Your Least Favorite Solo Album(s) By The Sabbath Camp

[Musicman11]

I've noticed there has been a lot of talk about the "best" solo album from the Sabbath camp, but I thought it would be interesting to hear opinions on the albums that you didn't particularly care for. You are free to pick just one, or post as many as you like. If you do post, it would be nice to hear why as well because I like hearing different opinions

As for my own personal opinion I just never did care for Ohmwork that much to be honest. I've listened to it, but out of the 3 that he has released, it pales in comparison. To me it just seemed like he tried too hard to be modern with the music. It wasn't bad, but the vocals just didn't seem to offer that much in comparison to the other material, and overall it didn't leave me with a good taste in my mouth. I still listen to parts of it every now and then, but it just seemed so odd and out of place to me. I don't know, it just seemed to rub me the wrong way.

Another I didn't care for was Black Rain by Ozzy. It really pushed the effects on Ozzy's voice, which I didn't care for that much and a lot of it just seemed rather dull to me. Zakk had pretty much officially outstayed his welcome in the band, the pinch harmonics just weren't interesting anymore, the lyrics took a more pessimistic outlook which I liked, but they seemed a little too stereotypical of the end of the world lyrics. It just seemed to be a very mediocre album to me. Some days it's a little better, but it's still not up to the other albums standards. Especially since I thought Scream was the best since Ozzmosis.

There are just a couple of my opinions. I may post some more later after I listen to some more of the solo material. Feel free to post

[Van Sabbath]

I'm currently in the process of getting all of Ozzy's, Tony's, Bill's, and Geezer's solo albums. I only have a bunch of Ozzy's at the moment and i'd have to say that "Down to Earth" wasn't too good. It seemed like he strayed WAY too far from his signature sound on it.

[Musicman11]

I'm currently in the process of getting all of Ozzy's, Tony's, Bill's, and Geezer's solo albums. I only have a bunch of Ozzy's at the moment and i'd have to say that "Down to Earth" wasn't too good. It seemed like he strayed WAY too far from his signature sound on it.

I pretty much only own those of Ozzy's career as well. I plan on buying Geezer's work soon though, and I can at least judge the majority of the albums thanks to the wonderful world of Youtube. I will tell you I have never once seen any of the other 3's solo albums at a conventional store, and for the most part not even seen Sabbath beyond Paranoid and Heaven and Hell. Sabbath related music is surprisingly hard to find. As for Down To Earth, I debated between it and Black Rain, but in the end I remembered how much I like those tracks Joe Holmes co-wrote. Junkie and That I Never Had I thought were really good tracks. I also thought Running Out Of Time was a different ballad that was pretty good minus the last minute or so of noises. Finally Gets Me Through was probably the first track that I listened to that really made me headbang to the riff, so just for those alone I thought it was better then Black Rain. But to each his own

[Soul Sucker]

I think Down to Earth and Black Rain would have benefited from rawer production, less auto-tune, a lighter guitar tone (is that the correct terminology?) and no pinch harmonics. Aside from that, the songs were reasonably good, especially on Black Rain.

My least favourite of the solo albums would have to be Geezer's material, unfortunately.

[KazolOrajia]

I don't think any of the Geezer/GZR/whatever he's going to call it next album were very good at all. Actually, they sucked. Ohmwork tried way too hard to sound modern and be nu metal, even though nu metal has mostly faded out in popularity by that point, and the first two were attempting to be heavy and groovy like Pantera and Machine Head, but didn't succeed. Geezer should stick to more traditional, Sabbath-style music. There are a few good moments though, such as the chorus on 'Pull the String' and a decent riff and refrain here and there.

As for Ozzy, I didn't like any of his albums after No Rest for the Wicked, with the exception of Scream. For the most part, they were generic and boring. Working with all those other writers wasn't a good idea, but I'm not crazy on Zakk Wylde either, even though Black Rain was a step in the right direction. Iommi's stuff was great though, especially The 1996 DEP Sessions

[Monster Boy]

I'll cast my vote for Seventh Star

Technically that doesn't work, I know. Ozzy's Under Cover album was pretty dreadful, Black Rain as well. I was completely dissapointed with Bill Ward's When the Bough Breaks, I expected great things after his debut. I haven't listened to very much of Dio's solo career, but none that I have heard match any of those for badness. I actually liked the one GZ/R album I listened to back in the day, I think that may have been Black Science. I'll have to go with Under Cover, Ozzy sounds god awful on that one and all of the songs are far worse than the originals.

[svullo]

Ozzy Osbourne - Under Cover

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Stick a pin in any of the recent Ozzy albums and you'll find a turkey, but I love the first two and a couple of the later ones.

