OZZY OSBOURNE; "Black Rain" (Epic)* 1/2

For nearly 30 years, Ozzy Osbourne has been making music as a solo artist. Add that to the additional decade he was in Black Sabbath and Earth, and here's a guy who has been making music most of his life.

That's what makes his new studio album, "Black Rain," a disappointment. "Black Rain" is his first album of original songs since 2001's "Down to Earth." And there was a lot of expectation for this disc.

Unfortunately, the album falls flat. It's no secret that Ozzman's axeman Zakk Wylde is the ringleader of the band Black Label Society. And the music sounds just like a BLS album — albeit with Ozzy singing vocals.

While BLS, alone, is a great band, Ozzy sounds a bit out of place on Wylde's trademark chugging guitar sludge.

Although Ozzy cut his teeth on the doom-and-gloom rock of Black Sabbath, to critics' and fans' delight, "Black Rain" is a bit too atonal for his well-known desperate and melodic voice. And that's not a slam on Wylde's playing; he cranks it out and plays some awesome riffs for a BLS album.

The first track, "Not Going Away," doesn't pull the listener in and, consequently, offers reasons to quit listening to the album.

While there are some nicely crafted songs in the 10 tracks — the anthemic "Civilize the Universe," the album's boogie-friendly closing track "Trap Door" — the rest are lifeless. And that is only magnified on the trademark Ozzy ballad "Here for You."

If you want to hear some great Ozzy Osbourne, go back to his early works. And play each one, right down to "No More Tears." In those albums you will find the missing Osbourne Soul.

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com