Album Review: Ozzy Osbourne's Patient Number 9

Welcome back everybody!

A couple days back, I reviewed Battle Beast’s early 2022 release, Circus Of Doom. It was one of my number 5 albums of last year, but it’s partner was just as good. A legend in their own right, the legacy they’ve made for themselves is well deserved. Of course, I’m talking about the iconic Ozzy Osbourne, and while his last release Ordinary Man was (For me & some others) enjoyable, it’s faults prevented it from being a full-blown classic. Today’s album, on the other hand, was a big improvement. It still had it’s faults, but it was improved in many ways as well. It was an album that came out at a time where the Blizzard Of Ozz was having health issues, but manage to tap into some inner strength and cracked out a damn good release. So, be sure to take your pills, don’t fight the orderlies when they bring in the straight jacket, and enjoy my review of Ozzy’s Osbourne 2022 release, Patient Number 9. Let’s begin!

Background
Taken from part 3 of my overview:

“Released on the 9th of September in 2022, the announcement for it came just 4 days after the release of Ordinary Man, as Ozzy stated in a iHeartRadio interview that he wanted to do a follow-up album with Andrew Watt. Come November of 2021, and Sony announced that the record would come in 6 months, and Zakk Wylde would return to be fully involved since he wasn’t on Ordinary Man. Then finally on the 24th of June in 2022, Osbourne announced the album’s name, as well as release the single of the same name (More on that in a bit).

Patient Number 9 had some pretty great reception upon it’s release. AllMusic critic Fred Thomas gave it a mostly positive review, writing: “Even with that fatalistic perspective sometimes peeking through, Ozzy sounds hypercharged throughout Patient Number 9, continuing the unlikely late-in-the-game comeback he began on Ordinary Man, and besting that album by taking more chances”, Metal Hammer gave it positive praise and said: “Despite everything you may have heard about Ozzy being on his last legs, Patient Number 9 unequivocally does not sound like the work of a man living on borrowed time. Instead, it sounds like the Prince of fucking Darkness having an absolutely smashing time, with a bunch of his mates and, weirdly, a newfound sense of artistic ambition”, & NME writer Rhian Daly gave Patient Number 9 an almost perfect score and stated: “At 73 years old and battling with his health, you might not expect Osbourne to keep that bar particularly high. But, for the most part, Patient Number 9 does just that – it's a fizzing piece of hard-rock magic. The superstitious metal frontman might have revealed in a recent Independent interview that he tries to "avoid looking at" the number 13, but we're lucky to have his magnificent 13th solo album”. Patient Number 9 would also get to no. 3 on the Billboard 200 & no. 2 on the UK albums chart respectively, so that’s impressive!”

Basic Description
Ordinary Man 2.0.

Right away, some of you who see that description will possibly turn away, and I can’t completely blame you. While I enjoyed Ordinary Man back in 2020, and still do today, I can’t deny now that it’s a bit more flawed than I once thought it was. This album, on the other hand, is definitely a big improvement over what the Blizzard Of Ozz put out 2 years prior to this one. Yes, the problems with OM are still accounted for here on Patient Number 9, but as I said in October last year (And a few more times in this review) they were definitely worked on. Not 100% worked on, but enough that it doesn’t impact the songs anywhere near as much. Even with that not factored in, it’s obvious that Ozzy feels a bit more invigorated on this release than the last. Sure, his health issues in 2022 were a little more problematic that in 2020, but he seemed like he had a new lease on life, and used that to fuel the recording & production of Patient Number 9.....and it shows.

Best Track
I said it in part 3 of the overview, and I’ll say it again here, but the title track to this album is just phenomenal. Virtually every song on this record is fantastic, but it’s the opener where I feel the atmosphere of Patient Number 9 is just perfect. Ozzy has always had a way of singing about madness & the struggles of the mind, and on this tune it’s just perfect. The instrumentation is well done but played in a strange way (Jeff Beck does a good job here, btw), Ozzy’s vocals are the most crisp they’ve been in years, yet the manner in which he sings comes across like that of an older patient warning the new guys what might be going on behind the scenes. Patient Number 9 is a haunting tune that really gets in your head.....but you won’t mind by the time it’s done playing.

