Ozzy Osbourne - Ozzmosis
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On October 23, 1995, Ozzy Osbourne released his seventh studio album, "Ozzmosis".
After announcing his “retirement” following the "No More Tours" run in 1992, few believed Ozzy Osbourne would truly walk away. But like any restless artist haunted by the stage, he couldn’t stay silent for long. Three years later, he returned with renewed energy, a new label, and an album that blended darkness, melody, and reflection — all filtered through the unmistakable lens of the Prince of Darkness.
By the mid-90s, heavy metal was shifting. Grunge had peaked, alternative ruled the airwaves, and classic metal acts struggled to find their footing. Yet Ozzy, backed once again by Zakk Wylde on guitar and Geezer Butler on bass, refused to chase trends. Instead, he crafted an album that merged his doom-laden roots with a modern sheen.
The album’s first sessions were initially recorded with producer Michael Wagener and a different lineup that included bassist Mike Inez and drummer Randy Castillo, with the intention of capturing a sound similar to "No More Tears". However, those recordings were later shelved, and Ozzy opted to start fresh with producer Michael Beinhorn, known for his work with "Soundgarden" and "Red Hot Chili Peppers", giving the final album a more modern and atmospheric edge. However, in the end, out of Wagener's produced material, the songs "Aimee" and "Living with the Enemy" were released as B-sides
The sessions took place at "Guillaume Tell Studios" in Paris and "Electric Lady Studios" in New York, where Ozzy surrounded himself with both familiarity and experimentation.
"Perry Mason" written about Erle Stanley Gardner' fictional American criminal defense lawyer, bursts the album open with a cinematic drama with a haunting Mellotron performance by Rick Wakeman of "Yes". Zakk Wylde’s slithering riff joins in and add to the theatrical weight. The song was released as the first single from the album, and is undoubtedly one of Ozzy’s strongest late-career singles, combining mystery and menace in equal measure.
"I Just Want You", co-written with Jim Vallance, is pure emotion — a confession stripped of theatrics and colored by Wakeman’s Mellotron layers that give it a ghostly, atmospheric touch. The song expresses a desire for stability and a simpler life, with directness and vulnerability that reveal a side of Ozzy often overshadowed by his wild persona.
"Ghost Behind My Eyes" is one of the calm and catchiest songs on the album, while "Thunder Underground" and “My Jekyll Doesn’t Hide” revisit the thick, grinding riff work that made Zakk’s name, adding modern heaviness to Ozzy’s timeless phrasing.
Then comes "See You on the Other Side", perhaps the album’s emotional core, which proves the new direction and sound Ozzy was seeking on this album. It's a haunting reflection on death and legacy, co-written with Lemmy Kilmister of "Motörhead". The song’s slow build and poignant melody cement it as one of the most powerful moments of Ozzy’s entire career.
Elsewhere, "Tomorrow" and "Denial" reveal Ozzy's melodic instincts still intact, even as he stared down personal demons. "My Little Man", co-written with Steve Vai for Ozzy's son Jack — a delicate, almost eerie lullaby that hints at both tenderness and torment, with layered arrangements that perfectly envelope this introspective journey.
The Album closes with the piano-driven ballad "Old L.A. Tonight" - a beautiful and melancholic ballad that serves as a fitting curtain call.
"Ozzmosis" debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and quickly went double-platinum in the U.S., proving that even in the alternative-dominated 1990s, Ozzy’s voice still mattered. It was a reminder that beneath the theatrics and madness lay a survivor — one who could still craft songs of beauty and dread in equal measure.
It may not reach the revolutionary heights of "Blizzard of Ozz" or "No More Tears", but "Ozzmosis" stands as Ozzy’s last truly essential solo work of the century — a bridge between the myth and the man, between the darkness and the reflection that follows.
For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music
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