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OZZY OSBOURNE
‘Patient Number 9’
Album Review

(9th September 2022)

Review by Shaquira Hobbs

Released September 9th 2022

Lineup:

Ozzy Osbourne | vocals
Zakk Wylde | guitar
Tony Iommi | guitar
Jeff Beck | guitar
Mike McCready | guitar
Eric Clapton | guitar
Robert Trujillo | bass
Duff McKagan | bass
Chris Chaney | bass
Chad Smith | drums
Taylor Hawkins | drums

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PHOTO CREDIT: ROSS HALFIN

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At 73 years of age, after major neck surgery, numerous health issues and a Parkinson diagnosis, Ozzy is back! Releasing his 13th solo album. You wouldn’t believe it though delivering some amazing strong vocals.

The line up is big on this album with all star musicians. Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, former bandmates Tony Iommi and Zakk Wylde. Chad Smith from Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Guns n Roses, Mike McCreedy and Taylor Hawkins, the late Foo Fighters drummer who sadly passed away in March. If you haven’t already make sure you go check out the tribute from Taylor Hawkins son.

‘Patient Number 9’ is heavy and definitely a blend of all Ozzy’s music styles. It’s a step up from 2020’s ‘Ordinary Man’, being just a taste for what Patient Number 9 has to offer. Andrew Watt is back in the producer’s chair for this one.

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Patient Number 9
feat Jeff Beck

Very Black Sabbath, and right up Ozzys lane. On the long side with 7 minutes long but very catchy and something you can sing a long too.  Great guitar solo by Jeff Beck. This is one of my top 3 for this Album.

Immortal
feat Mike McCready

Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready plays some epic guitar riffs. Ozzy sings.

People will come and go
Some stories never told
They bury me down below
But I’ll never die
‘Cause I’m immortal
Yes, immortal

Making sure we never forget his immortality.

Parasite
feat Zakk Wylde

I love this one! Starts straight off with some heavy beats. The guitar solo is pretty standard but still something you can get down too. Ozzy finishes off the track spoken “I like worms” . This one makes my top 3, probably my favourite.

No Escape From Now
feat Zakk Wylde

This starts off slow and sounds like it’s going to be a chill track, then we get hit with a bit of heavy guitar and drums still keeping steady. This is reminding me of the 1970 “Iron Man” from Black Sabbath. Iron Man went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance so I have a feeling true Black Sabbath/Ozzy fans will love ‘No Escape From Now’.

One Of Those Days
feat Eric Clapton

I’ve seen a few comments from other outlets that they aren’t a fan of this track but I think it’s a classic and we can’t go past Eric Clapton’s skill. Ozzy and Eric clash together rather well. The chorus is brilliant and extremely catchy and a great pub song. I can see a few bands wanting to cover this track! This one also makes my top 3.

A Thousand Shades
feat Jeff Beck

Very gloomy, slow and emotional.

“Sitting in yesterday, watching it slip away today
Isolation. Fading like photographs, reminding us nothing ever lasts.Desolation, I look up to the sky but the sun never shines. I’m waiting.
There’s a thousand different shades of darkness
Coloring our faith. The past is dead, the future’s haunted. What happened to today.”

A dark lyrics and as Ozzy says “reminding us nothing ever lasts”.

Mr Darkness
feat Zakk Wylde

This sounds like it’s from a deep place,
Maybe in regards to Ozzy’s own battles, facing the darkness. Zakk delivers some brilliant guitar riffs and solos. The song finishes off with “you don’t even know my name asshole” adding some what humour to finish off the deep track.

Nothing Feels Right
feat Zakk Wylde

The lyrics sounds like he is speaking on his troubles with Parkinson’s

“Count the seconds, catch my breath
Feelings come and go again
Count my blessings, hope they hear me too, too
Trapped inside this spider web
Scared of life and scared of death
Trapped inside these walls I built of doom, doom
Won’t you let me, won’t you let me through?”

A deep and emotional track.

Evil Shuffle
feat Zakk Wylde

True creepy Ozzy style. A great song that portrays the demonic side in all of us. True Black Sabbath sound, I love it!

Degradation Rules
feat Tony Iommi

This starts off so good, with some Melodie’s from a harmonica joining in. This song is very nsfw with some pornographic lyrics. In an interview with Kerang, Ozzie mentions that Taylor Hawkins is the one who suggested the not so pg friendly lyrics “You know what Degradation Rules is about?” the Sabbath vocalist asks. “Masturbation. Sticky little magazines. A toss-pot.”

Dead And Gone

There is definitely more to this than the lyrics suggest “a circus of madmen running the show”.

God Only Knows

The perfect way to start slowing this album down

Darkside Blues

A track that sounds underproduced but the perfect blues to close the show.

Overall it’s a great album and has definitely made my playlist. Many thought that Ordinary Man would be Ozzy’s last album but his not ready to stop. In an interview with the independent online Ozzy Osbourne says ‘I will get back on stage if it fucking kills me’. Music is this man’s life, Do you think we will see more?

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Follow OZZY OSBOURNE
Website – Instagram – Facebook – Spotify

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Press Release 28th June 2022 (below) HERE

OZZY OSBOURNE
confirms September 9
as release date for new album
PATIENT NUMBER 9

First single, the album’s title track, features legendary guitarist JEFF BECK, 
accompanied by TODD McFARLANE – directed video

Listen to first single HERE & watch the new video directed by Grammy-winner TODD McFARLANE HERE

ALBUM GUEST STARS INCLUDE ZAKK WYLDE, ERIC CLAPTON, MIKE MCCREADY (PEARL JAM), CHAD SMITH (RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS), THE LATE TAYLOR HAWKINS (FOO FIGHTERS), ROBERT TRUJILLO (METALLICA), DUFF MCKAGAN (GUNS N’ ROSES), CHRIS CHANEY (JANE’S ADDICTION) AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, ON AN OZZY SOLO ALBUM, OZZY’S BLACK SABBATH CO-FOUNDER TONY IOMMI

Pre-order PATIENT NUMBER 9 HERE

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AMNPLIFY – DB