You Can't Kill Rock n Roll- Ozzy Obsbourne's "Scream"

 

Going back and reviewing all of Ozzy's solo albums that I have not already reviewed, so his last two are out of the running, leaving me to start with "Scream", which is a surprisingly modern sounding album that quite a few metal heads have slept on. It is Ozzy going his thing over a more Rob Zombie-like industrial crunch. The title track is pretty anthemic, and if you've seen him since the album's release, chances are you've heard it. I think it aligns well with his legacy and is heavier than the last few Sabbath albums he recorded with Geezer and the boys. 

It is not until four songs in that he veers into a power ballad of sorts. It is more of a dynamic ebb and flow than a true power ballad like "Momma I'm Comin' home" . His voice sounds great on this, though it is also really polished. Gus G is not my favorite Ozzy guitarist, but what he does here works well, and his solos are tasteful. "Digging Me Down" finds Gis displaying ample Rhodes influence as it's pretty nuanced and classically tinged until going into the darker metallic crunch of the verse. This has to be one of the heaviest Ozzy albums.

"Crucifry" is the first song that has the post-"No Rest For the Wicked" anthem feel, which became a formula for him over the years, but here does not feel as inspired as the rest of the album. "Fearless" has a more convincing groove. For 2010, it's pretty much what you want from an Ozzy song. I guess after "Momma I'm Coming Home," you can expect a few ballads on an Ozzy album, "Time" at least moves thanks to the drums. Though Ozzy's history with ballads goes back to "Goodbye to Romance". Things get darker for "Latimer's Mercy" which carries a cyncopated stomp. 

Rather than being the sentimental ballad that you expect "I Love You All" to be, it is more of an interlude setting up "Hand of the Enemy," which is driven by a riff that feels like A Perfect Circle. It highlights the fact that, given Ozzy's unique voice, aggression is delivered differently than most metal bands. Here, it makes the guitars feel heavier. A burly bass line helps get "One More Time" to where it needs to be sonically. The arrangement gives Ozzy room to be heard. "Jump the Moon' has a more late-90s industrial feel, with the guitars very forward in the mix. This album rocks pretty hard, so I will round it up to a 10. 

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