Just under a week after the release of Engines Of Demolition, Zakk Wylde’s most emotional and powerful album yet, Black Label Society brought the tour of the same name to Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino for a show that will not be forgotten any time soon. Opening the night was Dark Chapel, followed by Zakk Sabbath.
Black Label Society – Zakk Sabbath – Dark Chapel
Mohegan Sun Casino – 2 April 2026
Words And Photography: Jody Wilk
The Arena at Mohegan Sun is a popular venue in Uncasville for rock bands to play and holds 10,000 concert fanatics. According to Zakk Wylde, in an interview with local radio station 99.1 WPLR, he said we could expect a “toe-tapping event”.
Dark Chapel
Dario Lorino, the man behind Dark Chapel, is also a crazy, talented guitarist for Black Label Society. Dark Chapel hit the stage as the fans were still filling in.
With Dario on lead vocals and slaying the guitar, they showcased music from their album Spirit In The Glass, the deluxe version of which includes three additional songs beyond the original release.
The band features Dylan Dyce on guitar, Mike Gunn on Bass, and madman Luis Silva on drums. With the crowd on their feet, Dark Chapel aced a six-song set, beginning with Afterglow and Hollow Smile and rocking right into Sign Of Life and Hit Your Love, both of which were released last October.
Next, they rocked the stage with a cover of Bill Wither’s Ain’t No Sunshine. These guys worked up a sweat for the crowd with a Heavy Metal set that at times has some bluesy roots.
They were a perfect pick to open the night with their melodic riffs and thunderous drums. Dark Chapel are sure to be gaining more and more followers after each show.
Zakk Sabbath
If you love searing, melt-your-face-off guitar leads and have never experienced Zakk Wylde’s Zakk Sabbath show, then you were in for a treat.
Zakk, along with Dario Lorino, who is doing triple duty on this tour, have taken Black Sabbath songs and rearranged them to include lots more guitar madness for your listening pleasure.
Here is where I would normally say they played a short five-song set. However, these five songs lasted for a total of 40 minutes.
Black Label’s bad ass drummer, Jeff Fabb, was also on drums for Zakk Sabbath and does so with the strength of a rabid monkey, as well as BLS’s John ‘J.D.’ DeServio pounding out every bass note with perfection.
They kicked off the set with Black Sabbath’s Children Of The Grave and kept the hardcore berserkers singing along and then cheering between songs.
If you have ever attended a Zakk Wylde show, you know to expect him to be dressed in a kilt with his long hair flailing from side to side, and tonight was no exception.
For us photographers, it is a challenge to capture a clear photo of his face. Zakk doesn’t try to replicate Ozzy’s vocals but rather makes it his own.
The rest of the set included Snowblind, Fairies Wear Boots, N.I.B., and ended the sensory overload with War Pigs. Epic and most certainly toe-tapping.
Black Label Society
This is the part of the show that The Connecticut Chapter of Black Label Society was waiting for, The Engines Of Demolition Tour, and the anticipation of the new Ozzy tribute song that would be played during the set.
Shortly after 9:30 pm, the curtain dropped, and Zakk was on his riser at the centre of the stage playing the unmistakable intro to Funeral Bell.
The crowd was bobbing their heads to the repetitive riff coming from Zakk’s new Wrath Maker Wylde Audio guitar with the Engines Of Demolition logo on it.
What a bad ass logo it is. It is an orange chrome skull with a turbo and exhaust for its ears and pistons coming out of the top of its head. I just had to buy a t-shirt with the new logo on it.
Name In Blood was the first song played from the new album, followed by Destroy And Conquer from the recent Doom Crew Inc. album.
The cheers at the beginning of No More Tears, the only cover song of the night, were deafening.
Next up were the band intros, to which Zakk was goofing with the crowd, saying after he introduced each member how they did not like anybody from Connecticut, and then saying that it was all right, “because I love everyone from Connecticut.”
Wylde introduced drummer Jeff Fabb as “Father Jeff, the furnace, the cinnamon babka maker,” to which the fans laughed.
Next, Zakk took to the piano and slowed things up with In This River, which he always dedicates to Dimebag Darrell and Vinny Paul with their images on screens at the rear of the stage.
After several more fan favourites, they played the song everyone was waiting to hear live for their first time, Ozzy Song, a tribute Zakk wrote not long after Ozzy’s passing.
This time, with Dario on the piano, Zakk took centre stage and sang the heartfelt dedication song in Ozzy’s memory to a respectfully quiet crowd.
With photos of Ozzy on the screens at the back of the stage, you could feel the emotion coming from the band and the crowd, and even the guitar sounded like it may have shed a tear for Ozzy.
They ended a superb set with Stillborn.
It is amazing to see these guys still pounding out so much music night after night, as well as turning out new albums with so many great songs on them.
The Engines Of Demolition Tour featuring Black Label Society, Zakk Sabbath, and Dark Chapel is a must-see for any Zakk Wylde fan, Ozzy Fan, Black Sabbath fan, or any fan of Heavy Metal.
Attendees left The Mohegan Sun arena with ears ringing and possibly even a tear in their eyes for Ozzy Osbourne. Tour tickets are available from linktr.ee/zakkwyldebls.
