After a year full of health setbacks and tour cancellations, Ozzy Osbourne is back at full swing and he stole the show at the American Music Awards, joining Post Malone and Travis Scott for a fiery performance of their hit single “Take What You Want.” Metalheads are, of course, divided over the Prince of Darkness’ embrace of pop. Ozzy Osbourne is already recording a new album, which is a bit of a surprise, because in some ways this year’s Ordinary Man feels like a goodbye — or at least the exclamation point on a long chapter of work. Not that Ozzy sounds tired; on high-octane single “Straight to Hell” and the manic, Post Malone-featuring “It’s a Raid,” he appears invigorated, replenished by a nearly 10-year gap between solo records. But when he sings “I don’t wanna die an ordinary man” alongside fellow aging rocker Elton John, he sounds as though he knows the writing’s on the wall – and if so, Ordinary Man is a hell of a way to go out.
The Prince of Fucking Darkness re-emerged reinvigorated on solo album No. 12. Helmed by Post Malone producer and guitarist Andrew Watt, and featuring rock-star assists from Slash, Elton John, Post and others, Ordinary Man is anything but ordinary, capturing the septuagenarian godfather of heavy metal in fine form, whether shrieking, “It’s a raid!” or moaning of the inevitable end on “Under the Graveyard.” The crazy train still has plenty of steam in it yet.
The Fat Angel Sings 