August 2025 Feature Release - The Guardians Edition

A new month jumps upon us and it is time once more for a new set of monthly features. This essentially means that we’re asking you to rate, review & discuss our chosen features for no other reason than because we enjoy the process & banter. We’re really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on our chosen releases so don’t be shy.

This month it is my turn to nominate the Guardians release and, in light of the sad events of July, I couldn't really think of any better candidate than Ozzy's first solo album, 1980's Blizzard of Ozz. In truth, it isthe only Ozzy solo album I listen to on a regular basis, but it is an all-time favourite. Enjoy, and remember the "Prince of Darkness" with us all here at Metal Academy one more time.

Here is an updated version of my review from a few years back:

And so it came to pass that, after their Tenth Anniversary World Tour, Black Sabbath and their charismatic frontman John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne parted ways. Although it was a huge disappointment at the time, in hindsight it was the only real way forward for all parties involved. I had seen Sabbath on that tour and if I was being brutally honest I would have to say that Ozzy was fucked-up big time. He was obviously shit-faced on stage and at times not far from incoherent. To make matters worse the band were supported by an up-and-coming US outfit called Van Halen who had an energy and vitality that the Sabs sadly seemed to have lost. So in a way, it was obvious even then that time was running out for the original lineup.

Anyway, 1980 saw the release of albums from both the revamped Sabbath, who had recruited diminutive ex-Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio, and Ozzy's new band who were going by the name Blizzard of Ozz. Sabbath dropped their new album, Heaven and Hell, in April to much acclaim from fans and critics alike so the pressure was on for the Oz to produce. Ozzy had also procured the help of an ex-Rainbow alumni in bassist Bob Daisley and veteran Uriah Heep drummer Lee Kerslake completed the solid rhythm section of Ozzy's new crew. However it was in the recruiting of electrifying and hugely talented guitarist Randy Rhoads from Quiet Riot that Ozzy revealed his masterstroke. Rhoads was a classically trained guitarist who's technical ability allowed him to push the limits of what metal guitarists were doing at that time - he is often cited as one of the leading influences of neoclassical metal guitar playing - and his energy seemed to have revitalised Ozzy and given him back his edge. It only really occurs to me now, but maybe Ozzy witnessed Eddie Van Halen's electric style of playing during the previously mentioned Never Say Die tour and decided that was the way forward for metal and he wanted to feed off some of that energy these young guys were bringing to the genre.

September of 1980 saw the release of the Blizzard of Ozz album and a new dawn called for the former Sabbath singer. The album featured eight tracks and a short instrumental, ran for almost forty minutes, had a nice variety of pacing and some killer hooks. I Don't Know is a solid opener and is a bit more uptempo than we are used to hearing from the Ozz. Randy Rhoads' more flamboyant style contrasts really well with the solidity of the rhythm section and pushes Ozzy himself to a new level. With the now overfamiliar yell of "All aboard" the band launch into the riff that launched a thousand sporting events and a song that may be even more famous than Paranoid - Crazy Train. It's an energetic celebration of a track that is very difficult to listen to objectively any more due to overexposure, but at first it sounded awesome. Next up is the balladic Goodbye to Romance which really should be a bit too cheesy and overly sentimental for my usual taste but, mainly because of Ozzy's charismatic vocals, I really like it and it is the track which has given me a bit of a teary eye when listening to it in the shadow of Ozzy's passing. Dee is a short instrumental piece where RR gets to show off some of his classical training and leads us into one of my album highlights, Suicide Solution, a real belter of an early eighties' metal track and the closer of side one.

The second side begins with Mr. Crowley which both tonally and thematically is the most Sabbath-like track on the album. This is followed by most people's least favourite, No Bone Movies, which is no classic, but doesn't, in my opinion, stick out like a sore thumb as being especially terrible either. Then we come to my favourite part of the album. For me, the last two tracks are where it's at with this album. Revelation is a classic Ozzy track and is the most heartfelt song on the album with a brilliant build and a triumphant ending that leads straight into the sledgehammer riff of Steal Away (the Night) which brings proceedings to a close in thunderous style.

The album isn't perfect, some of the lyrics are a bit painful, but there are some brilliant songs on here, Ozzy sounds rejuvenated and Randy Rhoads' riffing and solos are worth the entry fee alone. I don't know if this is a controversial opinion, but I prefer this to Sabbath's Heaven and Hell album (although it's not quite as good as Mob Rules). We are all going to miss this guy, believe me.

If I'm being honest, the most important Ozzy solo records for me personally were his live ones, particularly 1982's "Speak of the Devil" album which has always been one of my favourite heavy metal releases of all time with 1990's "Just Say Ozzy" E.P. & the essential Randy Rhoads "Tribute" album from 1987 also being pretty significant releases in my life. When it comes to his studio efforts though, I've always found them to be nothing more than mildly enjoyable, mainly because the song-writing is generally so commercially accessible & radio-friendly. Don't get me wrong, "Blizzard of Ozz" was a massive record for me as a guitarist with Randy being one of my top three guitar influences but the remaining elements don't share that impact for me personally. These days I find myself regarding "Diary of a Madman" as the best studio effort I've heard from Ozzy with "No More Tears" in second place & "Blizzard of Ozz" rounding out the top three but I don't find myself reaching for any of them terribly often, instead preferring the electricity of his live releases (likely also due to the Black Sabbath components too as I've always had a strong preference for Ozzy-period Sabbath over his solo work). I'm afraid I can only muster 3.5 stars for "Blizzard of Ozz". Hell, I can't stand "Goodbye to Romance" to tell you truth & "No Bone Movies" is well below par too. "Crazy Train" is an undeniable classic though.

I bought "Speak of the Devil" virtually the day it was released and I have to confess I felt cheated. It just seemed like a hastily-assembled cash grab by the label (or maybe an early maneouver by Sharon) to make some money and take the gloss off the impending "Live Evil" Sabbath live album. I stil have that copy, but I bet I haven't played it for forty years. "Diary of a Madman" doesn't do much for me either, but I would still have preferred an Ozzy live album which showcased where he was going, not where he had been and featured material from the two solo albums with maybe a smattering of Sabbath tunes.

I guess it just goes to show that people can like the same things, while at the same time not. 

A lot of people agree with you on "Speak of the Devil" with many punters criticizing guitarist Brad Gillis' contribution. I really loved the modern take on the old Sabbath model that he brought to that record though, particularly the flashy 80's tone & technique which was something that I was heavily indulging in at the time. Ozzy's performance is brilliant too. In fact, I have a sneaking suspicion that he recorded his vocals in a studio outside of the live performance because they're a little too perfect to be believable. At the end of the day though, I'm sure that my take on that album is heavily skewed by the impressionable age I was when it first hit my ears, especially given that I'd only recently gotten into Black Sabbath at the time.

I find "Diary of a Madman" to be darker & less commercially focused than "Blizzard of Ozz" which gives it a slight edge for me.

I agree with the sentiment that personal context is massively important to how we as individuals perceive a release, which is why I will always take Blizzard of Ozz over Diary of a Madman. Blizzard was massively important to me at the time as an indication that Ozzy was going to be OK after leaving Sabbath, whereas Diary was just another album amongst a plethora of stuff coming out during the NWOBHM that felt fresher and more exciting than what the old guard could muster.