Don't really care for Geezers "Plastic Planet" and "Ohmwork", but "Black Science" was damned good.

I like all of Tony's to some extent, but "Fused" is probably my least favourite.

I only have one of Bill's albums - "When The Bough Breaks" - and I quite like it.

In conclusion I think it boils down to one of the later albums by Ozzy against the first and last by Geezer. My first thought was to go for "Scream" so I'll stick with that one, as I really don't fancy listening to them just to confirm my choice.

[Billy Underdog]

All of Tony's solo-albums from 86 to 96 was pretty bad. The one from 2000 (Iommi) was great, and i still listen to that one from time to time. His two last ones Dep Sessions and Fused, i haven't really checked out yet, don't know why really. There's just so much music to check.

Bill's i haven't checked that much either, but the few songs i've heard from Along The Way sounds much better than the one from When The Bough Breaks, Children Killing Children, which i honestly think is a bit goofy.

I think all three G//Z/R/Geezer/GZR are O.K, but Plastic Planet was the best, probably much due to the great opening-track Catatonic Eclipse.

Ozzy's two classics are great, and both No More Tears and Ozzmosis are good too. Down To Earth, with that one i only got into Gets Me Trough and Junkie, the rest of the album didn't do much. The rest of his catalouge is mediocre at best.

So for the worst, i'd have to go for one of Tony's first 6, or one of Ozzy's late 80's. Hard to choose.

[Thelemech]

Of all the solo work I have heard from all the Sab alumni I would say that either Black Rain or Scream by Ozzy takes the cake.
I used to/and still do (the older stuff) love Ozzy solo material until those two turds floated to the surface. I really hope that
the new Sabbath album is a band effort as it seems Ozzy has run out of ideas.

[KHH]

Easy. Forbidden. Fused and Scream on second place.

[Musicman11]

I know I have a bit of Ozzy bias, but I don't see all the hate on Scream. I've never really heard a really justified negative response about it, mainly either people hating Zakk for leaving or just saying they didn't think it was good Ozzy music. The second I can understand, but I would like for someone to give a little bit more of a bigger perspective on as to why for those who have mentioned it here, or for that matter anyone else viewing the thread who has a certain opinion on Scream.

On topic: Under Cover is one I forgot to mention in my original post and one I would prefer to forget. I liked Working Class Hero and maybe 21st Century Schizoid Man, beyond that there was nothing else that even held my interest. Ozzy's delivery just isn't that good, the fact Cantrell is on it is great, but it's a damn shame the one album with him is this, such a wasted oppurtunity. The covers themselves might have been good back in the early 90's, but it's just not there on Under Cover. Ozzy always fit what was written with him in mind, and I believe there are very few exceptions, especially with some of the more melodic songs featured on the album where Ozzy just doesn't work. It also doesn't help that I don't care for a couple even in original form.

[MH1986]

I've never been able to get into any of Geezer's solo stuff so I'll go with those. Scream and Black Rain aren't entirely bad but they aren't up to the standard of his early work. Then again I still bought them, so I must like something on them. The production is far too clean and sterile on those albums though. Ozzy's voice shines through best when its not over produced. Hopefully they'll realize this when producing the new Sabbath album. Ozzy is a heavy metal vocalist not an auto-tuned pop tart, he's not supposed to be "pretty" sounding.

I actually like some of Under Cover, mind you I would never buy it but some of the tracks are alright.

[Charger]

Well I haven't heard any of Bill's stuff so I can't say one way or the other about them...

I love all Geezer's stuff! Very different, but still awesome. Tony's stuff is good, but DEP Sessions is pretty bland...musically Fused is awesome, but Glenn's "singing" really brings that one down..

Ozzy...well...his career has really been a hit and miss for me...but the bottom of the barrel has to be Bark At The Moon (minus the title track which is damn awesome)...Ozzmosis close second (although Perry Mason and Thunder Underground are suberb) well tied with Scream and...Actually Black Rain could be right there as well...
I hate hate HATE all the vocal enhancement tools Ozzy uses on both albums...there isn't a single song on either where he actually uses his own voice which is truly sad...now he just sounds like an out of tune voice synthesizer...If he would have just accepted the fact that his voice got old and lower (like Rob Halford on Nostradamus) they would have sounded so much better and more real...not this computer generated shit that they are now. Granted the half ass guitar playing of Gus G doesn't help at all either...

That Under Cover album...nah I didn't want to get anywhere near that one...but everyone says it's pretty damn awful (and the one or two songs I've heard they are right) so I'll stay clear of it for as long as I shall live.