Patient Number 9

Worst Track
Like I said in October last year, Patient Number 9's only issue is that it shares it’s faults with Ordinary Man. Ozzy had his voice tinkered with in places, another overabundance of guest musicians, and another overabundance of people that helped record & produce Patient Number 9. Again, it’s not as bad this time around, as the faults in question were smoothed out. Ozzy’s voice wasn’t tinkered with as much, the guest musicians were one Ozzy was probably a little more comfortable with, and there weren’t as many people working on everything else. The issues are still noticeable, but don’t impede the music as much as it did on Ozzy’s prior release.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Patient Number 9

Overall Impression & Rating
Patient Number 9 definitely feels like Ozzy managed to rejuvenate someone in the time since Ordinary Man. Again, it does share that previously mentioned album’s faults, but they’re smoothed out to the point where it’s not as much of a detriment as it was in 2020. Yes, the faults are noticeable, but not quite as obvious. Despite that, I enjoyed this album quite a bit, and if any of you were put off by what came before, then Patient Number 9 will correct many of the predecessor’s mistakes for you.

Patient Number 9 gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my review of Patient Number 9. While it still has some faults like Ordinary Man, it’s an improvement over that album through it’s smoother edges. If you felt that the Prince Of Darkness’s prior output was a struggle to go through, then you might be able to handle this lovely slice of madness. So, I’m taking break for a few days ago to recharge my batteries a little, but be sure to come back after the 1st of May, as we’re reaching no. 4 on my top 5 album list of 2022. See you soon!

Album Review: Battle Beast's Circus Of Doom

Gonna try something different fellow Otaku & Metalheads.

This was an idea that crept into my head back in late 2022, but it’s an idea that I feel is ripe to pick. Whenever I finish a year, I never really talk about the albums I listened to in that respective time. Save for my honorable mention & no. 1 album review, I never look at the records from my top 5 albums of that year, but it ends today! Starting in April, and going some time into May, I will be looking at the releases from the previous year, and saving my traditional honorable mention & no. 1 album reviews for November like always. Kicking things off was an album I severely underestimated. It opened 2022, and took me completely by surprise once I sat down to give it a listen, upon with it cautiously restored my faith in a band I hold close to my heart. So, grab you ticket to the bigtop, don’t stare at the clown right next to your seat, and get ready for my review of Battle Beast’s oddly titled Circus Of Doom. Let’s begin!

Background
Despite the criticism’s directed towards No More Hollywood Endings, Battle Beast continued to move forward with their career, managing to do a pretty good job getting their name out some more. Then 2020 came in all of it’s unholy glory, and we all know too well what that plagued year was like. However, even a world-traveled plague couldn’t keep these Finns down, and on the 4th of October, 2021, the band announced that they had a 6th studio album coming down the pipe. Just a couple short months later, on the 21st of January in 2022, Circus Of Doom was released.

Basic Description
The “Lost” Battle Beast album.

I must confess, when I heard the first singles that were released, I wasn’t exactly excited. No More Hollywood Endings was still somewhat fresh in my mind. Though said singles weren’t of an awful quality like almost everything off of that record, they were leaning in that direction. Then I listened to the whole thing, and my opinion changed massively. My doubt was practically dissolved by the time I was done, and was replaced with a kind of cautious optimism that makes me kind of excited for whatever the band was going to do next. As I listened to Circus Of Doom, I was reminded of Battle Beast’s first 3 releases when Anton Kabanen. I was reminded of a period in their career when they weren’t seemingly trying to erase his presence, and by extent erasing their past. Because of that, it’s the reason why I consider it the “Lost” Battle Beast album. It feels like an album they made when Anton was there, but for some reason they didn’t release it.

