Ozzy - Scream

Modern Metal/Commercial Rock
Epic

2010

1. Let It Die
2. Let Me Hear Your Scream
3. Soul Sucker
4. Life Won't Wait
5. Diggin' Me Down
6. Crucify
7. Fearless
8. Time
9. I Want It More
10. Latimer's Mercy
11. I Love You All

I don't know why people in the metal community still bother with Ozzy, but I do find myself having the same sick fascination. It's kinda like a train wreck you just can't look away from. Ozzy used to be so important to the metal scene, but that was some time ago. Now he's mostly known for being an embarrassing, gibbering mess who's balls are on a leash which Sharon Osbourne holds.

Well I've got to say that the song Let Me Hear You Scream gave me the tiniest glimmer of hope. With new guitarist Gus G in the mix, who has quite a bit of talent and metal credentials, there really seemed to be a whole lot more guitar energy on this single. There's actually some great shredding there, even if the track does sound a little more modern. It's probably unreasonable to expect anything else at this point as any new Ozzy is going to be aimed at being a commercial/$$ success.

Well, the single may be good but it's quite... misleading. The rest of this album is boring, droning, down tempo modern metal bullshit to put it bluntly. Vocal distortion and brainless downtuned "metal" make up the bulk of this album with tracks like Soul Sucker and Let It Die being downright embarrassing. Think of a really crappy Ozzmosis with zero hooks and incredibly poor songwriting and you've pretty much got it. Throw in a lame as hell ballad like Life Won't Wait and you've got your final piece of this revolting puzzle. By the way all the pieces form Ozzy taking a dump on your face. What a bucket of monkey spunk.

Well, I think you've got the gist by now, but this album blows. The ONLY redeemable track is Let Me Hear You Scream which is strangely the best thing put out by Ozzy since Ozzmosis. Other than that you're wasting your time though and Gus G is sure wasting his talent. I'm sure the paycheck is good, but yeah.

Highlights: Let Me Hear You Scream

Rating - 0.5/5

Ozzy - Black Rain

Heavy Metal
Epic

2007

1. Not Going Away
2. I Don't Wanna Stop
3. Black Rain
4. Lay Your World on Me
5. The Almighty Dollar
6. 11 Silver
7. Civilize the Universe
8. Here For You
9. Countdown's Begun
10. Trap Door

Ozzy... we all know the name and what it has meant in the past for the metal music scene. We also know the parody the name has become however and I don't think many people into real metal have been expecting anything out of Ozzy for a good long time. Still, I feel obligated to review this one as the name was once so iconic.

Most of what can be found on Black Rain pretty much met my low expectations and in some cases exceeded them in a negative way. Not Going Away and The Almighty Dollar are certainly the shit lowlights of this release by the Ozzman. Not Going Away sounds something like a grunge song (perhaps Pearl Jam) with some injected guitar squeals and is a hell of a bad way to start off any metal album. The true 'what the fuck' moment comes from The Almighty Dollar though which is driven by a funk rock bass line that reminds me of Primus. Imagine just Ozzy and a funk bass line for the most part and that should have you cringing already. Other songs worthy of slagging include the two ultra-cheeseball ballads Lay Your World On Me and Here For You which should make any metalhead gag a little. Both tracks remind me of the horrible Dreamer from the last album but now there's two of them. Here For You has gotta be the most cliche thing I've heard in recent memory. Finally, the single I Don't Wanna Stop is just utterly brainless and repetitive and is probably a good choice to appeal to the braindead commercial rock masses.

Well that's half of the album right there that just plain sucks. What of the other half you ask? Well there are actually some pretty decent moments... mostly in the second half of the album. Tracks like Countdown's Begun and 11 Silver could be passable as No Rest/No More Tears sort of material while Trap Door and Civilize The Universe are a little more modern but still on the metal side of things. Also, Black Rain has a moody feel and sound that could easily slip into Ozzmosis. Overall, I don't feel anything on here is incredible though and certainly these tracks aren't enough to make up for some of the abysmal crap contained within this disc.

In conclusion, this is another mediocre release from a man far past his prime who is driven by a money making machine called Sharon Osbourne. The next album cover should really just be Ozzy on a leash that's held by Sharon with a bag of money in her other hand. Black Rain is mostly just a product of the music industry with a cold feel of stagnation to match. There are some decent songs to be found, but not enough to justify an album and there are other tracks which really just leave a bad taste in my mouth. Chalk this one up to a big label and a wife trying to squeeze a bit more cash out of a name and an image.

Highlights: Countdown's Begun, Trap Door

Rating - 1.5/5

Lacuna Coil - Karmacode

Gothic/Atmospheric Metal
Century Media

2006

1. Fragile
2. To The Edge
3. Our Truth
4. Within Me
5. Devoted
6. You Create
7. What I See
8. Fragments Of Faith
9. Closer
10. In Visible Light
11. The Game
12. Without Fear
13. Enjoy The Silence

There's been so much buzz around this album that I don't know where to start. Based on the somewhat delayed boom in popularity a year or so after the release of Comalies there have been a lot of expectations placed on this band from both sides of the coin. The same question raised in a different way from both of the markets comalies managed to appeal to. Will this be the album that propels them to further success and will it be the album where they sell their souls to the mainstream?

Well first of all, let me state that I am a huge Lacuna Coil fan, so this is both a fan of the band's and a metal fan's perspective. My worries have pretty well been laid to rest here. Sure there are some modern touches in the fact modern riffs creep in here and there and the bass is mixed way louder, but overall this is the same Lacuna Coil. No more difference than can be explained by the minor changes from album to album and the band's style remains well intact. The atmospheric yet catchy nature of the band and Cristina's extreme vocal talent remain.

The first three tracks sound more modern than the rest, I must admit and are undoubtedly aimed at grabbing the mainstream fanbase from the beginning. From there the album really picks up (or slows down depending on how you look at it) with the Incredible ballad Within Me. Their music is pretty well always atmospheric/half ballad in nature but this is a true ballad and Cristina's singing is utterly amazing on this song. Probably her best vocal performance and a real highlight. Other tracks worth mentioning include the very different What I See which starts off with the heaviest riff ever in a Lacuna Coil song. The riff is chuggy but not in a way that conjures nu-metal comparison for me... Actually the tone reminds me of a better produced (Nevermore) Enemies Of Reality riff that's tempo has been dropped. The bass on that one is particularly beefed up and it does give somewhat of a modern sound but I like it. Also included is a most excellent cover of Depeche Mode's Enjoy The Silence which Lacuna Coil really make sound their own.

One final note I feel obligated to point out, is that Andrea is in no way forgotten on this album. Some, including myself, had expressed concern over how buried he was on the first single, Our Truth, but that is not representative of the album. Andrea takes on a larger lead role in some tracks actually and he sounds very strong. More polished than he has been in the past, in a good way.

This album really is the judge of their character and where they plan to go in a way. Basically because they stood at a crossroad. If they were going to 'sell out' so to speak then it was going to be here. Their first album with commercial interest going in and the pressure that gos with it.

All in all, the results are good. Some slight mainstream touches, but I think everyone had to expect a Little at least. Not quite as strong as the last two to me, but not a disappointment at all either. Just prefer the songs a bit on the last two which I'd rate both as being 4.5s. This one still walks away with an excellent 4.

Highlights: Closer, Within Me, What I see, Enjoy The Silence

Rating - 4.0/5