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Band:Black Label Society DVD:The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live Released by:Eagle Vision USA Writer: Mark Carras Media: You Tube (In This River) Click Album Cover To Buy Now

The first thing I noticed is that this thing sounds really amazing in my living room! I have the speakers separated as well as a two speaker system in a tiny house can get, and the way they separate the sounds on this DVD takes full advantage of that. I can’t imagine how well it would sound on some surround sound system in a decent sized house! The second thing I notice is that this thing uses some effects that really take away from the performance. Now an overuse of effects can be accepted on some footage that was taken in the 70’s or 80’s, but this thing was filmed way too recent for that excuse. Now these effects don’t totally ruin it or anything. It just would have been better without them. For the most part though this is one bombastic sonic attack on the senses. Zakk has a way of songwriting that takes full advantage of dynamics in a way that really gets the blood pumping more then any lame ass blast beat could. It is shows like this that make me so unimpressed with the so called extreme.

The full on assault goes on for most of the show, but Zakk knows that to truly work an audience you have to give them a rest every few songs. So eight songs into the thing we get an extended version of “In This River”. The live version is pretty different then the studio version most of us are used to, but that makes it all the more entertaining. Then it is back into the full throttled attack that BLS is more known for once again. Then he mixes things up with a solo acoustic jam like only Zakk can do. Very few people can play the acoustic guitar and make it not sound pussified. Zakk is one of the best at making it sound like it is somehow more bad ass. At the end of the show Zakk starts grabbing people from the crowd and letting them on stage. Most of them (not knowing what the fuck else to do) just start whipping their hair around and headbanging. Then next thing I know there is some mini-Zakk playing his guitar (rather well I might add). I will have to watch another time to see when the switch happened because I didn’t notice this round. The real shocker happens at the end when he starts tossing his amps into the crowd. Then the cabinets too! So there are a few French fans with some rather nice mementoes out there.

Then we have the “London chapter” section. This is pretty much the same thing as the “Paris chapter” section, but shorter and less effects. There is one thing I notice that I find kind of funny. When introducing the song “Genocide Junkies” he says that this goes out to the troops overseas and that everyone should keep them in their prayers. First off, he is overseas. These shows are done in France and England. That happens to be the same land mass as the American troops are at. Second, who is he talking to? The crowd? Last I checked France and England didn’t have too many troops in the Iraq war. Now no matter if you are for the war or against it, you have to see how that doesn’t make sense. I love the music, but sometimes the rock stars we love say some pretty funny shit.

Now it sounds a little much to have fifty minutes of “backstage” footage, but the way they edit this the time goes by pretty damn quick. I just hit the play all button and let it go. Although I can’t say much about any specific points that stood out it was pretty cool overall. If it was sold by itself it would be worth about $5, but along with the videos and the first disc it does help complete the package. Does this thing Rock My Money? Hell yeah it does. Sure I find some of the things that Zakk says to be funny for ways it wasn’t meant, but the thing is that even at its worst this thing is pretty damn entertaining. There is a reason Zakk can get away with saying things like I mention above and that is because the music is so damn good. BLS puts on one of the most powerful shows around and this DVD is (100%) proof of that. If you are a BLS fan you will be more then satisfied with this entire package.

Band:Black Label Society DVD:The European Invasion - Doom Troopin' Live Released by:Eagle Vision USA Writer: Mark Carras Media: You Tube (In This River) Click Album Cover To Buy Now

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