Review by Tymell for Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz (1980)

The Ozzy-fronted Black Sabbath was of pivotal importance in the emergence of heavy metal music, but after a decade with the band he was fired from it. All the drama and potential reasons for it aren't to be discussed here, but it did pave the way for Ozzy to embark on his solo career, which kicked off in 1980 with Blizzard of Ozz.

Sabbath themselves had been suffering a little, with the last couple of Ozzy-fronted albums being poorly received, but earlier in 1980 they released the universally acclaimed Heaven and Hell with Dio at the helm. Now it was Ozzy's time to establish himself, and it's clear he intended to go in a somewhat different direction. Where Heaven and Hell saw a resurgence of the heavy metal at the core of Sabbath, Blizzard of Ozz opts for something a bit more accessible and light, leaning a little more towards hard rock than outright heavy metal. 

This isn't to say it's bad of course, and there are some absolute bangers on here. "Crazy Train" is regarded as a classic for very good reason. It bounds along with so much momentum, and is all put together so well, rising into that catchy chorus with perfect timing and knowing just when to shift gears. Both "Goodbye to Romance" and "Revelation [Mother Earth]" show just how good the gentler parts of the album can be. Ozzy's vocals work surprisingly well as melodic, mournful crooning, and "Revelation" gives way to some absolutely glorious work from Randy Rhoads, the whole song climbing and ascending before suddenly crashing into silence. 

The other big number here, "Mr. Crowley" is...okay. Honestly, I find it pretty dull for the most part, leaving me cold until Randy's molten guitar solos kick in. They're the obvious highlight, and vastly outshine the rest of the track. 

The other songs on here are generally good, but don't stand out so much. "Steal Away" is a decent toe-tapper that calls to mind some of Rainbow's more melodic numbers, while "Suicide Solution" makes good use of Ozzy sounding like a demon waiting for you to seal a pact. 

Overall, this is a much brighter offering than the sort of proto-doom Sabbath were known for, at least in their early days. It maybe doesn't mesh quite so well with the whole "Prince of Darkness" title Ozzy had, and the metalhead in me has a taste for darker or heavier things, but it's still a decent time. There aren't really any bad tracks, but there are really only a handful of truly good ones, and the rest are just sort of there.

Choice cuts: Crazy Train, Goodbye to Romance, Revelation [Mother Earth]