Thirteenth solo studio album by the English heavy metal singer and former Black Sabbath frontman. The album features collaborations with Jeff Beck, Mike McCready, Zakk Wylde, Tony Iommi and Eric Clapton. The late Taylor Hawkins features on the drums.At 73 years old, nothing seems to stop Ozzy Osbourne. Following his last studio album in 2019, Ordinary Man, he’s back again with Patient Number 9. It’s destined to be a huge hit, if only because of the mesmerising ensemble which surrounds the prince of darkness. Robert Trujillo (Metallica) is in charge of bass, while Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) and the late Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters) alternate on drums. As for the guitars, they’re entrusted to Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), Tony Iommi and, of course, Zakk Wylde.

So, let’s cut to the chase: what have this group of elite musicians produced? At its core, this is a great Ozzy album: well written, well interpreted and well-conceived. Naturally, the four guest stars stamp their unique mark throughout the whole release – just listen to Clapton’s weeping guitar on ’One of Those Days’ or Iommi’s Sabbath-style riff on ’No Escape from Now’. Each mark made feels perfectly logical thanks to the solid composition of all the tracks on the album. Despite the substantial length of this 13-tracker, there’s not one second of wasted time on Patient Number 9. Are you someone who likes heavy metal and screaming guitar solos? Then you’ll find what you’re looking for with Zakk Wylde and Tony Iommi. Do you like refined arrangements and the more intimate, nostalgic side of Ozzy Osbourne? Then ’A Thousand Shades’ (featuring Jeff Beck) will be the song for you, reminiscent of ‘So Tired’ from the album Bark at the Moon. Even the more radio-friendly side of the late 80s is represented here with the incredible ’Dead and Gone’… So, step right up–there’s something for everyone! Andrew Watt, who was responsible for the production of the previous album, has considerably scaled down his sonic eccentricities for this release. As you might imagine, Patient Number 9 sounds like a blockbuster. It’s got a huge sound and feels very contemporary, but there’s no doubt that this is 100% a metal album. – Charlélie Arnaud