Ozzy's 10th studio album Scream is the first since 1988's No Rest For The Wicked not to feature long-time guitarist and collaborator Zakk Wylde. Ozzy split with Zakk last year for various reasons (the main one being his excessive drinking). The search for a new guitarist resulted in the Firewind guitarist Gus G. landing the gig. With a new guitar player in tow, Ozzy once again sat down with collaborator Kevin Churko who co-wrote and co-produced the album as with Ozzy's previous album Black Rain. Ozzy was really in need of recapturing his classic sound as with his last 2 albums, Down To Earth and Black Rain, the sound was a tad too modernized and almost "robotic" in nature. The Black Label Society sound was also crossing over a bit too much into his songs as well. After quite a few listens, I can honestly state that this album sounds much more like an Ozzy album should and slots right in there in overall sound with albums like No Rest For The Wicked, Ultimate Sin and No More Tears. But...does it measure up in overall quality? Yes....and no....

First off, although the lead single Let Me Hear You Scream has some catchiness, it's nothing more than a calculated attempt at writing a new live anthem for his new tour. It's a throwaway track with drum machines and is an embarrassment to the Ozzy legacy. Otherwise, Scream has some very solid material to offer. Not all of it's great but tracks like the doomy Sabbath riff-laden album opener Let It Die, complete with a sudden speedy tempo change really deliver. The drop B bend of the main riff for Soul Sucker also brings the Sabbath feel as does Diggin' Me Down where Ozzy challenges Jesus to show himself or prove that he has been here before. Other up tempo riff-driven rockers like Crucify and Fearless are decent as well. The real album highlights for me are Gus G's guitar playing, the riffs, and some surprisingly great power ballads. Life Won't Wait brings Tonight and You Can't Kill Rock and Roll to mind with a splash of a Beatles melodic influence that can also be heard with Time, another acoustic flavored power ballad. The true story of a mercy killing of a terminally ill girl by her father is the subject matter for Latimer's Mercy but overall, this moody, atmospheric track never really gets off the ground.

Ozzy's voice is as over-processed as always and sounds pretty much like it has on record for the last 25 years. I was pretty excited when I first heard this album because it has some great riffs and melody lines but when all is said and done, there is only a handful of tracks that really stand out. Some tracks just plod along without really "gelling". There is potential in this album to be a lot better than it turned out to be but there are still 4 or 5 great songs that make this album worthwhile if you're a fan. Much better than either Black Rain or Down To Earth, Scream sees an attempt to return to the "comfort zone" for Ozzy.