Jet Records - 1981
10/10
All of Ozzy Osbourne’s solo eras can be broken down by who’s on guitar (for the most part), and within the Randy Rhoads days, I find the sequel of the pair to be the superior work. Diary Of A Madman sees the excellence of Blizzard Of Ozz realized into a tighter set of songs with a fluid stream from track to track. They both use the same structure of “a couple radio hits,” “a couple deeper digs,” and “a ballad or two,” and it’s really like taking something amazing and expanding upon it.
For one, the energy throughout is immaculate, layering basic, in-your-face heavy metal rhythms born out of the late ‘70s and placing a unique touch of solo progression on top. Not a single song goes by without the Van Halen-like insertion of swift licks between the smallest gap in the vocals. Even the radio-oriented “Flying High Again” has this all over the place, raking in a chorus, bridge, and spot for Rhoads to shine. Without paying close attention, this would surpass any unseasoned listener.
But looking past all of the neat tricks like this, the songwriting itself is just top-notch. Acoustic guitars and soft licks are implemented better than any album Ozzy ever did, namely the submersion of the intro of “You Can’t Kill Rock ‘N Roll” into a heavier buildup, without letting go of the foundation. The title track, of course, did this to an even heavier degree, letting in minor tones and trading sadness for unsettlement. Hell, even “Believer” has a doomy presence, especially with that bassline, perhaps an ode to the Black Sabbath days under a flashy, early ‘80s touch. Opener “Over The Mountain” casts this cadence in a faster motion, looping the drawn-out rhythms into a fret-filled lead guitar attack.
Amidst all of this emotion, there’s room for the cute little “Tonight,” likely an early look into the balladry that would smoke the whole decade. But even with piano and warm vibes, the riffs themselves allow this to not feel out of place. The surrounding “Little Dolls” and “S.A.T.O.” sandwich it nicely, as the former has lighter, easy going momentum while the latter is a borderline speed metaller that unfolds nicely into the aforementioned, haunting intro of “Diary Of A Madman.”
I can’t find a single thing to complain about on Diary Of A Madman. I doubt many people hold this in as high of regards as I do, but I really think it’s collectively Ozzy Osbourne’s best non-Sabbath work, and Randy’s best overall. No discredit to Bob Daisley or Lee Kerslake; they fit the shoe wonderfully, but it was the other two’s time to shine, one of them for the last time.
R.I.P. Randy Rhoades, 1956-1982
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