Whilst I think on the whole I prefer the brevity of Ordinary Man, Patient Number 9 is a solid and similar-sounding follow-up - with a few really standout tracks and plenty of other enjoyable moments. The lengthy opening title track is one of the best here for me, meaning that the album really puts its best foot forward. It opens with effects-heavy clean guitar melodies and some creepy spoken word - before Smith's drums kick in and the guitar pattern turns into a spiky riff. Osbourne then starts singing, and his performance is what you would expect to hear. There are quite a lot of effects on his voice, as has often been the case in recent years, but the classic Osbourne tone is still very much intact - even if some occasional autotune and harmony from Watt can be heard. The song's snaking verses are brought to life by Osbourne's creepy vocal performance, though, whilst the chorus is surprisingly anthemic. The chorus vocal is strident, with the riffing of Watt and Wylde bulking out the track nicely - whilst Trujillo adds some busy bass playing. Along with Osbourne's performances throughout, a big draw for many here will be the guitar solos. Beck adds a lengthy, hard rocking solo to the track - which adds some perfectly chaotic melodies and leads to the song - which suit the overall creepy vibes and lyrics present. The song, for me, is a great addition to Osbourne's solo catalogue - with a chorus that sticks in the brain that sets the tone for what is to come. Immortal is more of a straight ahead hard rocker, with less of the atmosphere that was present throughout the previous song. Mike McCready (Temple of the Dog; Pearl Jam; Mad Season; The Rockfords) adds his guitar talents to the song - but it opens with some machine gun bass playing from McKagan, before a 1970s-esque strident hard rock riff kicks in. This is a song that focuses more on riffing rather than anything else, so it is fitting then that Osbourne's voice sounds a bit more natural here - with few effects shielding the cracks. The rhythm section of McKagan and Smith really propel the song, and the riffing atop their grooves is catchy and old-school. The chorus is hooky, although firmly rooted in the song's main riff, whilst McCready's guitar solo is bluesy yet fast-paced - which perfectly suits the song's hard rocking vibes. Parasite is similar, but definitely more metallic - and is similar in tone to some of the better songs on Osbourne's last few pre-Ordinary Man releases. Wylde is credited as playing guitar on many of the album's songs alongside Watt, but some feature him more prominently - and this is one of them. The riffing and guitar tone throughout is certainly more typical of Wylde's sound, although some sugary vocal harmonies ensure the pop sheen is intact. This is also the first of a handful of songs to feature the late Taylor Hawkins (Foo Fighters; The Birds of Satan) on drums. The album is dedicated to him, and his no-nonsense drumming drives the song - whilst the poppy chorus sticks in the brain despite the vocal harmonies perhaps being a bit too sweet. Wylde's guitar solo is typical of his style, though, with shredded, bluesy leads adding some real heft to the piece.
No Escape from Now is a real treat for Black Sabbath fans - as it is the first of two songs here to feature Iommi. Iommi co-wrote the track, too, and is the only guitar player here - with Watt instead playing bass. As should be expected, then, the song is very Black Sabbath-esque. It is always great to hear more form Iommi, who showcases both his trademark riffing style and some atmospheric clean playing - and the combination of his guitar and Osbourne's voice will never fail to sound great. The song is actually structured more like a 1980s Black Sabbath song than anything from the 1970s or 13, though, but it works well in the overall context of the album. Clean guitar sections and effects-heavy vocals set the tone, but when the first big grinding guitar riff kicks in the Iommi sound is well and truly on display. These sections are some of the album's best moments, and they are genuinely heavy, too. This album, as was the case with Ordinary Man, is less heavy than much of Osbourne's past work - but No Escape from Now pretty much casts this aside - and Iommi's tortured guitar solos and leads really bring the grit. One of Those Days returns to a sound more akin to the rest of the album, though, but it opens in an atmospheric manner with swirling synths and some murky guitar melodies. Osbourne's tortured voice pines atop this effectively, but the song really gets going when the chorus kicks in. McKagan and Smith drive it with their upbeat grooves, whilst Osbourne's vocal melodies are upbeat and catchy. It is probably the album's hookiest chorus, and it is one that stood out to me from the off - with the grinding organ of James Poyser adding depth. This is the song that features Clapton, and his solo is probably the most furious hard rock effort that he has laid down for some time - and it is an album highlight for me thanks to its hooks and this great solo. A Thousand Shades opens with some guitar melodies that remind me somewhat of Mott the Hoople's All the Young Dudes, which resurface occasionally throughout the song, but generally the piece is a downbeat ballad-esque song with subtle strings throughout and a sombre beat from Smith. The strings add depth to the piece, but it certainly hits less hard than many of the previous songs due to its slow-burning nature. Ballads have never really been Osbourne's strongpoint on the whole, bar a few exceptions, but A Thousand Shades is still a decent effort - and the solo from Beck is suitably emotive given its atmospheric nature. Mr. Darkness opens in a similar manner, albeit with synths instead of strings, although some percussive drumming from Hawkins adds a bit more depth. The song is a grower, as it opens up as it moves along. The verses generally grow in stature, with chiming guitar and rumbling bass swelling as the chorus is approached - before it then explodes with some stabbing guitar riffs. Poyser's organ is utilised again here, and it adds a roar, whilst the chorus on the whole is fast-paced - with a strong Osbourne vocal. Wylde adds lots of great lead work to the closing sections of the song, too, making it another one for guitar lovers to check out.