Best Track
Like I said when I updated the Battle Beast/Beast In Black overview, Russian Roulette was a killer track upon my first listen, and still is over a year later. It’s got great instrumentation, wonderful vocals from Noora, a nice mid-pace for the tracks run time, and just an awesome atmosphere. This is the kind of song you’d hear in a back alley bar, and it’s filled with some scruffy looking people. Despite it’s name, there’s no suicidal allegory, as it feels like the kind of tune you’d be hearing in the bar as a gunfight (Or Martial Arts fight) is going down, and you managed to take out a bad guy or two.

Russian Roulette

Worst Track
Also like I said when I updated the overview, Circus Of Doom’s only fault lies with the energy of the opening tracks. Again, nothing on this album is bad, but the first 2 to maybe 3 tracks don’t quite have as much energy as all of the others. These 2 to 3 tune definitely have some oomph & headbanging energy behind their notes, but the don’t quite make as much of an impact in my opinion.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Circus Of Doom

Overall Impression & Rating
Circus Of Doom really feels like the band turned things around after what they released back in 2019. Though the beginning few tracks don’t have as much steam as everything else, the overall package is wonderful, and feels like Battle Beast might be returning to their roots off of their first 3 releases. I can only say that if you felt disillusioned by what No More Hollywood Endings was, then you will like what Circus Of Doom is.

Circus Of Doom gets an 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my review of Circus Of Doom, and the start of looking at the best albums of 2022. It was refreshing to hear a band that took a bad sharp turn, and correct themselves just as sharply. If they managed to recover this fast, then maybe they’ll keep going strong. So, we got one of the next releases to cover, and it just so happens to be one that tied with these Finnish beauties. See you soon!

Album Review: E Nomine's Finsternis

Happy Easter fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I didn’t even realize that the day of Jesus’s resurrection (For those who believe) happened just past my birthday this year! It’s all the more hilarious, as the annual review for this holiday I’ve been planning for the past few months, and right away you will recognize the band I’m looking at today. E Nomine are just a quirky group in my view, and they have enough of a discography that devoting some time to them on Easter just makes the holiday a little more fun. Their first release was a mix of religious imagery with electronic instrumentation & beats, but would they be able to carry this on as their career moved forward? So, grab some candy, offer a quick prayer to the heavens above (If you believe), and get ready for my review of E Nomine’s second album, Finsternis. Let’s begin!

Background
Once again, finding information on this group’s career is a bit of a challenge, considering their home was Germany & by extent Europe. What little on Wikipedia that is relevant is that after the big success of Das Testament, E Nomine continued on their musical journey, and decided to shift thematic gears. I’ll be repeating this a few times, but they decided to put aside the religious imagery, and decided to sing songs inspired by Occult themes, Horror movies, and Gothic Horror novels. Once they were done in the studio, Finsternis (Darkness) was released on the 21st of January, 2002. It must have done a good job, as it got a lot of praise back in the group’s native Germany, and they would release a 3rd album a year later.

Basic Description
The same.....yet different?

That sounds like a strange way to describe this album, but hear me out on this. As far as influences & instrumentation is concerned, E Nomine have not changed a thing. There’s still the Gregorian chanting & occasional Latin vocals, as well as the Techno, Electronica, and Trance instrumentation. However, what inspires the group on Finsternis is very different: gone is the religious imagery, and instead a massive influence from classic Horror movies & Gothic Horror novels. As such, the beats & rhythms are exactly the same as before, but the shift in stylistic influences does clash ever so slightly.

Best Track
Mitternacht opens up this Gothic Horror masterpiece, and it does not disappoint! Though I enjoy the extended version more, the original version is still nice. The middle-pacing hits just perfectly, the Gregorian & Latin are still welcome, and the Gothic vibes show off how different of an experience Finsternis is going to be. Just an absolute treat of a starting track!

