It’s baffling in hindsight to consider Ozzy Osbourne retiring in his mid-40s.
Nevertheless, the Prince of Darknesstook his first final bow at the conclusion of his 1992 No More Tours Tour in support of the previous year’s blockbusterNo More Tears. Hisbreak from the spotlight — motivated by an incorrect multiple sclerosis diagnosis —was brief, but it was still long enough to drum up excitement when he returned with 1995’sOzzmosis.
The hype was warranted. Along with longtime Ozzy guitarist Zakk Wylde and Journey drummer Deen Castronovo,Ozzmosisreunited Osbourne with bassist and former Black Sabbath bandmate Geezer Butler, who’d previouslyparticipated inthe singer’sNo Rest for the Wicked tour. Sweetening the pot was producerMichael Beinhorn, hot off the success of Soundgarden‘sSuperunknown.
Yet despitethe murderer’s row of talent involved,Ozzmosisis a frustratingly uneven listen that too often findsOsbourne abandoning hishell-raisingheavy metal thunder in favor of monotonous, radio-friendly hard rock.
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‘Ozzmosis’ Starts Strongbut Goes Downhill
It doesn’t start that way, though.Album opener and lead single “Perry Mason” comes out swinging witha deliciously sinisterMellotron riff and stomping, gargantuan groove. Osbournedelivers the percussive verses and soaring choruses withdevilishpanache, turning what could have been a gimmicky song about a fictional lawyer into one of his strongest post-retirement singles.
The rest of Ozzmosis never quite reaches the high bar set by “Perry Mason.” Follow-up singles “I Just Want You” and “See You on the Other Side” lack verveand venom, instead relying on clean guitars, beds ofkeysand saccharine melodies.Thestaggered, chugging guitars on “Thunder Underground” and descending chromatic riffs on “My Jekyll Doesn’t Hide” allow the band to flex its collective muscles — Butler’s nimble bass linessound as exciting here as they didin 1970 — but they’re missing the urgency andanthemic hooks of Osbourne’s bestsongs.
Two Key Shortcomings of ‘Ozzmosis’
Ozzmosisultimatelysuffersfrom its length and its sameness. The 10-song album clocks in at nearly 57 minutes,averagingfive and a half minutes per song, andalmost every tracklumbers along at thesame midtempo pace.
They all soundlike aconscious effort to recreate the magic of “No More Tears,” but that songsucceeded because it was offset by up-temporockers such as “Desire” and “Zombie Stomp.” OnOzzmosis, each track blends into the next,with Beinhorn’s sterile, overly polished production stripping them ofmuch-needed bite.Likewise, Osbourne’s super-high vocals sound suspiciously manicured in spots andoccasionally lapse into “whiny” territory.
Despite Mixed Reviews, ‘Ozzmosis’ Was a Huge Hit
Despite its shortcomings (and mixed reviews at the time), Ozzmosis was a commercial success, peaking at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and going double platinum. It’s hardly abad album, just uninspired compared to its predecessors. It set the tone for Osbourne’s next several studio albums and, in retrospect, marked a turning point in his career.Although he was still one of the biggest names in metal, Osbourne subtly shifted from contemporary hitmaker to legacy act beginning withOzzmosis.
Every artist who’s lucky enough to stay in the game for decades eventually makes this shift. That it tookOsbourne seven albums and 15 yearsto do so is a testament to his longevity— and if givena choice betweenOzzmosis and retirement,we’d still pickOzzmosis any day.
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Gallery Credit: Ultimate Classic Rock Staff