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Rating: Being a big fan of the prince of darkness (uncle Ozzy as my friends and I call him), I was curious to see how many reviews there were of his albums, and with notable curiosity, I saw that there are quite a few... huge credit to those who reviewed BLIZZARD OF OZ and his other gems (we all know which album I'm talking about, right? At least Ozzy fans should know...)!
I've been following Ozzy for quite a while... I'm still completing the discography... anyway, I had the fantastic idea to buy OZZMOSIS and I must say that despite the critical advice of the store clerk where I bought it (he told me not to buy it because it's bad), I honestly didn't find it bad. Sure, I can't equate it to the Oz-pearl "Blizzard of Oz" or "Diary of a Madman" or the wonderful "Tribute," but it’s not as bad as many claim (in my opinion). Before starting to discuss the album, I first want to focus on the album cover. When I came out of the store all happy and secretly put the CD in my bag, the cover strongly impressed me. I think it's a very introspective cover (maybe because I study psychology and see introspection everywhere)... we see an Ozzy Osbourne that stands in the center of the scene, with a contracted body and hands stiffened by who knows what emotion. But it's not a pose that awaits pain, but a pose that awaits the wait. It waits to be consumed by those mouths traveling all over his body, awaits to be explored by those eyes that furtively spy on him over his entire body...
The album opens with the lightness of keyboard tones, then almost with instant escape, descends into the pressing rhythm, leading to the eruption of the guitar into the acoustic scene. And here is the voice always magnificent and sharp (and I think this is exactly the aspect of Ozzy that I like the most), and of course unmistakable... I believe that the guitar parts played in this album, despite being considered not great as I mentioned before, are worthy of attention, especially towards the end of the track, the riffs increasingly faster, increasingly stronger, increasingly complex... But then it plunges into the sweetness of "I Just Want You," where appears an Ozzy with a muffled, reflective voice, but greatly accompanied and highlighted by the guitar that makes the track interesting. The same goes for the beautiful "Ghost Behind My Eyes," which from the title seems to hint at a visual hallucination. Once again, the former Sabbath frontman (I have deep down, really deep down in my heart, a tiny hope that Ozzy will return to singing and reforming Black Sabbath) shows us that beyond true hard rock (let's not forget that Sabbath were one of the early pioneers of true hard rock, but I don't need to say it, you already knew that, right?) he knows how to create beautiful "slow songs" (which aren't really that slow, but I wanted to convey the idea of reflection), that his high-pitched and slightly shrill voice (do you remember in "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"? And in "Killing Yourself To Live"? How beautiful are those two songs?) fits every musical canon... but that’s not all... here comes the paradise of sweetness swept away, and the rock inferno resumes with "Thunder Underground," which opens with a powerful but together half-dimmed guitar sound, growing stronger and more measured until a syncopated and almost threatening voice emerges, at times prophetic, which rises up under the ever more insistent rhythm of the guitar's rumble, definitely not "angelic" compared to the tracks mentioned before. I think this is one of the best songs (along with "Perry Mason" and "Ghost Behind My Eyes") of the CD. "See You on the Other Side" opens with three measured bass hits, then accompanied by the sweetness of the guitar. Ozzy's voice echoes expand at the beginning until they explode in continuous high notes (which here manage to even overshadow the guitars more than in other tracks). "Tomorrow" opens instead in my opinion with an ethereal and slightly erratic guitar sound, a drunken sound that gets lost in the air, until a succession of hits appears and a shot, and a voice that at first is low, but then gives way only to high notes, then again to the low tone and then once more to the high notes... This album, from the first time I heard it (I bought it a few days ago), seemed strange to me, both in the cover (see above) and in style, it almost seems as if double O has matured, a more reflective and less impulsive man, always attentive though to the stylistic precision. After all, he has almost always had precision in his blood since the beginning... at least in my point of view. The start of "Denial" seems more focused on rhythm with the drums making their way among a half-muted guitar and re-echoing the sound of a synthesizer. The sound of "My Little Man," on the other hand, might intrigue those who have always seen Ozzy as a rowdy and never reflective, who in this track focuses on the casual sound of a fake harp (naturally achieved through the wonderful guitar)... which might vaguely, but very vaguely suggest the Far East. More tranquil, so to speak... but appearances deceive... Mr. Jekyll doesn’t hide the dark part from Hyde and makes its way with the subsequent "My Jekyll Doesn’t Hide," where we can admire Osbourne's entire vocal capacity stretching towards the highest notes and of course the guitar being put to the test with an even more cavernous but powerful sound. And in the end... the cherry on top, arrives with the sweet notes of a piano accompanied by a slow guitar "Old L.A. Tonight," where harmony and rhythm blend into a separate world, which doesn’t even seem to belong to the entire album, but as we know, Ozzy reserves the best parts for the beginning and the end of the album, indeed of every album. I believe this album is quite underrated, definitely when compared to "Blizzard of Ozz" where a more marked hard rock sound prevails, but true hard rock, the pure one... or "Diary of a Madman" where there’s an even more pronounced sound than the previous one, this is a more sophisticated work, a work where I think an experimentation of something new is felt, a work where the search for reflection and introspection by the artist emerges, obviously more mature but always with attentive and very valid vocal capacity!
