Ozzy Osbourne SCREAM
Goddamn. This album ROCKS.
It was interesting going into this one...I had no idea what to expect and although I am an old school Ozzy fan I had only followed a few records (No Rest For The Wicked being the main one) since the Randy Rhoads days.
The opening track Let It Die starts with kind of a weird slap back guitar echo effect which made me immediately think my speakers were f*cked up...but about 20 seconds in HOLY SHIT the bass comes in and and grabs you by the throat followed by a blistering guitar riff and quickly thereafter a HOT f*cking solo that reminded me a little of something Marty Friedman might do.....and then the RIFF whoa it's HEAVY. From that point on the beating doesn't let up for the full record/. The chorus on Let It Die is really bad ass as well...and the first middle solo is great and very melodic with a cool bridge that leads into the second (or is that third??) solo...way to go guys!
This is a celebration of music...a look at everything Ozzy is and stands for and he knows it and he feeds that too us in massive heaps. I feel in some ways Ozzy is aware that he won't live forever (finally) and that each record he does from here on out moving into his early 60's might be his final; and he ROCKS like it's his last day on Earth. I've listened to the record now...at least 8 times in about 24 hours and it gets better and better each time I move through it.
Obviously going into this record there's the controversy of long time lead guitarist Zakk Wylde not playing on this one...from what I'd read online a few things transpired. One was Zakk's health issues...blood clots in the legs sidelined him for a while...which might have given Ozzy and Sharon a little time to think about Ozzy's future. Ozzy also expressed concerns that his music was starting to sound like Black Label Society and he couldn't tell the difference. Between the two and all the research I did I read nothing of the rumors Zakk's drinking was a contributor which I had heard early on before Scream was released.... it was just time for a change...they basically worked together for 17 years.(6 year gap in the mid to late 90's)
So on to the new line-up and Ozzy's writing partner and producer Kevin Churko (as well as Adam Wakeman Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman's son who co-writes 5 songs and plays keyboards for the band...)...ok Turko and Osbourne together are the SHIT. The song "Time" is literally one of the best Ozzy songs he's ever done. A track that lifts you up to a higher place (lyrically and musically) and then just sets you sailing through the air to a place ONLY great music can take you...I must have listened just to this song 20-30 times last night...I can't get over how great it is. Ozzy you and Kevin really outdid yourselves on that track...it's a classic/
so many high points on this record...Let It Die, Let Me Hear You Scream, Soul Sucker, Life Won't Wait, Diggin' Me Down, Time, I Want More, Fearless, and finally the closing "mini track" 'I Love You All' which is dedicated to "us" the fans...Gus G is great on guitar. I am not going to waste time debating that because he uses artificial harmonics he's some sort of Zakk Wylde clone. He's really a great player. Gus seems very energetic from all the live clips I've watched, and the guy can shred as well as play the more laid back but complex subtle things this record has. If I was going to be hyper critical he could maybe inject a little more personality into his playing. That just takes some time though and who knows in the studio how much he was being directed.
Some really great acoustic work on this record with classical overtones that will really appeal to the Randy Rhoads fans.... just bits and pieces but it will take you back to some favorite past tracks.
Really a great record and something everyone involved in should be very proud of.
9 out of 10
(bottom two live shots from an amazing flickr gallery) that is a MUST see: Photoreti please give them some love.
(written by boyinblack80)
For whatever reason, I never got around to checking out Ozzy's last couple of releases. The only thing I know from Scream are of course the videos. So, this review does give me reason to go out and check it out and I will definitely be doing so.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review. I will give you my thoughts once I've picked it up myself.