Back catalogue: Rock

Review: "This 10" single reissue comes in celebration of the upcoming 30th anniversary of Ozzy Osbourne's 'No More Tears'. A new mashup sure to inspire only the best moshpitting and hair-flicking skills from every true hard rock head, this new track hears a the original Ozzy song mashed up with Motorhread's version. Never before released, it sounds like an alternate Dante eagerly cruising through the many layers of hell, as new drum reversings, stereo effects and soundscapes are peppered into this masterful musical jigsaw. The B-side also contains the two original, unremixed versions.

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Review: Eating bats, drinking his own pee (while teaching the Motley Crue what's meant by eccentric British debauchery), and, err, co-starring in a reality TV show. Life has been a colourful one for Ozzy Osbourne, and we've not touched upon Black Sabbath. Impossible not to love, in spite of all the Satan summoning (albeit tongue in cheek), it would have been an awkward moment if this return wasn't exceptionally good. Of course it won't be for everyone. Those who aren't fond of dirty metal guts and dark, macabre riffs might want to look elsewhere for their kicks - it's not just "Goodbye" and "Today Is The End" respectively offering those. It's a record filled with plenty of foreboding menace, and we'd expect nothing less. Even so, there's still time for razor wit to shine ("Eat Me") and borderline madness to prevail (the extra-terrestrial themed "Scary Little Green Men"), making for a journey into the mind of a rock genius.

Review: RECOMMENDED
You can almost feel Ozzy Osbourne's determination to prove critics wrong on his solo work from this era. Diary of a Madman was released in 1981, just three years after the Prince of Darkness was thrown out of Black Sabbath due to the extent of his drink and drug problems. It should go without saying you have to take things pretty far to wind up an evictee from one of heavy metal's most full-throttle outfits. Nevertheless, it happened, so by the time this record arrived there was a clear desire to show people that was a temporary setback.

At the same time, there's also an element of sending himself - and that reputation - up here, preempting the comic book caricature of Evil Ozzy we would come to recognise, and love, in later years. Musically, it's as it should be - atmospheric, eerie, and packed with the classical-leaning guitar work of the late, great Randy Rhoads. 3million copies sold and counting, say no more.