Welcome to The Saw’s Butcher Shop! Ya girl, The Saw has been jammin’ on the new album by The Prince of Darkness! On September 9, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne released his 13^th (solo) studio album, Patient Number 9 via Epic Records. The star-studded record reads like a who’s-who of Rock/Metal guitar legends. You have to see this as the event that it is – each song is a celebration; Ozzy’s 50+ year career, and he has brought friends to help with the party!

The Oz-Man delivers, vocally, as he has always done – with impeccable timing and clarity, and a very strong voice; dark stories, honest discord, and (often) big, soring choruses. There are certainly heavier bands in this present era of Extreme Metal, but we cannot overlook, and quite frankly disrespect, the fact that Ozzy is the initiator, the progenitor, of the music we know and love. But not just a matter of nostalgia, The Prince of Darkness has an ear for the genre, an eye for talent, a voice to deliver the message, and the clout to continue pressing Metal forward – like a powerful undertow, an unstoppable force invisibly driving the ocean currents.

So, let’s not lose sight of the fact that, to start, Patient Number 9 has Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) on drums, and Robert Trujillo (Metallica) on bass. What we have, here, is a Supergroup, really! Ozzy sent some songs to Paul McCartney (The Beatles) in an effort to get him to play some guest bass-lines. Paul responded back with, “I can’t beat your bass player.” THAT is how good Trujillo is! And Smith is an extremely solid drummer with excellent timing and abilities.

Add to that the guitarists featured on the album:

Jeff Beck (The Yardbirds):

1. “Patient Number 9”
2. “A Thousand Shades”

Eric Clapton (The Yardbirds, Cream):

       5) “One of Those Days”

Mike McCready (Pearl Jam):

• “Immortal”

Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath):

       4) “No Escape from Now”

      10) “Degradation Rules”

Zakk Wylde (Ozzy, Black Label Society):

• “Parasite”
• “Mr. Darkness”
• “Nothing Feels Right”
• “Evil Shuffle”

And three tracks are a mystery guitarist (at least, no credit is given on them):

      11) “Dead and Gone”

       12)  “God Only Knows”

       13) “Darkside Blues”

Each guitarist is a master at his craft, a legend in their style of axe-grinding. Beck and Clapton offer that classic guitar playing, steeply based in the blues. McCready is a modern player, giving you the sense of Grunge that he helped form. Iommi’s playing is heavy and dark; it’s Metal, just what you’d expect from the inventor of the craft. And Wylde (one of my favorite guitarists) pounds you with crushing riffs, and baffling solos; but on this album, he also gives wonderful harmonies and delicate frets.

The Saw views each song as “Ozzy and Iommi” or “Ozzy and Zakk,” etc. I think we’ll see more of Ozzy – on the road, as he strongly desires to see the fans; but also in the studio, for some more “Ozzy and…”! When you are THE MAN, it’s just a matter of lining-up the talent to play with you.

Rating: It’s Ozzy!!!

Favorite Songs: The two with Iommi and the four with Zakk!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW