Let's take a moment and appreciate the fact Ozzy and Osbourne and Tony Iommi are still writing music together 54 years on from Black Sabbath's unholy inception – and it's still such a mighty musical chemistry.
Indeed, Ozzy's Patient Number 9 album bodes very well indeed based on new song Degradation Rules and the previously heard title track that saw Jeff Beck supplying an extended solo.
Degradation Rules even gives the somewhat underwhelming Rick Rubin-produced Black Sabbath 2013 reunion album 13 a run for its money. It manages to sound fresher, bigger and still nod back to Sabbath's past with Ozzy's harmonica from the Wizard days breathing extra life into some already thunderous Iommi riffage.
Maybe these two need to give Geezer a call and get back in the studio!
Patient Number is released on 9 September and will also feature contributions from Eric Clapton, Zakk Wylde, Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, Metallica’s Rob Trujillo, Duff McKagan and late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Preorder it here.