[Josef_K]

There's lots of solo albums I haven't heard, but among those I've heard at least some from I must say Ozzy's "Scream" is probably the most boring one. Dio's "Angry Machines" could have been at the bottom as well, not due to being boring but due to being very strained and at a surprisingly low point when it comes to vocal melodies. The beautiful masterpiece that is "This is Your Life" saves that whole album though, beats anything from the other's solo careers honestly. I've listened through Geezer's "Plastic Planet" and "Black Science" once or twice, really not my style so I won't say it's bad, just that I fail to find anything good with it. It's just too far away from anything I listen to. I have heard like one or two songs from some of Ozzy's mid/late 80s albums but judging from those songs the albums could have been much better. If I had to pick one though, I'd pick Ozzy's "Scream".

[-V-]

I think the Geezer stuff is the weakest. Like a poster above said he was trying too hard to sound modern/Nu metal. Iommi's Fused with Glenn Hughes is excellent, Tony Martin's Scream (years before Ozzy's Scream) is also quite good. My favorite solo Sabbath stuff would be from Dio. I had Holy Diver when it came out (I'm 40) and bought every one since and all of them are amazing.

[-E5150 StarWanderer-]

- Ozzy - Black Rain. Just a boring, uninspired and overproduced album that is too much in the vein of modern mass metal for an old school guy like Ozzy. Sounds like it was made just to fulfill Ozzy's contract obligations. Boring, generic guitars, dull vocal melodies, metronome-like drums...there's nothing good on this album really.

- Ozzy - Scream. Read above

- DIO - Angry Machines. Band's absolute low point in many ways. Tracy G was way out of his league in DIO, and his style didn't fit the older material at all. Strage Highways was a decent album, but Angry Machines is a true snooze-fest. I don't know what happened with RJD on this album, pretty much all the vocal melodies are really hollow and forgettable. Tracy G's riffs are heavy but mostly uninterestin, and he sure as hell wasn't the lead player his predecessors were. Save for the majestic This Is Your Life and rather cool Hunter Of The Heart, this album doesn't hold any value for me. Thank god we got Magica right after this album

- All of Geezer's solo efforts. Sorry, but I just don't like his offerings at all

[Drago]

Interesting topic Musicman11. I am a fan of all of Ozzy's solo material so I know my selection won't be going there. I know that he has obviously much better albums in his catalogs than others but I would rather listen to a subpar (by Ozzy's standards) album than 99% of all other music. I think Scream, is a great record as Soul Sucker, Life Won't Wait and Digging Me Down are some of the best songs by Ozzy in a long time.

I think all of Tony's solo albums are excellent. Fused being my favorite of the bunch. I love everything about that record. Bill's Where The Bough Breaks I just haven't given enough attention but what I have heard a like even though it is a far cry from Along The Way.

My choices would have to be:

Geezer's Ohmwork - I thought that Black Science was such an underrated amazing record and this followup was a huge letdown.
Dio's Angry Machine and Magica - By far my two least liked Dio solo albums. I think Strange Highways was one of his best and his last great solo album for me.
Glenn Hughes First Underground Nuclear Kitchen. I love Glenn's solo material but that one is just way to funky for me. I love his rock music with a touch of funk much better as some of his solo records are some of my all time favorite.

[rmdouglas27]

I'm going to take hell for this.
Ozzy - Not a fan of Ozzy's solo material. Just could not get into it.
Dio - Angry Machines and Strange Highways are his worst.
Iommi - His first album, Iommi, I could not listen to at all. The 1996 DEP sessions are great. Even the bootleg Eight Star is good.
Gezzer - I like all three of those.
Bill - I like both.
Martin - I like both of those.
Gillan - I prefer all of Gillan stuff over Ozzy's any day.

[protometal]

Not a fan of Geezer's solo stuff. It doesn't "sound" like him playing to me. Just can't get into Ozzy's recent solo stuff. I liked Ozzmosis a little. Geezer playing on it helped 'cause he sounded like himself.

[renbergs]

Well, I've heard them all and these I really do not like:

GZR - Plastic Planet
Dio - Strange Highways and Angry Machines
Tony Martin - Back Where I Belong
Bill Ward - When the Bough Breaks

but worst of all, with no doubt

Ozzy - Under Cover, a complete slaughter of really good classic songs

[devstorm]

Ozzy - Black Rain, & Under covers. Both are just dismal, and absolutely unlistenable.
GZR - I never heard Ohmwork, but that's the result of being so underwhelmed with Plastic Planet.
Iommi - DEP Sessions, I love Fused, but this one just misses the mark for me entirely in the songwriting dept.
Dio - Sacred Heart, Lock Up The Wolves, Angry Machines, Strange Highways, Magica. Master of the Moon is somewhat lackluster as well, although it has at least a few tracks that I can get into.