Mitternacht (Extended Version)

Worst Track
Like I said above, Finsternis doesn’t have any of the prior album’s (And the album after’s) religious imagery. There is still plenty of Gregorian & Latin singing, but it’s more of a side spice to the main meal rather than the main spice itself. I appreciate the turn in thematic direction, but at the same time I find it weird that the Gregorian & Latin elements are still around, and don’t have as much potency as before. If I wanted to be a bit more nitpicky, the only other thing I can complain about Finsternis would be it’s pacing. Though there are some swifter songs on this album, the vast majority occupy a slower pace. That doesn’t make the listening experience bad, but it does cause a small bit of whiplash when you listen to it after Das Testament.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this, then click on the link below:

Finsternis

Finsternis (V2)

Overall Impression & Rating
Finsternis is quite the musical ride. Upon listening to Das Testament fairly recently, getting into this record was quite a bit easier. I will say it was a little off-putting that they discarded the religious imagery, and the pacing was slowed down more, but this is balanced out by having a release that’s just dripping with atmosphere & gothic vibes (Maybe more that their first record, btw). If you are in the mood for yet another unique piece of Techno/Electronic music, then give this one a go whenever you can’t. I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

Finsternis gets an 8 to 8.5 out of 10.

And that was my look at Finsternis, the second album of E Nomine. It may not have the flavor of what came before it, but the new one this record acquired is still tasty. So, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter Sunday, and I’ll see you all a little later this month!

5 Songs That Blew Me Away (Part 2)

Happy Birthday to me everyone!

Now I’m 36 years old. A short 4 years before I hit the big 40, I find it weird that I’m sort of thinking about that. However, that’s still some time away, so let’s talk about today!

Last year, I talked about 5 songs that blew me away. 5 tunes that made my metaphysical brain splatter all across the walls, then stayed with me once said metaphysical brain came back together. I hinted that if more than enough people read that post enough I’d possibly do it again, and while it wasn’t looked at a massive amount of times, there was just enough views that I said “Screw It”, and decided that it would become a yearly tradition. So, with that out of the way, here are 5 songs that blew me away.....part 2. Let’s begin!

1) Metallica - Enter Sandman (Video)
We’re starting this list off with a song that maybe I shouldn’t have watched it’s music video for all the way back in 1991!

So, here’s a weird fact about my family. Normally, it’s the Mother that goes “Don’t Tell Your Father”, but not in my household. Anyways, I’m sitting in the living room of our first home, when my Dad comes in and goes “Hey, promise me you won’t tell Mom, and you can watch this music video with me”. I must have said okay, and my Dad turned the TV on, and flips the channel to MTV. From there, I was treated to one of the darkest and scariest music videos I ever saw at that age! There were flashing lights, snakes, a bed getting run over by a semi-truck, and all sorts of trippy yet oddly attention grabbing imagery. My Mom comes in, and to say she was mad is massively underselling it. Looking back in hindsight her outburst was completely understandable, as I had nightmares for a solid week if I recall correctly.

Judging by that little story, you can see why Metallica’s iconic song of nightmares stuck with me, and that’s definitely a reason why. The other reason why Enter Sandman stuck with me was the sound. It was the intense guitars & bass, the thunderous drums, and James Hetfield’s raspy and brutal vocals. I’ve certainly diversified my musical tastes in recent years, but it’s because of the one little song that firmly cemented my love, and set me down the path of the Metalhead later on in my life. So, thank you Enter Sandman for that!

2) Darkthrone - Kathaarian Life Code (Video)
I almost shit myself when I first listened to this song. No joke!

I said this all the way back in 2015, but Darkthrone’s second album sent absolute chills through me when I first listened to it. A Blaze In The Norther Sky was equal parts haunting & heavy, and while you could feel that throughout the record’s run time, it’s most potent when you listen to the opening track. I was blown away by the absolute brutality of this nearly 11 minute song. From the creepy intro with it’s eerie chanting, to the lightning fast guitars & drums, to Nocturno Culto’s screechy Black Metal voice, it’s hard for some non-metal music lovers to not have Kathaarian Life Code even remotely get stuck in their heads. The style is definitely not for everybody (Even some metalheads), but if you even have a sliver of curiosity swimming about in your head, then maybe give this song a try?