I think Ozzy (aside from the trash shows that MTV airs, see "The Osbournes," where he appears like an old man who trembles and stands by some miracle, don’t watch those things, I watch them for a laugh, not to mock the character, for whom I have special veneration) has remained one of the few who manages in the music field to surprise, to never tire, surely he made some flops too (see "Live and Loud" and "Live at Budokan") but usually I found him always unusual in every album, I always found some interesting point to consider carefully in the listening.
Considering that this is my first review (I hope you liked it) I accept your suggestions and possible peaceful criticisms. In a few days, I'm going to dive into my record store (where I've been a customer for about 4 years now) to buy the "Prince of Darkness" box that contains 4 beautiful CDs... give it a thought about the album I tried to review... goodbye to all...
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Perry Mason (05:54)
On his way to dinner when it took him by surprise
And with one pull of the trigger he would vanish overnight
Dancing by the roadside, holding on for dear life
Then a gun from out of nowhere made a widow of his wife
I don't mind
Single file down the runway
Feelin' fine
And I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
Someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again
Riding painted horses, oh, the kids, they love it so
You can see it on their faces, how they love the wind to blow
Minding my own business, like my mamma always said
But if I don't try to help 'em, they could wind up on the front page
I don't mind
Draw the line, then draw me an arrow
Feelin' fine
Then I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again, again
Wake me when it's over
Tell me it's all right
Just keep on talking baby
I've been doing this all night
How much did you give me?
Tell me it'll be all right
Then I'll see you my friend
Over and over again
Who can we get on the case?
We need Perry Mason
someone to put you in place
Calling Perry Mason again, again, again, again
04 Thunder Underground (06:30)
Your thoughts are compromising
Self-centered, patronizing
Your image supersedes your soul
You find me mystifying
So human, so annoying
You can't have me under control
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
All right now
Your morbid fear of losing
Destroys the lives you're using
You only have one point of view
The stigma of delusion
Confirms your self illusion
And after all this could be you
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
Here we go now
Could it be that I have found my mind, or have I gone insane?
Roller coaster of the madness and there's only me to blame
The ever faithful hand of doom will take the pain away
I'll never know the answer to it all 'til my dying day
Your bullshit culture licking
Can't stop the deathwatch ticking
You're only mortal after all
Your appetite for power
Subverts your every hour
But every time the mighty fall
You think you'll live forever
You don't find that profound
You won't think you're so clever
When you hear thunder underground
Here we go now
05 See You on the Other Side (06:10)
Voices, A thousand, thousand voices.
Whispering, The time has passed for choices.
Golden days are passing over, yea.
I can't seem to see you baby,
Although my eyes are open wide
But I know I'll see you once more
When I see you, I'll see you on the other side
Yes I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
Leaving, I hate to see you cry.
Grieving, I hate to say good-bye
Dust and ash forever, yeah
Though I know we must be parted
As sure as stars are in the sky.
I'm gonna see when it comes to glory.
And I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side.
Yes I'll see you, I'll see you on the other side
Never thought I'd feel like this,
Strange to be alone, yeah
But we'll be together,
Carved in stone, Carved in stone, Carved in stone.
Hold me, Hold me tight I'm falling.
Far away, Distant voices calling
I'm so cold, I need you darling, yeah
I was down, but now I'm flying.
Straight across the great divide.
I know you're crying, but I'll stop you crying.
When I see you, I see you on the other side.
Yes, I'll see you, see you on the other side.
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side, yeah
I'll see you, see you on the other side
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side.
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side
I wanna see you, yeah yeah yeah, see you on the other side
God knows I'll see you, see you on the other side
I'm gonna see you, see you on the other side
06 Tomorrow (06:36)
Have you read the message,
The writing on the wall
Could it be the answer,
The answer to it all
What's going down in Heaven,
I'm playing with your head
Don't believe it when they tell you,
You'd be better off dead
Living in a thunder
Driving me insane
Can I get a witness
To take away the pain?
Walking on the water
Going nowhere fast
Feeling like I'm walking with no shoes on broken glass.
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
No more good-byes or yesterdays
So it's, I'll see you
Tomorrow
I'll see you
Tomorrow.
Welcome to the sideshow,
I'll cut it to the chase
Yeah I can hear you thinking
It's going all to waste
I don't mean to offend you
When I look you in the eyes
What's all this commotion?
It leaves me mystified
Chasing all the rainbows
Falling from the sky
I know your intentions
Are all a bunch of lies
I'm running out of patience,
Falling off track
You better start to worry,
'Cause I may not make it back
All right now
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
One good reason to blow me away
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow,
I'll see you tomorrow
[Can't wait till tomorrow...
Tomorrow comes...
I never killed anybody...
