Only a madman would make that their album cover. After the thrills of Blizzard of Oz, ex-Black Sabbath member Ozzy Osbourne would hit a hot streak of solo albums. He was at the forefront of heavy metal for years and would innovate frequently enough to warrant being the face of the genre. The turn of the 1980s was a time when most bands or established musicians were struggling to keep up with the charts. Osbourne couldn’t care less about what was happening in pop culture or the genres around him. He stuck it out in the heavy metal arena and, more often than not, came out on top. Diary of a Madman is an excellent example of that longevity in motion. It also acts as a chance for those with just a tepid understanding of his work to connect that little bit more. For those who know Crazy Train and that one song used in a Marvel film, Diary of a Madman may feel like a deep dive. It’s not quite a chart topper, but it’s one hell of an album.
Stiff competition from Black Sabbath, who released Mob Rules the same year as Diary of a Madman, isn’t much of a threat to Osbourne’s second solo album. He had drifted from the style which made Black Sabbath so formidable and instead had a higher pitch and heavier tone to offer. If it isn’t Osbourne showcasing some solid vocal or lyrical work, it’s some impressive but over-the-top instrumental offerings. Flying High Again has the latter. It’s a far cry from some of his memorable releases, but it hits that sweet spot heavy rock fans will no doubt be searching for. There is a suitable blur of both quality writing and exceptional instrumentals on You Can’t Kill Rock and Roll. A nice sentiment from Osbourne, who rallies on with his brand of heavy metal and successfully provides those riffs and licks which will no doubt delight fans of the veteran musician.
But what of those who mark one of their first experiences with Osbourne through Diary of a Madman? They’re catered to well. Osbourne sounds a tad reserved in spots, but that’s just the fact of his higher vocal pitch and some weaker material here or there. Many of his albums have a standout song to gather around for warmth, and some left-field additions which are more for the hardened fan. Diary of a Madman opens and closes on exceptional work, but there are a handful of highlights throughout to bridge the gap between newcomer and dedicated listener. Osbourne walks a very fine line of cringe-inducing lyrics and honest proclamations. He lived the rock and roll life, but that is hardly a positive. It sounds cool, though, and that should be enough to carry Diary of a Madman through.
Catchy is what Osbourne does best here. Diary of a Madman never hits the highs of Crazy Train but it offers a consistency which Blizzard of Oz lacks. A blistering B-side of confident, very enjoyable instrumentals is what makes Diary of a Madman such a success. Brilliant work the whole way through, but songs like Tonight are magnificent. It’s that fine blur of Osbourne’s writing style and those excellent Randy Rhoads guitar workings. He’s given a free rein on the B-side and you can certainly hear those thrills come to life. Ballads are the difference here. There isn’t any of that punchy repetition which defines Crazy Train but adaptations, successful ones at that, to the popular, winding songwriter style. Osbourne makes the transition well on Diary of a Madman, a strong piece from his solo discography.
