Even with all of the real world horror that happening right now, it’s still nice that ghosts & goblins roam the earth. It’s still nice that pumpkins glow with eerie grins, and creatures of all kinds travel up to houses for sugary sweets. It’s also the time where some of the spookiest music really hits just right, and how appropriate for today that my final tribute look at Ozzy is 2010's Scream. Only the 3rd album from the Prince Of Darkness I ever got at the time, Christmas that year was a little more metal for me. So, have your bucket of candy next to you, light up a few candles, and enjoy my review for Ozzy Osbourne’s 2010 release, aptly titled Scream. Let’s begin!
Background
Taken from part 3 of my overview:
“2009 was a pretty eventful year for Ozzy. In July of 09, he revealed that his band was looking for a new guitarist, and while he said that he never had a falling out with Zakk Wylde, he did say that hi songs were beginning to sound a little too much like Black Label Society. Zakk’s replacement would come in the form of Gus G., who first showed off his skills when Osbourne played at Blizzcon 2009. After that, Ozzy would lend his voice to the metallic game Brutal Legend, and in November of 2009 would not only lend guest vocals for Slash’s solo song “Crucify The Dead”, but also host WWE Raw alongside his wife Sharon. Finally, in December of 2009, Osbourne announced that a new album titled Soul Sucka in 2010, but would change the name of the release to Scream after taking into consideration the negative feedback the original record name got from fans. Then, on the 11th of June, 2010, Scream was released.
Unfortunately for Scream, it was considered commercially disappointing when compared to Ozzy’s earlier releases, but it moderate success in the United States & the UK, reaching no. 4 and no. 12 on the Billboard 200 & UK Albums Charts respectfully.”
Basic Description
1st True Modern Ozzy Album.
The Prince Of Darkness got back on his game when Down To Earth was released in 2001, and over the course of the 2000s he kept on rocking & releasing some phenomenal records (With one notable exception in 2005), but when it reached 2010, it seemed like he truly released a modern record with Scream. The most (at the time) modern recorded, produced, played, and sung release of Ozzy’s career, yet practically none of the heaviness was removed because of this. Though it may be a little too accessible (More on that a little later), it still will have a hold on anyone that listens to this.
Best Track
Like I said when I first looked at this album in Halloween of 2022, the title-ish track of Scream is the best thing on here. The whole thing is intense from beginning to end: the guitar & drums at the start build up for a few moments, only to explode like thunder once Ozzy begins to sing, yet none of the instrumentation loses it’s energy during the entire playtime. The fast yet mid-pace nature of the song never goes off the rails, but it does feel like a runaway train ever so slightly. Though it’s not the opening track, it definitely deserves to be in front.
Let Me Hear You Scream
Worst Track
I stated this when I looked at this release 3 years ago, but Scream comes across as one of Ozzy’s most commercial sounding & feeling records he’s ever done. Again, there’s plenty of metal across the entire run time, and it’s hard-hitting pretty much the whole time, but perhaps it’s too accessible to non metal fans & casual metalheads. Also, and I don’t think I stated this in 2022, but Scream also sounds a little too clean most of the time. Pretty much every album prior to this one had some of the rawness from the 80s & 90s in one way or another (With maybe the exception of Black Rain, and even then there was still rawness), but Scream feels like Ozzy’s first truly modern album in his career. The recording & production, while very well done, sounds too clean for it’s own good.
Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:
Scream
Overall Impression & Rating
Scream, while certainly modern sounding and feeling, still is a hefty feast of metal. For better or for worse, Ozzy always reinvents himself with each new album. Some are worse than others, but an album like this is one of the better ones. You could throw a dart, and it’ll land on a song that’s for you. As for me, Scream was & still is a treat, and while it would take practically a decade after for the next record to appear, this one held back the tide nicely.
Scream gets an 8 out of 10.
And that was my look at Scream, and the end of my tribute to Ozzy as well. It’s still sad that the Prince Of Darkness has been gone for such a short time, and just compounds how horrible 2025 has been. Yet, every once in a while, his screams still echo in the wind, and the most observant can hear them. Well, this year’s almost over with, so that means starting next month it’ll be time to look at the honorable mention & no. 1 album of 2024. However, I’ve got 1 last look back at 2020 to present. See you all tomorrow for my look at my 2nd favorite MTG set of that year. Until then, take care!
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