3) Alan Parsons Project - Standing On Higher Ground (Video)
Sometimes, heaviness doesn’t come from instrumentation. Sometimes, heaviness doesn’t come from vocal work. And sometimes, heaviness doesn’t come from being metal. Sometimes, heaviness comes from lyrics, and some of the heaviest non-metal lyrics I’ve heard came from the Alan Parsons Project of all groups. Standing On Higher Ground blew me away with it’s lyrics, which I found to be incredibly introspective. Here’s just the first few:

“I know the truth
But I can't say
And I have to turn my head
And look the other way

I'm not afraid
And I won't lie
As long as I see no wrong
I won't need to testify”

You might laugh, but listening to the song really made me look back into myself once or twice. It’s nice when music makes you think, but it’s especially nice when a song has you look inward at yourself, and makes a gear or two turn. Metal or not, it’s great when a tune does this.

4) Korn - Justin (Video)
There have been plenty of Metal songs that have mad me cry or gave me chills, but there has never been a song that disturbed me so much like Justin did. To keep the story short: Korn were asked by the Make-A-Wish foundation to visit to a kid named Justin, who was suffering from terminal Stomach Cancer at the time. The experience simultaneously humbled yet haunted the band so much, that they made a tribute song to Justin on their 3rd album. What blew me away about this tune is that Korn somehow captured the essence of dying. Not just dying, but that of a young life going away far too early in their life. Justin isn’t a fast track, but a slow funeral-like dirge, complete with exceptionally mournful singing from Jonathan Davis. It chills your spine, regardless of whether you’re listening to it live or not. You may be emotionally drained a little after listening to Justin, but I bet that you won’t deny it’s power.

5) Queen - I’m Going Slightly Mad (Video)
I talked about Queen last year, and I felt that perhaps they deserved another spot. This time around, I’m talking about a song of their’s that came out when Freddy was still alive. Granted, on the verge of death seemingly everyday, but alive regardless.

Funny enough, what blew my mind away wasn’t necessarily the music. Sure, the drums, guitar, and bass were wonderful, but like Standing On Higher Ground, they were simplistic. No, what blew my mind about IGSM was Freddy Mercury. Despite being on death’s door seemingly everyday since the late 1980s, the iconic frontman still had a grasp on life that can only be described as beautiful. Despite looking like he had a brush up against the Grim Reaper, he still managed to deliver a powerful performance. Sure, the lyrics are exceptionally absurd, as is the imagery of the music video for the song, but it’s Freddy’s energy that just has the headphones glued to my fat head for the entire run time. It’s Freddy’s ability, despite looking like a ghost at times, to stare Death in the face & flip him the bird. So, because of that love of life, I’m Going Slightly Mad blew me away!

And those were 5 more songs that blew me away. Yet another selection of seemingly mismatched pieces of music, everything on here just works in some way for me! So, I’m taking the rest of today off to enjoy all of the benefits that this day has to offer. See you all tomorrow on Easter!



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If you’d like to see my first list in this series, click on the link below:

5 Songs That Blew Me Away (Part 1)

Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 29: #ChangeTheChannel (5 Years Later)

As I’m typing this, it is just a few weeks away from the 2nd of April. By the time I’m posting this up, it will have been one or two days past the 2nd of April. Most of you probably don’t know why that day is so significant, but for those who’ve payed attention to the online reviewer scene, you know that was the day back in 2018 that the infamous Not So Awesome document was released on line for all to see. The document that showed off all of the bullshit that was going on from behind the scenes over at Channel Awesome. All of the mistreatment, all of the politicking, etc. Though this had been going on for a long time, I think most of us mistook the warning signs as nothing more that occasional rough moments in the work place......boy were we wrong.

My history of watching Nostalgia Critic & many of the other Channel Awesome content creators goes back quite a long way. All the way back in November of 2011, I was visiting a future friend of mine for the very first time, and during that weekend I caught my very first glimpse of the Nostalgia Critic. I forgot the review in question, but what I do remember was seeing Doug Walker for the very first time. The hat & coat, the white shirt, the glasses, and even the red tie I remember, but what I can recall a lot was his performance. The yelling, the over the top antics, and just his personality won me over practically immediately. From him, I managed to wander my way through a lot of the creators on TGWTG: Cinema Snob, Blockbuster Buster, Spoony, you name it! It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed the variety of individuals quite a bit, but as time went on.......well, I think we all know at this point.

