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Versione 1
Rating:
There is only one review of this album on Debaser and, besides not being flattering, the same reviewer states that they listened to Down to Earth at most a couple of times and then trashed it. The question arises spontaneously: how can you write a review of an album that you didn't take the trouble to listen to calmly, serenely, and thoroughly, but discarded because "it wasn't what I expected" after just a couple of listens and set aside? You can't.
Let's try to remedy that.
Another huge, unforgivable error of the aforementioned "review" is the coarse claim that Dreamer is a horrible piece, worth discarding. Here the "reviewer" immediately reveals themselves for what they most likely are: a metalhead under 25 years old (at least I hope for them). A metalhead who can appreciate only heavy metal and very little else and who, if Ozzy, one of the founding fathers of heavy metal, dares to create a ballad, then it must immediately be declared trash.
It doesn't matter that the Beatles and particularly John Lennon, whose masterpiece Imagine this piece explicitly inspires, are one of Ozzy's greatest solo influences, who had already shown his admiration for Lennon in his beautiful Ghost behind my eyes in the splendid Ozzmosis of 1995. And it doesn't matter that Dreamer is actually a beautiful ballad, musically moving, technically impeccable, with one of Zakk Wylde's best melodic solos and thematically echoing the environmentalist/apocalyptic inspiration of pieces like Revelation from Blizzard of Ozz and the later The Almighty Dollar from Black Rain.
None of this matters; the pure and inveterate metalhead must spread his filth over everything he considers a mortal sin for a metal musician: composing a ballad. I suggest leaving the "metalhead" to his adolescent delusions and taking a bath of emotions by listening to Dreamer.
But also listen to the entire album, which, admittedly, although good, puts all the best pieces at the beginning and leaves something to be desired towards the end.
Gets me through is a stunning opener, as is tradition with Ozz's albums, where a mesmerizing piano intro gives way to a heavy, squared riff brimming with groove on which Ozzy sings memorable verses and chorus.
Less thrilling but still good is the follow-up Facing Hell, which then gives space to the aforementioned Dreamer, of which I have already extensively sung praises.
Also fantastic is No easy way out where you can also hear what the rhythm section, composed of two phenomenal musicians, is made of: none other than Rob Trujillo, who would later join Metallica, and Mike Bordin, ex-Faith No More. Pay attention to the detail of the descending bass scale that precedes the chorus; Ozzy singing No easy way out, that bass line is pure ecstasy.
In this piece, the guitar riff is as Sabbath-esque as you can get, while the keyboardist also emphasizes the spaciousness of the piece, which opens into a highly memorable chorus; shall we talk about the solos? A truly beautiful piece, 10/10.
The next piece has a more street-style riff, here we're in more 80s and Guns'n'Roses territories (to give you an idea) than 70s Sabbath. A nice track to bob your head up and down to anyway. It's no coincidence it was included in the setlist for Live at Budokan the following year. The vocal line is interesting, beginning with Should I think about tomorrow. Here Ozzy slows down the pace and reflects on the advancing age.
If all the pieces were up to the level of these first 5, we would be talking about an absolute masterpiece, but that's not the case.
After the tender and sincere, as well as Beatles-esque interlude of You know (part 1, which curiously will never have a sequel), comes Junkie, which is not up to the level of the previous pieces but can simply be listened to. The instrumental part after the second chorus is interesting, with Rob Trujillo shining as never before; you will surely be able to hear him much more clearly on this album than on anything else he did with Metallica.
With Running out of time, we return to very high levels. Just another wonderful ballad, a power ballad this time. Another bitter (after all, Ozzy is always The Prince of Darkness) reflection on life and the inevitable passage of time, Ozzy talks about lonely and broken heroes, thus speaking of many other musicians like him who, when they are not on stage, hailed by all, often find themselves more alone than ever in facing their demons, alone, lost, and forgotten. Behind the mask, a simple man who is afraid like everyone else and, like all, tries to find a light to bring him home. Musically then, this piece adds to the dozens of other pieces where Ozzy slows down and manages to evoke beautiful emotions. Emotions and also reflections.
And if it ended here, I would not hesitate to assign a 4.5/5 to Down to Earth, but the subsequent Black Illusion and Alive inevitably lower the ratings of an album that remains beautiful, unmissable and which I personally prefer to the still very good No more Tears and Ozzmosis.
