and a touch of grunge haze.
By the midpoint of the set, the room had shifted. What started as polite interest turned into genuine engagement. You could feel it in the way people leaned forward rather than drifting to the bar. That’s not an easy feat for an opening act in a nearly 5,000-capacity room.
Dark Chapel functioned as more than just an opener—they were a tonal bridge. Their blend of groove, blues, and modern heaviness set the stage without overshadowing what came next. And for those paying attention, it was clear: this isn’t just a side project riding on association. It’s a band quietly building something of its own.
The next band of the evening was Zakk Sabbath.
Before the full force of Black Label Society took over later that night, the room was already thick with anticipation. But once Zakk Wylde walked onstage with his stripped-down trio, the tone shifted immediately from “opening act” to full-on ritual.
The set began like an invocation. A taped intro of “Supertzar” bled into the unmistakable stomp of “Children of the Grave,” and just like that, the floor locked in. There was no easing into it—just a plunge into the primordial weight of Black Sabbath’s catalog.
What makes Zakk Sabbath compelling isn’t novelty—it’s authority. Wylde isn’t playing these songs as a fan looking inward; he’s playing them as someone who helped carry that lineage forward for decades. That came through in every note: the tone was massive, overdriven but controlled, like a constant rolling thunder rather than sharp bursts. According to one review, his sound hit like a “pulverizing…right of sound” that never lost impact.
Midway through the set, the crowd stopped treating it like a prelude. The floor filled out, heads started moving in unison, and that distinctly Boston mix of skepticism and loyalty tipped decisively toward the latter. By the time Wylde stepped offstage—after weaving through the audience mid-solo during “War Pigs”—the barrier between performer and crowd had basically dissolved.
By the end of their set, one thing was clear: this wasn’t just an opening act warming up the crowd. It was a reminder of where the entire night—and a good chunk of heavy music itself—comes from.
The final act of the evening was Black Label Society. They are a American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1998 by guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde. To date, the band has released twelve studio albums, two live albums, two compilation albums, one EP, and three video albums.
On November 26, 2021 the band released their eleventh studio album, Doom Crew Inc., with the lead single “Set You Free” being selected by Loudwire as the 22nd-best metal song of 2021.
Black Label Society didn’t just headline MGM Music Hall at Fenway—they took it over like a full-blown sermon of distortion, sweat, and devotion.
From the start, the atmosphere felt less like a typical concert and more like a gathering of the faithful. Fans—“Berserkers,” as they’re known—packed the floor and balconies, turning the 5,000-capacity room into what one reviewer described as a “pressure cooker” of denim, leather, and anticipation.
When Zakk Wylde emerged, it wasn’t with subtlety. He stalked the stage with that unmistakable presence—part guitar hero, part biker preacher—armed with his signature bullseye guitar and a tone that hit like a blunt instrument. The opening stretch wasted no time: thick, grinding riffs rolled out immediately, locking the crowd into a steady wave of headbanging.
What separates Black Label Society from a lot of modern metal acts is their sense of weight. Not speed, not flash—weight. Songs didn’t rush; they lumbered forward with purpose, each riff landing hard and hanging in the air just long enough to feel physical. That signature blend of heavy blues-rock groove and metal crunch—something Wylde has built his career on—was on full display.
The set pulled from across their catalog, mixing anthems with newer material reportedly tied to their latest release, Engines of Demolition. The newer songs didn’t feel like interruptions—they fit seamlessly into the band’s established sound, reinforcing rather than reinventing it. This is a band that knows exactly what it is, and leans into it unapologetically.
Mid-set, the line between stage and crowd dissolved completely. Wylde stepped off the stage and into the audience during an extended solo, weaving through the pit while still ripping through leads. Fans online described being just feet away as he played, calling it a once-in-a-lifetime kind of moment. That kind of interaction didn’t feel like a gimmick—it felt like part of the band’s DNA.
By the time they hit the closing stretch—likely anchored by staples like “Stillborn” or “In This River”—the entire room was locked in. No one was pacing themselves anymore. It was full commitment: fists in the air, voices shouting along, bodies moving in sync with every down-tuned chord.
What made the night stand out wasn’t just volume or technicality—it was conviction. Black Label Society didn’t perform like a band going through the motions of a tour stop. They played like this was their room, their city, their chapter.
Some bands play shows. Black Label Society builds rituals.
Black Label Society
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Zakk Sabbath
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