Flash forward to 2018, and the Channel Awesome site, not to mention it’s creators, was quite different. Doug Walker himself was different also: After retiring in the summer of 2012 (If I’m recalling correctly), he would go on to do Demo Reel, and to say it was a bust was understating it. The humor was not what people had known, and while it was fun to see Doug tear into various movie tropes, it didn’t have the craftsmanship he’d been known for the past few years. After it tanked, Doug would bring back the Nostalgia Critic in early February of 2013, and for a while it seemed like everything was okay. As the years went on, it turned out that things weren’t so good, as the character morphed into a hollow mockery. He became meaner, insensitive, oafish, and incredibly vindictive (Watch his review on The Wall. This transformation is highly evident in that video). The somewhat opposite of what he was in 2012 & before. It was pretty shocking to me, and to anyone who noticed this change. Not only that, but by 2018 there were plenty of shakeups, firings, and controversies that caused people to alter their opinion on the once former bastion of creativity. Then, on the 2nd of April, 2018, the Not So Awesome google doc was released.....and all was unfortunately revealed.

Now, my opinion on some of the information & complaints within the Not So Awesome document has changed somewhat in the 5 years that it was released. Some of the info and complaints comes across to me as.....fake? Manufactured? It’s difficult to say, but since 2018 I always had the feeling that part of the document was artificially designed to make Channel Awesome & it’s management look like complete monsters, and the various content creators that worked there as completely innocent victims. Even not factoring that into the equation, the Not So Awesome google doc is one of the most darkly illuminating documents ever released. Certainly not on par with more politically charged pieces from decades before, but it revealed way more behind the curtain than anything that fans of the Nostalgia Critic and Channel Awesome were ever expecting. All of the corruption, all of the politicking by the management, all of the mistreatment, and perhaps most horrifically.....the fact that the higher-ups were covering up & protecting JewWario, who turned out to be a sexual deviant. Perhaps just as horrifically, almost nobody among the CA reviewers knew how awful he was, and the revelation of his awfulness sent out shockwaves that every once in a while some people still feel rarely. Even worse than that, JewWario’s widow fully believes this, which sort of begs the question as to how much she actually knows.

But perhaps most tragically, and despite the revelations within the Not So Awesome document.....Channel Awesome ultimately won the war. Well, more like Mike Michaud won the war. As valiant as the ChangeTheChannel movement was, it ultimately amounted to nothing when CA stayed completely silent after the JewWario reveal, and CTC didn’t keep pressing until some amount of justice took place. Mike Michaud’s meal ticket is still firmly secure in his pocket, and Doug Walker is the most shriveled up dance monkey I’ve ever seen. I confess I was beginning to watch the Nostalgia Critic less & less beforehand in the prior years, but once the Not So Awesome document came out I would only tune in out of morbid curiosity. Channel Awesome & the Nostalgia Critic have been dead for a few years now at this point.....they just don’t know it. As for the various content creators that jumped ship before & after, some of them most definitely kept and even improved their careers, while others rightfully/wrongfully faded into the ether. Nothing else to really say in that regard.

As for my final words......well, this meme alone describes what I think fits Channel Awesome nowadays (Used it a post I have a link to below).

 

So, that was my retrospective look at the ChangeTheChannel movement from 5 years ago, and the tragedy that nothing came from it. Channel Awesome was definitely declining beforehand, but after this it became nothing more than a husk of what it once was, and one of the funniest reviewers falling from grace into semi-irrelevance. Fortunately, this is all behind us now, so join me in a few days for my birthday!



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If you’d like to see what I thought of ChangeTheChannel a year after the incident, check out the link below:

Food For Thought/Thought For Food No. 13: #ChangeTheChannel (1 Year Later)

Also, If you’d like to read the ChangeTheChannel Google Doc, check out the link below:

Not So Awesome: A Record Of Events While Working For That Guy With The Glasses

Also Also, if you’d like to see an interesting retrospective on when Doug’s transformation began, click on the link below:

The Review Must Go On - Doug Walker's Haunting Masterpiece