Ozzy Osbourne – Black Rain
OZZY OSBOURNE
BLACK RAIN
Released on May 22, 2007 (Epic)
Track List:
01. Not Going Away
02. I Don’t Wanna Stop
03. Black Rain
04. Lay Your World On Me
05. God Bless The Almighty Dollar
06. Silver
07. Civilize The Universe
08. Here For You
09. Countdown’s Begun
10. Trap Door
Band Members:
Ozzy Osbourne – vocals
Zakk Wylde – guitar and keyboards
Blasko – bass
Mike Bordin – drums and percussion
Production:
Produced by Ozzy Osbourne and Kevin Churko.
Review:
Black Rain is Ozzy Osbourne‘s first album in six years, since 2001’s Down To Earth. This is also the first album he has recorded while sober and Zakk Wylde returns on guitar to bring back some bone crunching, sludgy Black Label Society style riffs. The song titles really say what he’s all about this time around. Black Rain is definitely an improvement over his last two studio albums.
Right from the get go this album is heavy. The opening crunchy riff of “Not Going Away” reeks of B.L.S. Then when Ozzy‘s vocals come into play his voice pulls you in. The whispers at the 3:30 mark of the opening track set a very eerie mood. The first single, “I Don’t Wanna Stop”, is a little bit of a lighter and catchier tune. “Lay Your World On Me” is a slow moody ballad, same with “Here For You”.
“The Almighty Dollar”, “Silver” and “Trap Door” are all good heavy tracks. Listen to the solo in “Silver”, it is some of Zakk‘s finest work with Ozzy. Also, the drumming in “Trap Door” is ear catching.
The only thing that bugs me about the album is that Ozzy‘s voice sounds fake, like they used a lot of studio equipment to make it better. If you like Black Label Society then you will like this CD, and it also seems like there is a lot more Black Sabbath influence on here. Black Rain is a good album, I would probably rate it an 8.3/10.
Reviewed by Tyler for Sleaze Roxx, May 2007.
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