This 2000s version of Ozzy is as valid as that of the early 80s and the two albums (Ozzmosis, in my opinion, underrated) from the 90s.
An album I wholeheartedly recommend you go listen to or revisit.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Gets Me Through (05:04)
I`m not the kind of person
You think I am
I'm not the antichrist or
The iron man
I have a vision that I
Just can't control
I feel I've lost my spirit
And sold my soul
Got no control
I try to entertain you
The best I can
I wished I started walking
Before I ran
But I still love the feeling
I get from you
I hope you'll never stop cause
It gets me through yeah (2x)
The feelings that I hide behind
Sometime reality's unkind
The nightmares start for me at night
I dread the long and lonely nights
I'm not the kind of person
You think I am
I'm not the antichrist or
The iron man
But I still love the feeling
I get from you
I hope you'll never stop cause
It gets me through yeah
I'm just trying to live yeah
I'm just trying to live yeah
I'm just trying to live yeah
02 Facing Hell (04:25)
You made promise of protection
To a future after life
To the final resurrection
And to eternal paradise
But then I'm blinded with temptation
And to every mortal sin
Is it God that sits there waiting?
Or will the darkness suck me in
Let's wake up the dead
Oh yeah
It's better that never you know
More tears are shed
Oh yeah
I'm praying that you'll never know
That I'm facing hell
Oh the children sit and listen
The belief was in their eyes
In a land without tomorrows
Through the night you hear their cries
But then your eyes just skip the pages
Of a book that never ends
Is it God that sits there waiting?
Do you hear the call again?
Let's wake up the dead
Oh yeah
It's better that never you know
More tears are shed
Oh yeah
I'm praying that you'll never know
That I'm facing hell
It's just crazy world we live in
And I'm out of my mind
You pray tomorrow but your leaving today
Evil one is coming and he's knocking your door
Cause todays the day you'll pay
Let's wake up the dead
Oh yeah
It's better that never you know
More tears are shed
Oh yeah
I'm praying that you'll never know
Let's wake up the dead
Oh yeah
It's better that never you know
More tears are shed
Oh yeah
I'm praying that you'll never know
That I'm facing hell
That I'm facing hell
That I'm facing hell
That I'm facing hell
03 Dreamer (04:44)
Gazing through the window
At the world outside
Wondering will mother
Earth survive
Hoping that mankind will
Stop abusing her, sometime
After all there's only
Just the two of us
And here we are still
Fighting for our lives
Watching all of history
Repeat itself
Time after time
I'm just a dreamer
I dream my life away
I'm just a dreamer
Who dreams of better days
I watch the sun go down
Like everyone of us
I'm hoping that the dawn
Will bring a sign
A better place for those
Who will come after us, this time
I'm just a dreamer
I dream my life away, oh yeah
I'm just a dreamer
Who dreams of better days
Your higher power may be
God or Jesus Christ
It doesn't really
Matter much to me
Without each others help
There ain't no hope for us
I'm living in a dream
A fantasy, oh yeah yeah yeah
-Solo-
If only we could all
Just find serenity
It would be nice if
We could live as one
When will all this anger
Hate and biggotry, be gone?
I'm just a dreamer
I dream my life away
Today
I'm just a dreamer
Who dreams of better days
Oh yeah
I'm just a dreamer
Who's searching for
The way, today
I'm just a dreamer
Dreaming my life away
Oh yeah yeah yeah
04 No Easy Way Out (05:05)
Looking to the mirror
From the other side
Seeing her reflection
And it blows my mind
Trying to deny it
But damage is done
I'll just run as always
But the race is run
You've got to tell me it's over now
I'm trapped inside of a dream
The crushing weight on my shoulders now
Is bearing down and it seems
There's just no easy way out
No easy way out
Read the daily fiction, Superman is dead
Crushing coins of silver, imitating lead (?)
Then if you will fix the children of the past (?)
I guess their's isn't welcome, doesn't time move fast (?)