It was a Gun! Hahahahaha!] (background)
Living in the big house,
Dying by the rail
If I wanted your opinion
I'd call you up in hell
Could that be the mailman
Knockin' at the door
Or just another lightweight
Finally evening the score
You know it
You don't have to leave the lights on
I'm so used to being blind,
No more good-byes or yesterdays
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow
No more reasons to blow you away
So it's,
I'll see you tomorrow
07 Denial (05:12)
You are my only daughter,
I guess I made you twice
You look inside my other,
He'll give you bad advice
I will tell you I'm OK,
But deep inside I'm afraid
I don't drink holy water,
I'm not the son of Christ
I ain't no black messiah,
And I don't load my dice
You can tell me you're all right,
But why are you so afraid?
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth
You'll never believe it,
You'll never believe it's you
I don't think I'm amazing,
In fact I'm quite insane
To live inside my bucket,
With all my plastic chains
People tell me every time,
I look at the wrong all right
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth
You'll never believe it,
You'll never believe it's you
You'll never believe it,
You never believe it
Secrets told you,
Dreamland holds you,
Secrets told you
You wouldn't believe it,
You couldn't conceive it
Secrets told you . . . . . . . . . . . .
You wanna receive it,
You gotta believe it's you
You're on a trip already,
I'm tripping out all right
I'll get there slow and steady,
Just sit and hold on tight
You're in denial,
You never will believe it's you
Denial,
You always hide behind the truth, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth
It's true, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth, yeah, yeah
It's you, yeah, yeah
Behind the truth, yeah, yeah
It's gonna be all right,
Just hold on tight
It's gonna be all right,
Just hold on tight
09 My Jekyll Doesn't Hide (06:34)
Condemned to violence
Arrested by pain
Inside the soul lies a man insane
Conceived in anger
Addict to hate
The mutant child of a twisted state
Beware the contradiction
Beneath the crimson void
'Cos in the would of fiction
My Jekyll doesn't hide
A killer's smile with
A psycho star dream
Behind the mask
Things aren't what they seem
Unholy soldier
Disciple of sin
What kind of mind are you living in
You're preaching revolution
Don't you mean genocide?
Behind this resolution
My Jekyll doesn't hide
Waiting to die for the very first time
All right, that's right
Waiting to die for the very first time
I don't give a damn,
'Cos I think it's my time, my time
The symbiosis
Of murder and lies
What do I see looking through your disguise?
Fourth Reich dementia
Subversion ideals
God only knows what your secret conceals
Who'll be the first offender?
Who will be victimized?
In your perverse agenda
My Jekyll doesn't hide
12 Walk on Water (04:20)
I met a magic man,
who had a daughter
She learned her lessons well,
but still i taught her
She followed willingly,
as lambs to slaughter
We shared forbiden fruits,
and things i brought her
You may say i'm a miracle mannequin,
Here i come with my mystical plan again,
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I followed willingly,
a sweet temptation
She had me hypnotized,
and still i'm waiting
My dromedary dreams
as wet as oceans
With sand dunes bearing seeds
she set in motion
You may say i'm a cynical charlatan
There i go with my whimsical ways again
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And i don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
Kaliedoscopial eyes
as you look in the mirror
And the long is getting
shorter as the far is now nearer
Are you just a mirror
standing in front of me?
Am i blind,
can my eyes really see?
You may say i'm a miracle mannequin,
Here i come with my mystical plan again,
Although you think i can, i'm just a man
And i don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
I don't walk on water (oh no)
My dromedary dreams
as wet as oceans
With sand dunes bearing seeds
she set in motion
My dromedary dreams
My dromedary dreams
My dromedary dreams
14 No More Tears (05:54)
The light in the window is a crack in the sky
A stairway to darkness in the blink of an eye
A levee of tears to learn she'll never be coming back
The man in the dark will bring another attack
Your momma told you that you're not supposed to talk to strangers
Look in the mirror and tell me do you think your life's in danger yeah
CHORUS
No more tears (echo) (x4)
Another day passes as the night closes in
The red light goes on to say it's time to begin
I see the man around the corner waiting, can he see me?
I close my eyes and wait to hear the sound of someone screaming here
CHORUS
It's just a sign of the times
Going forward in reverse
Still
He who laughs last
Is just a hand in the bush
So now that it's over can we just say goodbye?
(I'd like)
(I'd like)
I'd like to move on and make the most of the night
Maybe a kiss before I leave you this way
Your lips are so cold I don't know what else to say
I never wanted it to end this way my love my darling
Believe me when I say to you in love I think I'm falling here
CHORUS
Is just a hand in the bush (echo w/ fadeout)
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Other reviews
By aniel
It was the first (and I emphasize first) metal album I ever listened to.
Decent work by Ozzy, not excellent, but certainly worthy of nods and a hint of modernity in his sound.
By Sotanaht
"Ozzmosis is a beautiful diary of profoundly 'human' emotions, filled with tender sensations and poetic spiritual reflections."
"The real 'osmosis' between Man and Myth manifests in this album, revealing a fragile, perishable self in raw emotional form."
By Salv79
Ozzy’s vocal color, his power, passion, and the emotion in his voice have marked the history of hard rock and heavy metal.
'Perry Mason' is a track for the annals, a piece that fantastically opens the album with one of Zakk Wylde’s best riffs.