Nothing Feels Right is another slower track, and like A Thousand Shades it generally feels like a ballad throughout. Instead of Trujillo or McKagan handling the bass playing here, this song features Chris Chaney (Jane's Addiction). Chaney is one of those guys who has played on countless albums over the years, and he adds his busy bass playing to this song - which is elevated thanks to his approach to the instrument. It is generally quite a slow-burning piece, although it does have a pretty hooky chorus, but the bass playing makes the song stand out. Nothing is simple about the bass playing here, and Chaney is constantly doing something interesting behind the simpler guitar melodies - locking in nicely with Smith throughout. The heaviest moment of the song, though, is Wylde's guitar solo. Whilst the choruses pack more of a punch than the rest of the song, the solo section is meatier again - and the fat bass riff that backs it is very Black Sabbath-esque. Wylde's solo is lengthy, too, and filled with lots of his usual tropes. It is probably my favourite Wylde solo on the album, and sometimes it is easy to forget what a great guitarist he can be - as in my opinion he has never been a particularly great songwriter, both for Osbourne and Black Label Society. Evil Shuffle seems to then build on the previous song's solo section, as it ups the heaviness overall - and the Black Sabbath sound is once again mined. The main riff throughout the song is slow-paced and lumbering, and the verses have a fun stop-start arrangement that often leave Osbourne's singing a cappella before the bluesy guitars kick back in. The song has a strong old-school feel as a result, and Smith's drumming is suitably shuffling given the title of the track. There are stronger songs here, but I just really like the overall vibe of this song. My only real criticism of this album and Ordinary Man would be the pop edge to the production that Watt has chosen, although I can understand why given his background and other production clients. Evil Shuffle does not really have any of those tropes, and it sounds all the better for it - given its old-school, lumbering sound. Degradation Rules is similar, though, and all the more authentic as it also features Iommi. Iommi did not co-write this one, sadly, but he still adds his guitar magic to the song. Osbourne even pulls his harmonica out for a real throwback to the early days of Black Sabbath, and the track is a hard-driving dirty blues rocker as a result. Trujillo's bass really cuts through the mix, his fat tone driving everything, whilst Smith's drumming is full of smart metal fills - which perfect suits the duelling guitars of Watt and Iommi. It is another album highlight for me as a result, and it feels suitably old-school - again with little of the pop sheen that is found elsewhere. Iommi's solo is busy and bluesy, and the overall simplicity of the arrangement allows the track to be one of the album's most immediate and hard-hitting rockers - and is a song that is likely to appeal to even the most sceptical Osbourne fan.
Dead and Gone returns to the album's more 'produced' sound, and leaves the murk of the previous two cuts behind. Synths and chiming clean guitar melodies open the song in an atmospheric manner - whilst Trujillo drives everything with his simple bass line. Despite the synths, though, the song still feels dense. It probably could have done with being a little heavier, but I like the overall vibe that the song goes for. Osbourne's melodic vocal lines will certainly get stuck in the brain - particularly during the chorus - and the track overall is one that is quite typical of the modern Osbourne sound. Some of the chorus melodies remind me a little of Paradise Lost's The Last Time which always confuses me a little each time I hear it - but the overall vibe here is more atmospheric and overtly melodic. The strings from A Thousand Shades return here, too, and they compliment the synths - particularly towards the back end of the song which sounds bigger overall. God Only Knows follows, and the song is another slower track - although it opens with a pretty slow-paced and heavy riff - which does resurface throughout. As such, the song never really feels like a true ballad, although that is really what it is - with the blues edge of this riff adding some spikiness to the track. Some of the guitar playing here is courtesy of Josh Homme (Kyuss; Queens of the Stone Age; Eagles of Death Metal; Them Crooked Vultures) - whilst some backing vocals in the chorus are supplies by the pop duo Lucius, who have also toured with Roger Waters. Their vocals add a haunting side to the slow-burning choruses - whilst the guitar approach of Homme contributes to the song's thick, bluesy sound despite it essentially being a synth-heavy ballad at its core. The album then comes to a close with the short, raw Darkside Blues, which is essentially just Watt's slide guitar and Osbourne's harmonica arranged in a manner akin to a 1930s blues recording. Osbourne sings, too, and his voice is covered in effects - which suits the way the whole song has been recorded to make it sound really old and demo-esque. It is certainly not essential, but it is quite a fun way to end the album - and it is nice to hear Osbourne playing the harmonica again to close out what is a fairly varied album. Whilst I prefer Ordinary Man, likely as it is more digestible and on the strength of a couple of real standout tracks, Patient Number 9 still has a lot of offer. It is more varied than the previous album, and the numerous guest appearances help many of the songs to have individual identities. It has never been clear exactly how much Osbourne contributes to the writing of any of his songs, but his strong vocal performance holds everything together. Even if his voice is a quite rough around the edges these days, he still has a distinct sound that no-one can imitate, and unsurprisingly it is generally the heavier, bluesier tracks here that impress the most. Who knows if we will hear more from Osbourne going forward, but Ordinary Man and now Patient Number 9 have proved fun listens in his twilight years - ending what has been a 50-plus year career on a high.
The album was released on 9th September 2022 via Epic Records. Below is Osbourne's promotional video for Patient Number 9.
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