Track Listing

1. Not Going Away
2. I Don't Wanna Stop
3. Black Rain
4. Lay Your World on Me
5. Almighty Dollar
6. 11 Silver
7. Civilize the Universe
8. Here for You
9. Countdown's Begun
10. Trap Door
11. [CD-Rom Track]

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9968 in Music
• Released on: 2007-05-22
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced

Album Description
Japanese pressing of this 2007 album from Ozzy Osbourne includes two bonus tracks, 'I Can't Save You' & 'Nightmare'. Sony.

Amazon.com
Ozzy returns with a startlingly heavy ninth studio album, a record filled with vows to continue his rock 'n' roll ways ("Not Going Away," "I Don't Wanna Stop"), meditations on the state of a world that has changed surprisingly little since Black Sabbath's early days ("Black Rain," "God Bless the Almighty Dollar") and the obligatory ballad ("Here for You," which can be read either as a letter to a lover or a love letter to his fans). With longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde providing plenty of brutal, soul-searing riffs and solos, there's no shortage of reasons to throw the horns, raise your fist, and yell. The rhythm section of Mike Bordin (drums) and Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (drums) is simply the best since Randy Castillo and Phil Soussan joined up for 1986's The Ultimate Sin and fires most accurately on the title cut, "Lay Your World On Me" and "Countdown's Begun." There's no "Crazy Train" or "Mama I'm Coming Home" here but Black Rain is a more convincing statement for it. The promises Ozzy makes here are sincere, he's not going away anytime soon––and he's still got plenty of game. ––Jedd Beaudoin

Customer Reviews

Ozzy's latest.
Ozzy's latest album Black Rain, Is his best in several years. First off, his voice is stronger and clearer on this one since No More Tears. Compare this with his Under Cover album and the difference is obvious.

The tracks:
1. Not Going Away - I think this song is the weakest thing on the album and one of Ozzy's worst opening songs of all. Odd also since the first two songs are essentially about the same thing.
2. I Don't Wanna Stop - Great single and classic sounding Ozzy tune. Way better than Not Going Away.
3. Black Rain - Highlight of the album. War Pigs for the new era. Political lyrics and how long has it been since you've heard a harmonica on an Ozzy tune?
4. Lay Your World On Me - Good ballad, good lyrics. Really needs an epic No More Tears Zakk solo in it though.
5. The Almighty Dollar - Another highlight. Very bass heavy and almost funk sounding during the verses for an Ozzy tune. Blasko does well on this one. His bass is very prominent on the whole album.
6. 11 Silver - Fast song about crystal meth. Pretty cool.
7. Civilize The Universe - Good song, nothing really stands out but good anyway.
8. Here For You - The obligatory "I Love My Wife" ballad.
9. Countdown's Begun - Another one of the best on the album. Possibly Zakk's best solo on the album.
10. Trap Door - Cool Zakk riff but it's kind of repetative on the lyrics.
Bonu Tracks :
11. I Can't Save You - I Don't know why this was left off the US release it's fast and yould have made a killer opening song to the album.
12. Nightmare - Another song that shouldn't have been a b-side. Sounds more like Ozzy from the 80's which kind of mixes the album up a little.

Overall an excellent album with little to complain about and well worth getting the Japanese version for the bonus songs. The album is also in a jewel case with the booklet and the very cool cover art that's way better than the US packaging.

(4.5 stars) Man, it's good to have him back!
John Michael Osbourne (a.k.a. Ozzy Osbourne, Ozz, The Madman, The Godfather of Metal, The Prince of F'ing Darkness, etc.) Is fifty-eight years old, and thirty-six of those years have been spent making heavy metal. Recent rumors started by wife Sharon of Ozzy retiring, and rumors of this summer's Ozzfest being his last, fans were starting to wonder what would come of The Ozzman. But he has recently dismissed all retirement rumors, and with ninth studio album, this year's "Black Rain," and song titles like "Not Going Away" and "I Don't Wanna Stop," it appears Ozzy doesn't see any end in sight for his long and legendary career.

So what is his secret of lasting so long in the music industry? It's quite simple, really: Write good songs. Ever since debuting with Black Sabbath way back in 1970, Ozzy and his band have written quality, complete songs that combine excellent, crunchy riffs, killer solos, and a tight rhythm section, with memorable hooks, a keen ear for melody, and (rare in this day and age) good, well-thought-out and often thought-provoking lyrics.

