Surprisingly, this is my second favorite Hard Rock album.
When this album came out, I was pretentiously involved with my DM, Cure, Erasure, New Order and Madchester, thinking I was so very important to be listening to "alternative" music on the cusp of mainstream popularity. My sister was not that way, and never was. She listened to whatever was popular at the time, and it was never the Post Punk or American College Rock that I thought was so very important. She bought this album, and I scoffed.... At home, I would sometimes walk by her room and hear music playing. I remember walking by her room and hearing Mama I'm Coming Home. I walked by later and heard Road to Nowhere. Both times, I was drawn by the power of his vocals, and the beauty of their "acoustic" or ballad strumming of their guitars. I didn't know who Zakk Wylde was at the time, but I knew that guy was talented, and I liked it. I ended up borrowing the TAPE from her and listening to it a couple times. Before long, I was down at the music store buying the album on CD.
This entire album is all traditional Ozzy, but more than that. It's almost like what an Ozzy GH album would sound like. I wouldn't go so far as to say all of the songs could be singles, but the entire album was very well put together and meshed seamlessly.
I will admit I am more drawn to his ballads on this album more than the others. Ballads suit his vocal style very well. But, No More Tears is awesome, Zombie Stomp is great, Hellraiser, I Don't Want to Change the World, and even Don't Blame Me, a b-side. The rest of the songs are good, too, but I like these, and the ballads best....
We've got the 2 b-sides and an outtake, which isn't half bad.
Yes, this is my 2nd favorite of all time. Number 3 would be Back In Black. But, I can't find any b-sides, remixes or outtakes from Back in Black, so you won't see it this week, unfortunately....