Ozzy Osbourne
"Scream"
**** out of *****
Over the years, fans have come to expect two things from a new Ozzy Osbourne album.
First, the musicianship is always going to be stellar, with an emphasis on grinding guitars and lightning-fast solos. Second, Osbourne will continue to amaze the masses by still being alive and releasing music after decades of binge drinking and drug abuse.
Album quality, however, is generally unpredictable.
Osbourne’s latest record, Scream, is actually a fair addition to the godfather of metal’s back catalogue of legendary albums, such as Blizzard of Ozz, Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon, and No More Tears.
The first thing longtime fans will notice about Scream is the inclusion of Firewind’s Gus G. on lead guitars (no Zakk Wylde on this one, although his influence in the songwriting process is still apparent from time to time).
There is something about Osbourne and his knack for selecting amazing guitar players (the late Randy Rhoads, Jake E. Lee, Wylde) that makes for some excellent music — and Gus G. is no exception.
Some will defend Wylde’s integrity as a guitar player and refuse to acknowledge this album’s worthiness. With his overly flashy pinch harmonics and scruffy biker look, there is no question why the man is one of the last true “guitar gods.” As amazing as Wylde is, though, the best thing to happen to this album is the addition of Gus G.
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