Ozzy Osbourne

Patient Number 9

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ft. Zakk Wylde, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Tonny Iommi.
Genre: Heavy Metal.
Released: 09/09/2022
Via Epic Records

Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9

I don’t think many people would have believed you if you told them Ozzy Osbourne would still be releasing music in 2022 however we are here now and ‘Patient Number 9’ has landed. The heavy metal legend always captures the attention of both the fans and media alike when he drops new music and this album is no exception to that rule. Here is what I thought of it!

The return of the Prince Of Darkness starts with an eerie feeling track titled ‘Patient Number 9’. This is one of two tracks to feature legendary guitarist Jeff Beck and his execution of the song is truly impressive. A catchy chorus matched with memorable riffs and licks makes this song fly by. Considering it’s the longest track on the entire record, that’s quite an impressive accomplishment from Ozzy and Co. Following that is the bouncy track ‘Immortal’ featuring Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on guitar. Adding a bit of oomph to the album, the song hones in on the old-school heavy metal sound and makes for some easy listening. Ozzy’s vocals sound clearer than ever and you can hear the passion behind each lyric sung.

Fans of Ozzy will be pleased to know that Zakk Wylde is featured heavily on this album and ‘Parasite’ is the first example of his work. A much more angsty feel is given off from the moody guitar tone while the track actually has some more pop esc moments infused into the metal. The chorus is extremely energetic and upbeat which is a little off character from the rest of the record however it works well and is a welcome change. Black Sabbath may be over however Ozzy has recruited Tony Iommi for two tracks on this record. ‘No Escape From Now’ really feels like it could have been a new Sabbath song. Slow and methodical riffs accompanied by Ozzy’s haunting drawn-out vocals capture the essence of the band that started it all.

Bringing a bit more of a swing to the table is ‘One Of Those Days’ featuring Eric Clapton. Eric’s style of playing is quite different to the other guitarists on the album and you can hear it. Adding a more bluesy esc sound compliments the more groove-heavy track nicely. ‘A Thousand Shades’ kicks off with an acoustic guitar subtly strumming behind Ozzy’s vocals before building into a full band track once again. This is one of those more dialled back tracks Ozzy loves to put out there and he knows how to completely change the mood within one song. It flows nicely and does a great job of painting a mental image of what he is singing about in your mind.

As the album progresses you hear the different styles that Ozzy has taken on over the years. Whether it’s contrasting verse and chorus pattern as shown within ‘Mr Darkness’ and ‘Nothing Feels Right’ or Solo filled heavy metal like ‘Evil Shuffle’, you are taken into the world of the music and will easily lose yourself in the darkness. ‘Degradation’ is a shining example of the musical knowledge put into this album as not many heavy metal bands decided to use a harmonica to further layer their music however Ozzy has done it here and it works a treat!

As the album draws to its final conclusion, ‘Dead and Gone’ brings back a more familiar sound that fans are going to love. This track screams old-school Ozzy and it’s a welcome addition so late on in the album. ‘God Only Knows’ is the penultimate track and it brings a more doom esc feel with it. Sinister and twisted is exactly how the song wants to be perceived and it does that excellently. Closing out the record is ‘DARKSIDE BLUES’ which as you would probably guess is a more bluesy affair. Crazy amounts of reverb have been used to create an almost ghostly feel and the instrumental is just a swanky blues chord progression accompanied by a harmonica melody.

Sometimes a return can be marred by too much hype and excitement being generated in the build-up however Ozzy has proven that he still has it to this day! It’s an extremely strong album that captures elements from his entire career and combines them into what can only be described as the end product of a monumental career. Considering he is scheduled to embark on his ‘No More Tours 2’ tour in 2023, this may be his last horror and it’s a mighty one!