"Black Rain" marks a return for Ozzy, since it has been six years since his last solo studio album, 2001's "Down To Earth." And boy, is it great to have him back! Sometimes there's nothing else in the world like a great Ozzy disc. "Black Rain" may come up a bit short in surprises, and there may be no immediate classics (i.e. 1980's "Crazy Train," 1981's "Over The Mountain," etc.), but so friggin' what? This album rocks! Listening to this album literally had me smiling from ear to ear!

"Black Rain" covers all of the bases you want from a modern day Ozzy album, so everybody who is or was at one time a fan of his music should be very satisfied with this release. The first song, the aforementioned "Not Going Away," begins with longtime guitar god Zakk Wylde unleashing one of his hallmark killer, meaty, dazzling, terrifically brutal, and almost trance-inducing headbanging riffs. The rest of the song is a bit repetitious from a lyrical standpoint, but it is of note for its wailing solo, ominously moaning guitar noise, creepy whispers of the title phrase. Lead single "I Don't Wanna Stop," has more strong, crunching, churning, grinding licks, a bobbing rhythm, a winding solo, and a very catchy chorus. Songs like the title track and "Countdown's Begun" are fairly mid-tempo, but they gradually ascend to higher speeds (plus the latter also features a positively blazing solo). Next, there are the obligatory ballads: "Lay Your World On Me" is an especially dreamy tune with acoustic strumming, a few keys, a grumbling bass line, and lyrics that are downright sweet without being sappy. (Examples: "I'm here if you need a friend," "Give me your strength/give me your anger," "Let me be your rock/ I can be the pillar of strength that you need," and "Lay your world on me/I can take the weight.") The album's second ballad, "Here For You," isn't as effective as the first, but it's still very listenable, and includes a driving piano and a nicely melodic solo.

Elsewhere, "11 Silver" is a more up-tempo piece complete with a very catchy rhythm (including a chant of "Hey! Hey! Hey!"), and a remarkably ripping solo. The album's centerpiece, "The Almighty Dollar," is also the longest song on here. It boasts a similar, and equally-as-great-and-intense riffing as "Not Going Away," and is also highlighted by an irresistibly hooky and infectious chorus. And lastly, the set closer, "Trap Door," is bolstered by almost thunderous guitars, catchy singing, and a very deep, heavy, adherent and memorable groove.

So yeah, this is good stuff. "Black Rain" isn't a mindblowing album, but it is indisputably awesome that Ozzy can still turn out music of such high quality after so many years. This is a very strong, solid, cohesive, and focused album (ten tracks and forty-six minutes in length); it is one of the Ozzman's better releases of the past sixteen years, and is highly recommended to all fans.

Over the Mountain
You'd have to go back to 1980 ( Blizzard of Ozz ) to find an Ozzy studio solo album that had more than 3 songs on it that you just played over and over again. Of course, my statement is all a matter of opinion, but I'm willing to bet that only devout Ozzy fans would disagree.

Unfortunately, Black Rain and Ozzy's 2001 ( Down to Earth ) release are similar in that they have less than 3 compelling tracks each. Only Black Rain's first two tracks "Not Going Away" & "I Don't Wanna Stop" are classic Ozzy rockers; the other 8 tracks on Black Rain are typical Ozzy fillers.

Zakk Wylde's final comment in an interview that he and Ozzy gave in the July issue of Revolver Revolver [1-year] sums it all up perfectly: Zakk was asked how Black Rain sounds, and he said, "It sounds like a ******* Ozzy record, brother!" (The article is quite short and funny if you've got two minutes to spend with it at your local bookseller.) And Zakk's statement couldn't be more true. There are no surprises. Black Rain sounds just like you think it will too.

On Black Rain the awesome Robert Trujillo is out on bass and Rob "Blasko" Nicholson (of Rob Zombie fame) is in. The rest of the line up is Metal's best guitarist on the circuit, Zakk Wylde, and on drums with his second go-around is Mike Bordin.

Look, this review in no way reflects my total respect for Ozzy coming out at 60 years old to give us some more music, nor does it acknowledge the history that the man has given to Metal. And I apologize for that. (See my 5/8/2007 review of Ozzy's 2002 DVD Live at Budokan Ozzy Osbourne - Live at Budokan for a better perspective of the kind of Ozzy fan that I am.) But Black Rain just doesn't do it for me.

Sorry, fans. You may now proceed to hit the NO vote.