That bit of aural ipecac aside, the remainder of Down to Earth is startlingly fierce, thanks in large part to Zakk Wylde's rottweiler guitar. Cranking out riffs as thick as his skull, Wylde adds real torque to scorchers such as "Facing Hell" and the Soundgarden-indebted "Junkie." Indeed, Down to Earth is Osbourne's most feral record since 1988's underappreciated No Rest for the Wicked, and Ozzy sounds downright inflamed when he bellows Got no control on the album's opening cut -- though it's hard to tell if he's speaking of his fate or his bladder. Okay, age jokes aside, Ozzy has made a career out of being publicly persecuted so that every other outcast can identify with him. It's a noble charge, one that Ozzy revels in on the album's first single. I still love the beating I get from you/I hope you never stop 'cause it gets me through. Glad to be of service.
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