Album Review: "Black Rain" by Ozzy Osbourne (2007)

The Prince of Darkness is still going strong at 58, unleashing his first album of new material in six years with "Black Rain". If you've heard some of the advance press for this release, you've heard that it's Ozzy's best album since "No More Tears" and that it's the first one he's ever recorded while completely sober.

While this record is going to satisfy fans who are looking for fresh metal, the first statement is definitely not true and the second is highly unlikely.

Anyways, Ozzy is defiant if not totally melodic with the first two tracks, the sludgy "Not Going Away" and current single "I Don't Wanna Stop", an unremarkable affair which is saved by the loyal Zakk Wylde's stunning fretwork, which he always seems to save for his work with Osbourne rather than his own group, Black Label Society. Next up is title track "Black Rain", which takes an updated look at the lyrical themes of Sabbath's "War Pigs" which is followed by the obligatory ballad "Lay Your World On Me", which, if I was less cynical, I'd guess he wrote after finding out about his wife Sharon getting cancer a few years ago, but I can't say for certain. Speaking of the divine Mrs. O, it's funny to hear Ozzy decrying the excesses of materialism in "The Almighty Dollar" considering who he's married to. The album is rounded out by toe-tapping tracks like "Civilize the Universe" and "Countdown's Begun", among others, which are solid if not overly strong.

Taken as a whole, it seems that bringing producer Kevin Churko on board along with keeping Wylde in the fold has helped prolong a career that probably should have been finished already. (And if you aren't sure who Churko is, you'll be thrilled to learn that he's not only got Ozzy but also Brad Johner, headliner of the 2006 Redneck Roadtrip, among others, on his C.V. Who knew?) All in all, this isn't a fantastic or even remarkable album, but it's Ozzy. If you like him, particularly his 2001 effort "Down to Earth" - and I do - you probably won't mind this. If you don't already, you won't. Keep your expectations in check, because this is an album that is probably more enjoyable for me by virtue of the fact that it's new, not because it's particularly notable.

Overall rating: 7/10