MNRK Music Group has acquired the recorded music catalog of Black Label Society from its founder, guitarist Zakk Wylde, announced on September 16, 2026. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
What changes hands
The deal covers the heavy metal band's recorded output across more than two decades: 11 studio albums, along with live releases, compilations, EPs, Wylde's solo recordings and acoustic projects. One notable exclusion is the band's newest album, Engines of Demolition, released on March 27, 2026 as its 12th studio record, which stays outside the transaction. Wylde started writing that album in 2022 during the Pantera Celebration World Tour.
MNRK says it plans reissues, catalog curation and legacy campaigns, using its distribution and marketing reach across streaming, vinyl and new formats. Wylde will remain involved in decisions about how the catalog is presented.
The catalog
- Stronger Than Death: one of the 11 studio albums in the deal.
- 1919 Eternal: another studio title included.
- The Blessed Hellride: part of the band's 2000s studio run.
- Order of the Black: a later studio album in the acquired set.
- Unblackened: the largely acoustic 2013 live album.
Why it matters
MNRK is building a dedicated position in heavy music. In June 2025 it bought metal label Prosthetic Records, which now sits within its MNRK Heavy division, and adding a catalog with the profile of Black Label Society fits that plan. Metal and hard rock audiences are known for buying physical formats, so a buyer with vinyl and reissue capabilities can extract value beyond streaming.
For artists considering a sale, the structure is instructive. Wylde sold the back catalog while keeping his newest album, and he keeps a creative say in how the older records are handled. Carving out recent releases and negotiating ongoing involvement are practical ways to monetize a catalog without giving up the whole of a still-active career.