OZZY OSBOURNE — Diary Of A Madman (review)

OZZY OSBOURNE — Diary Of A Madman album cover Album · 1981 · Heavy Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Negoba
The Madman Returns

Neither Ozzy nor Randy Rhoads expected the success that was Blizzard of Ozz, and the band quickly returned to the studio to record a second effort. By this time Rhoads had a little more experience under his belt, and the songwriting is a fair bit more complex. There are great songs and great solos on Diary of a Madman, but really nothing quite reaches the anthemic heights of Crazy Train or I Don't Know.

"Over the Mountain" is a killer riff, one of Randy's best. "Flying High Again" has one of his best solos ever. "Diary of a Madman" pulls the Carmina Burana intro used to bring in live shows and makes it into a heavy metal riff and spooky tune perfect for Ozzy. "Believer" sports a great bass line. It's all very good. Just not quite as good as the debut. And from every interview I've read, the album was simply a little rushed.

The production is better but still has strange choices that have been discussed for three decades. The excessive reverb on the guitars clouds some of Randy's great playing. The fade out on "Tonight" is especially famous, with scores of aspiring guitarists cranking the volume to try to hear every last note.

The biggest emotion I get from listening to this disc is sadness. This is the last original work we get from Randy Rhoads, and though it shows and artist still yet to hit his peak, at the time it was one of the best guitar albums made. It could have been better. A little more time to record, vet out the songs, it could have been more. Despite all that, it's still a classic.
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