Review: Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz | |||||||
|
|||||||
Blizzard of Ozz | |||||||
![]() |
Label: Jet Records Year released: 1980 Duration: 39:29 Tracks: 9 Genre: Heavy Metal Rating: Review online: February 14, 2021 Reviewed by: MetalMike |
Readers' Rating How do you rate this release? Rated 4.25/5 (85%) (16 Votes)
|
|||||
Review | |||||||
Quicky history lesson; after Black Sabbath's Never Say Die album was released in 1978, the band parted ways with singer Ozzy Osbourne (for any number of reasons, depending on whom you ask). After a couple of years, both Sabbath and Osbourne landed on their feet and fans got two amazing albums because of the split. Black Sabbath picked up Ronnie James Dio, fresh out of Rainbow, and released the career-revitalizing Heaven and Hell while Ozzy put together a veteran group of musicians and an unknown California guitarist by the name of Randy Rhoads and released Blizzard of Ozz. Forty-one years later, Ozzy's debut still stands the test of time as a seminal heavy metal album. It combines Osbourne's years of experience with heavy music and Rhoads' guitar wizardry and rock sensibilities formed in the burgeoning US metal scene (he played on two Quiet Riot albums prior to joining Ozzy, but these were only released in Japan until much later). Rhoads' skills, which some have likened to Eddie Van Halen, reinvigorated Ozzy, who clearly wanted to show his former Sabbath bandmates that they'd made a mistake letting him go and he sings his ass off. Unless you lived under a rock until a week ago, you know at least one song from this album, the ubiquitous "Crazy Train," which has become a sports stadium staple that is sure to keep Ozzy's kids and grandkids rolling in royalty dough for decades. It's a great song with an amazing riff and signature vocal line that is instantly recognizable and even people who think Ozzy is truly the devil will sing along when it comes on at a football game. But the good stuff doesn't end there on Blizzard of Ozz. "I Don't Know" has an equally memorable riff and vocals and lacks only the omnipresence of "Crazy Train" in terms of quality. "Mr. Crowley," with its occult lyrics, set a lot of the tone for how heavy metal was perceived by the public in general and made sure metalheads (like a 14-year-old MetalMike) would eat it up. "Steal Away (The Night)" has another great Rhoads riff and spectacular solo. "Suicide Solution" would get Ozzy in trouble with the law when it was claimed to have inspired a fan to commit suicide when in actuality the lyrics preach against taking your own life. There are a couple of songs that are less awesome, keeping this record from being perfect (the average riff and tongue-in-cheek lyrics of "No Bone Movies", Ozzy's attempt at a ballad in "Goodbye to Romance" that sounds like a deep cut from a '70s Paul McCartney album, etc.), but that in no way should keep you from checking out Blizzard of Ozz and owning it, if you don't already. It is a classic of early heavy metal. |
|||||||
More about Ozzy Osbourne... | |||||||
Review: Bark at the Moon (reviewed by MetalMike) Review: Black Rain (reviewed by Michel Renaud) Review: Diary of a Madman (reviewed by Hermer Arroyo) Review: Down To Earth (reviewed by Pierre Bégin) Review: Live and Loud (reviewed by Michel Renaud) Review: Live in Quebec City (reviewed by Pierre Bégin) Review: Ordinary Man (reviewed by Michel Renaud) Review: Randy Rhoads Tribute (reviewed by Hermer Arroyo) Review: Scream (reviewed by Hermer Arroyo) Review: Speak of the Devil (reviewed by Pierre Bégin) | |||||||
Click below for more reviews | |||||||
Latest 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Various Books/Zines
|
The Metal Crypt - Crushing Posers Since 1999
Copyright © 1999-2025,
Michel Renaud / The Metal Crypt. All Rights Reserved.