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Rating: I think it's time to consider Ozzy Osbourne as a musician, not as a bat-eating buffoon.
With the previous *No More Tears* and this highly successful *Ozzmosis*, Ozzy is keen to convey the message: stop talking only about how many drugs I take and how much alcohol I can drink. I am a man like everyone else ("You're no different to me" he sang in the second track of *Bark at the Moon*), but most of all, I am a musician, a singer.
And what a singer! Perhaps, in the diverse panorama of singers who have stood behind the Black Sabbath microphone, it can be said that Ozzy was the least technically prepared. But how can you compete with sacred monsters like Ian Gillan, Ronnie James Dio, Glenn Hughes, the very talented yet underrated Tony Martin?
Nonetheless, Ozzy's vocal color, his power, passion, and the emotion in his voice have marked the history of hard rock and heavy metal.
And we certainly must credit this man for accompanying himself with (and thus introducing us to) some of the greatest musicians of the last 40 years: from Randy Rhoads to Jake E. Lee, from Bob Daisley to Zakk Wylde, from Robert Trujillo to Lee Kerslake.
But enough about music history and let's focus on this album specifically.
In my opinion, *Ozzmosis* represents a step forward compared to the overrated *No More Tears*, which in turn was a step back compared to the reckless and dazzling guitar tour-de-force that was *No Rest for the Wicked*.
Certainly more modern in sound and production, another merit of Ozzy is that he has always been able to modernize his sound and take the best from the music around him. Here he shows the influences of the best grunge (Alice in Chains, Soundgarden) but remains always Ozzy, more often escaping the cliché of the catchy but predictable song with riffs and solos heard a thousand times, as he only occasionally managed in *No More Tears*.
"Perry Mason" is a track for the annals, a piece that fantastically opens the album, as best as it could, as Ozzy has accustomed us in almost all of his albums with openers like "I Don’t Know," "Over the Mountain," "Bark at the Moon," "Miracle Man."
After an unsettling yet hypnotic intro, perhaps the best riff that Zakk Wylde has produced in his long career sticks with you and doesn’t let go; spectacular verses, Ozzy's voice is in top form, stellar chorus. Goosebump-inducing drum fills. One of Ozzy's best songs ever.
The next "I Just Want You" is good but a bit repetitive in my opinion, a great idea that remains just one, and Ozzy and company manage to turn it into a five-minute hit. It is noticeable that on bass is a legend named Geezer Butler.
"Ghost Behind My Eyes" is the unexpected standout. A lullaby where Ozzy harmonizes fantastically, a piece that the Fab4 would have been proud of.
The album continues well with "Thunder Underground," a heavy and not as immediate piece as the previous ones, then drops a bit after the catchy "See You on the Other Side."
"Tomorrow" and "Denial" are tracks with some good sections but a bit unfocused; the former is better, the latter a bit more convoluted, but with an Ozzy who here shows that he has somehow managed to internalize and make his own the influences we talked about earlier.
"My Little Man" is yet another good ballad where Ozzy demonstrates his ear for melody and singable choruses. Much to the chagrin of all the die-hard metalheads who shudder at the sound of a piano, Osbourne does just as well with intense pieces as with power-ballads; in fact, to be honest, he's a master of the genre. It closes with a series of less strong tracks but which still manage to achieve a decent standard.
In essence and to summarize, I really liked *Ozzmosis* and consider it a very dignified album, worthy of his excellent discography.
Sure, the first part is decidedly superior to the second. In a hypothetical (and yet another, I think there are at least two official ones) best-of, "Perry Mason," "I Just Want You," but especially "Ghost Behind My Eyes" (for which I have an absolute soft spot) could not be missing.
It will be a very sad day when you are no longer with us, but thank you always, Ozzy, for all the emotions you have given us!
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 CRAZY TRAIN
I believe Ozzy... has matured, a more reflective and less impulsive man, always attentive though to the stylistic precision.
I think this album is quite underrated... a more sophisticated work, a work where the search for reflection and introspection by the artist emerges.
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."
