Photo Credits – “Ozzy Osbourne in Philly” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Kevin Burkettby
Among the faces on the Mount Rushmore of metal and hard rock is engraved a certain Birmingham native named John Osbourne, better known to the world as Ozzy. His contributions to the genre have left the musical world a changed place, and it seems that the 73 year old vocalist and songwriter is not finished with his impact upon that world he has so endearingly built alongside countless other legends of the art.
On September 9, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne released his thirteenth studio album to the world and thus emphatically declared that the “Prince of Darkness” is not done yet.
The work, “Patient Number 9,” is the follow-up to “Ordinary Man” (2020) which, while a solid work, seemed to have strayed from several aspects which made Ozzy a household name in many fans’ minds. The record was once again produced by Andrew Watt, who helped Osbourne return to the music scene after recruiting him to perform on Post Malone’s “Take What You Want,” which was released in late 2019. This track was Osbourne’s first Top 10 hit in over 30 years and helped push his music to a younger audience. Despite loyalists and critics being disappointed with the 2020 effort, “Ordinary Man” rose to strong commercial success in its release, charting for nine weeks on the Billboard 200 and peaking at 3, which happens to be tied with the highest Billboard 200 position Ozzy has achieved in his solo career. The album has gone on to achieve Gold status in the United States, selling over 500k copies, a rare feat for rockers these days.
For those who were disappointed with its predecessor, I assure you “Patient Number 9” more than makes up for the shortcomings of “Ordinary Man.”
“Patient Number 9” was recorded during the pandemic and during multiple health scares for Osbourne. Over the past couple years, Ozzy has dealt with a bout with COVID-19, a life-determining surgery on his neck and back and his public diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. This has limited Osbourne’s mobility and ability to tour, but he has taken the stage several times to promote the album including an appearance with Tony Iommi to close out the Commonwealth Games last month. Just this past week, he appeared at So-Fi Stadium performing the title track for the new album and his hit song “Crazy Train,” along with Andrew Watt, Zakk Wylde, Chris Chaney and Tommy Clufetos, the latter of whom appeared as the touring drummer for Black Sabbath on their final tour.
Featuring an all-star cast of musicians, the album seems to take listeners through a brief history of metal while understanding that as the times have changed, so too has the sound of these legendary figures. From Eric Clapton’s Cream-esque bluesy performance in “One of Those Days” to Tony Iommi’s unmistakable Black Sabbath-driven journey in “No Escape From Now,” the album features vintage callbacks from long standing legends of the genre which Ozzy helped construct. Headlining the guitar work on other featured tracks are Mike McCready, Jeff Beck and, of course, Ozzy’s right hand man since 1988: Zakk Wylde.
The album as a whole takes a turn away from its commercially sounding predecessor in favor of the dark and melodious Ozzy compositions which fans fell in love with in the 80s. Themes of mental illness, mortality and other similar subject matter is tackled by “Patient Number 9,” in both the title track as well as in much of the rest of the album. These aspects are detailed in several ways such as “Patient Number 9” telling the story from within the mind of a mentally ill patient in a hospital wrestling with his demons and attempting to escape. “Degradation Rules,” Iommi’s second collaboration, explores how excessive self-pleasure dominates the minds of those who have sought its fool’s gold. With thematic shades of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets,” the piece is driven with a 21st century Black Sabbath sound.
The title track was released as the lead single on June 24 and features the first of the acclaimed guitarists on this piece: Jeff Beck. The over seven-minute long journey was a fantastic choice for a title track as well as a kickoff track for the album to invite listeners into the theme and sound of the rest of the album.
“Immortal” features Mike McCready and plays as a track similar to something off of 2010’s “Scream” with a bass heavy intro which features Robert Trujillo, who is currently the bassist of Metallica and previously performed on Osbourne’s “Down to Earth” and “Live at Budokan” albums in the early 2000s. A memorable and catchy chorus where Ozzy documents a vampire’s immortality, this second track comes off powerful and encourages critics of “Ordinary Man” that this one will not repeat the offenses of the other.
“Parasite” begins to play with a few shades of that commerciality which had been so despised in “Ordinary Man.” While the piece is still a solid work and the first to feature longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde, the chorus just doesn’t hit with as strong of a melodical force as the ensuing pieces were able to in their own ways.
The powerhouse string of songs then kicks off to redeem the album and establish the compilation as among the Ozzy greats with Ozzy’s reunion with former bandmate Tony Iommi in “No Escape From Now.” The nearly seven-minute song is an obvious callback to the pair’s Black Sabbath days beginning with an acoustic intro where Ozzy’s voice is covered in the same effect used all the way back in 1970 on the Sabbath classic “Planet Caravan.” The song eventually morphs into a vintage Sabbath journey which would have easily fit on the final album of the group: “13” (2013).
Clapton’s bluesy guitar melds beautifully with this next piece in which Ozzy describes “one of those days when I don’t believe in Jesus.” The song delves into the mind of someone who, when life comes crashing down, simply tosses away the faith he had once had just because he has had, the all-too-commonly used expression, “one of those days.”
Jeff Beck’s second piece, “A Thousand Shades” features an impassioned performance with an orchestral backing to drive home the emotional sixth track. A trio of Zakk Wylde collaborations begins with “Mr. Darkness” which is followed by the second single which was released prior to the album: “Nothing Feels Right.” The piece features a vintage Zakk Wylde solo which was much anticipated given his absence from the past two albums Ozzy has released. The “Wylde” (see what I did there?) trio concludes with “Evil Shuffle.”
“Dead and Gone” features Andrew Watt on lead guitar and is another strong effort which is followed by the apocalyptic and heavily mortality-focused piece: “God Only Knows” which would have served as a powerful conclusion to the prince of darkness’ final opus. However, as with the album, Ozzy does not seem to be claiming that this is the case. “DARKSIDE BLUES,” originally a Japanese bonus track on “Ordinary Man,” features Ozzy on harmonica and an eerie background, leaving listeners with the impression that there is no conclusion in sight, the Ozzman is prepared to do what he loves for as long as he is here on earth.
All in all, the work was a strong effort, and while not ever going to surpass his 80’s works such as: “Blizzard of Oz,” “Bark at The Moon” or even “No Rest For The Wicked,” it will likely find itself amongst the greatest of his latter career compositions. The production is very modern and everything is polished as such, so for lovers of that raw unbridled power that defined the Sabbath days, (myself a guilty party) there is some left to be desired.
At 73 years of age and an illustrious career as one of the most iconic frontmen of all time, I’d say he gets a pass for having to use a little touch-up on his voice. It’s not T-Pain levels of autotune, but it is definitely noticeable to classic rock connoisseurs such as myself. Yet, with his Parkinson’s diagnosis, recent surgery and aforementioned age, it’s a miracle and a blessing that he is even able to put out more work and I hope he will be able to continue doing what he loves for years to come.
Joseph Gill is a fourth-year English major with a minor in Journalism. JG923276@wcupa.edu
Erick Klambara is a fourth-year Media & Culture major with a minor in Journalism. EK924666@wcupa.edu