Roadrunner International today announced that they have re-signed guitar legend Zakk Wylde’s BLACK LABEL SOCIETY exclusively for the whole of Europe for their forthcoming as-yet-untitled studio album, due for release Summer 2010.

It has been over 23 years since a then 18 year old Wylde came bursting into our lives with a Les Paul in hand and a wall of Marshall’s behind him, and dazzled the masses with his ferocious fretwork as guitarist and co-songwriter in the Ozzy Osbourne band – a position he would hold for over twenty years. Since then he has become one of the most recognizable and respected players of his time, spawning a million budding guitarists, and helping make the Gibson Les Paul guitar the most recognizable guitar on the planet.

Since their conception in 1998, Black Label Society have gone on to release seven studio albums – resulting in sales in excess of one and a half million records. They have earned a reputation as one of the best and hardest working live bands doing the rounds today; a truly super-human feat considering Wylde retained his day job with Ozzy Osbourne at the same time.

Fast-forward to January 2010 and Wylde / Black Label Society are readying themselves to hit his newly completed mountain top recording studio to record their latest slab of uncompromising, unfiltered, and unrestrained rock and roll. Recording is slated to start early February and with the new flexibility of having a studio literally outside his home, Wylde expects to deliver his best material yet. “With the home studio I have this flexibility when inspiration hits to lay down new ideas at anytime – day or night – for rerecording later. This freshness should prove inspiring – and some of these first takes might even make it on the album,” he enthuses.

Zakk continues, “I’m ready to work with our Black Label Brothers and Sisters at Roadrunner in Europe! They share the same Strength, Determination, Merciless, Forever attitude as Black Label Society does so it only seems natural to continue working together!”

BLS are confirmed to appear at the UK’s High Voltage festival, taking place in London on July 24 & 25, with acts including ZZ Top, ELP, Heaven & Hell, Foreigner, and Clutch, amongst others.