It's time to laud Ozzy's eldritch but forever cool Bark At The Moon, his third release from 1983, as well as Jake's first foray with the Ozzman following Randy and crewmates' senseless deaths. Oddly enough, aside from its impeccably composed title track, it took me a lifetime to hear it in full, having only recently rocked out like a reliquian 1950s greaser to its classic, however dated-like-a-mummified-prune's sound. (Plus, I'm trying to quit smoking cigarettes as not only are they harmful and expensive - money best put towards a slick Jackson guitar - but can't abide those new, bad tasting charcoal filters with the grim warnings. Next thing you know, they'll make 'em look like dicks.) Anyhow(l), the verdict is in: it rules almost as much as 1981's masterpiece, Diary Of A Madman, on which Ozzy still looks dishevelled as Hell.
Aside from one last token lame ballad ("So Tired"), most tracks are as great as prior gems. For its grand opening part, "Bark At The Moon" is one of the best heavy metal songs ever. Sadly, it's impossible to play unless you're a seriously devoted guitar master such as sharply dressed Mister Tabs, who knocks it out of the galaxy over at his extensive, jaw dropping tube channel. Everything about it screams class and perfection, from its creative riffs and stirring verses to mesmeric bridge and, of course, highly touted solo which ranks up there as textbook killer guitar. Vocally, Ozzy is aflame, perhaps redeeming himself for Diary's vapid and totally unnecessary "Tonight".
Although I don't mind "You're No Different", an atmospheric throwback to lighter waved arena rock laden with airy keys, find its track placement preemptive; as in, it would've made an ideal next-to-last precursor to wicked highlight "Waiting In Darkness", which in itself should've been the closer, as "Spiders" is largely a forgettable piece of trite and overly extravagant Ozzy kook. Regardless, alongside almighty opener, the powerfully riffed staples "Now You See It (Now You Don't)" (with its flashy, Ozzyfied refrain), "Rock N' Roll Rebel" and "Centre Of Eternity" contribute in raising Moon Bark's AAA level of must-listen recommendation.
I also dig the rare early lead on "Rock N' Roll Rebel", not to mention smoky swagger which evokes Iron Maiden's "From Here To Eternity". Speaking of Maiden, the bass heavy, upbeat and synthesized "Slow Down" brings to mind the Brits' early, pre-Bruce ruminations mixed in with America's Riot (V). Another banger is "Centre Of Eternity" thanks to its volatile riff and spectral chorus, while "Waiting In Darkness" is to Bark At The Moon what "Mr. Crowley" and "Believer" are to Blizzard Of Ozz and Diary Of A Madman: darkly amazing and Black Sabbath-like, yet more in style than in strict musical sense. Its foreboding intro riff also recalls the spirit of Pentagram.
Sir Osbourne is at the top of his record executive shocking game here, while it's definitely haunting fare to rock small neighbourhood goblins, witches and robots with beyond the doorstep on Halloween. Worth noting, the B Side to Bark At The Moon's single features "One Up The B-Side", so check that out if you haven't already. (Being five years old back then wasn't an excuse to pass this up!) Thankfully, 1986's garishly covered The Ultimate Sin is much tidier and memorable in its own way.
(metal-archives.com/reviews/Ozzy_Osbourne/Bark_at_the_Moon/844/) Review by CHAIRTHROWER. June 7th, 2024