You've got to tell me it's over now
I'm trapped inside of a dream
The crushing weight on my shoulders now
Is bearing down and it seems
There's just no easy way out
No easy way out
Night in the shadow of man
This is the dawn of the dead
Don't let it live in your head
And then now as the sabbath begins
It wakes your nightmare again
So run away if you can
So just run
Run as fast as you can
You've got to tell me it's over now
I'm trapped inside of a dream
The crushing weight on my shoulders now
Is bearing down and it seems
There's just no easy way out
Too late too tell me it's over now
Falling apart at the seams
No angel sits on my shoulders now
I hold my head and it screams
There's just no easy way out
No easy way out
07 Junkie (04:28)
You're coming down badly
You're crippled inside
A rat in your sewer
You've no place to hide
A gut wrenching fever
Addicted to death
You don't give a fuck
If it meaans your last breath
You try so hard to quit
But you'll never admit
You're the junkie
There's no reasoning why
Cause the mirror don't lie
Your the junkie
You crave for the needle to stick in your vein
Can't wait for the poison to kill all the pain
You buy your cheap ticket to take a short ride
That beautiful flower is eating your mind
You try so hard to quit
But you'll never admit
You're the junkie
There's no reasoning why
Cause the mirror don't lie
Your the junkie
Your name means nothing
You don't know the score
Body is aching you still crave for more
Sometimes you wish that you'd never been born
Tormenting came with a crown full of thorns
You're chasing the dragon
You're chasing the high
A bird with one wing
Who's still trying to fly
You're all out of spirit
A dead man alive
A born again junkie
You'll never survive
You try so hard to quit
But you'll never admit
You're the junkie
There's no reasoning why
Cause the mirror don't lie
Your the junkie
Junkie
Junkie
Junkie
Junkie
10 Alive (04:54)
A child of a broken mind
The fear that I hide behind
I hate rejection
It's the worst
It gravely hurts me
Living inside my head
I feel like the living dead
I need your affection
It's the best
It greatly helps me
With my back against the wall
Trying so hard not to fall
I'm so tired of sleeping around
Hopeless, in despair
Don't know if I'm here or there
Feeling like I'm up and I'm down
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
I don't want to die
A head full of
Tragic schemes
what keeps me
Alive is dreams
I dream that someday
I'll find the key that
Sets my mind free
You may think
I've lost control
The man with
The broken soul
I'm not here to try
And make excuses
Just believe me
With my back against the wall
Trying so hard not to fall
I'm so tired of sleeping around
Hopeless, in despair
Don't know if I'm here or there
Feeling like I'm up and I'm down
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
I don't want to die
yeah
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
But I'm still alive
I don't have any plans
To go anywhere
You know I'm alive
I know I'm crazy but
I still like it here
I don't want to die
You know I'm alive
You know I'm alive
11 Can You Hear Them? (05:00)
So sick and tired of living
And so afraid to die
I've lived so many lives
And still I wonder why
The way the world perceives me
Is not the way I am
The one half thinks I'm crazy
The other thinks I'm mad
I spent a long long time
Alone in my room
I need your help to get me
Out of this gloom
Can you hear them
All the voices in my head
They freak me out
Can you hear them
They won't be happy 'till I'm dead
They freak me out
Ten thousand million nightmares
Temptation by the score
I used to get so high
And still I wanted more
You think my time is wasted
In search of who I am
I tried to so hard to kill
The boy inside the man
I spent a thousand years
One night in my room
I've lived so many lives
And that is my doom
Can you hear them
All the voices in my head
They freak me out
Can you hear them
They won't be happy
'Till I'm dead
They freak me out
Can you hear them
All the voices in my head
They freak me out
Can you hear them
They won't be happy
'Till I'm dead
They freak me out
I never thought I'd smile again
Always thought I'd
Be here on my own
Sometimes when I'm down
You come and save me again
And again
And again
And again
I'll never understand it
It makes no sense at all
Just look at what I've done
It's time to count the score
I've spent a long long time
Alone in my room
I need your help to get me
Out of this gloom
Can you hear them
All the voices in my head
They freak me out
Can you hear them
They won't be happy
'Till I'm dead
They freak me out
Can you hear them
All the voices in my head
They freak me out
Can you hear them
They won't be happy
'Till I'm dead
They freak me out
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Other reviews
By aniel
"The ballad 'Dreamer' is unbearable, too clichéd, I believe Ozzy has never written such a bad song."
"It is... the classic album you would expect from a great of the past in the modern era, where good old metal has somewhat faded."
