Ozzy Osbourne Diary Of A Madman/Bark At The Moon/Ultimate Sin CD

Import compilation combines three of the shock rocker's albums, 'Diary Of A Madman' (1981), 'Bark At The Moon' (1983), & 'The Ultimate Sin' (1986) (Out-of-print in the US), together in one low-priced package. Each disc features individual standard packaging & come housed together in a slipcase. Sony.

Originally released as three separate albums, DIARY OF A MADMAN, BARK AT THE MOON and THE ULTIMATE SIN.
DIARY OF A MADMAN:
Personnel: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Randy Rhoads (guitar); Bob Daisley (bass); Lee Kerslake (drums).
Producers: Ozzy Osbourne, Randy Rhoads, Max Norman.
Engineer: Max Norman.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
BARK AT THE MOON:
Personnel: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Jake E. Lee (guitar, background vocals); Don Airey (keyboards); Bob Daisley (bass, background vocals); Tommy Aldridge (drums).
Producers: Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Daisley, Max Norman.
Engineer: Max Norman.
Digitally remastered by Brian Lee and Bob Ludwig.
THE ULTIMATE SIN:
Personnel: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Jake E. Lee (guitar); Mike Moran (keyboards); Phil Soussan (bass); Randy Castillo (drums).
Recorded at Townhouse Studios & Air Studios, London, England; Davout Studios, Paris, France.
Producer: Ron Nevison.
Engineer: Ron Nevison.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
In the summer of 1998, Sony repackaged and re-released three of Ozzy Osbourne's most popular albums -- Diary of a Madman, Bark at the Moon and The Ultimate Sin -- as a slip-cased box set. Since this box set features the remastered versions from 1995, it's a good bargain in one sense; if you haven't replaced your old CDs or want to acquire all of these albums at once, this is a convenient way. However, since the box offers nothing that isn't on the remastered discs, this package is of marginal interest to hardcore fans and collectors. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
As part of Sony's specially priced "three-in-one" packages, three Ozzy Osbourne classics were issued together in 1998, DIARY OF A MADMAN, BARK AT THE MOON, and THE ULTIMATE SIN. Although it might seem strange that Ozzy's most popular solo album, 1981's BLIZZARD OF OZ was ommited from the trio, the three CDs are nevertheless among the most popular heavy metal releases of the '80s. 1981's DIARY OF A MADMAN was Ozzy's second and final album with original guitarist Randy Rhoads, while both 1983's BARK AT THE MOON and 1986's THE ULTIMATE SIN featured six-string shredder Jake E. Lee.
Although the recording of DIARY OF A MADMAN was rushed (a deadline had to be met for an impending tour), the album remains one of Ozzy's finest. Such metallic standards as "Over the Mountain" and the stoner anthem "Flying High Again" are obvious standouts, as are "Believer," "Little Dolls," "Tonight," and the haunting title track. The other two albums show Osbourne moving in a slightly more commercial direction, yet there are plenty of rockers to go around--BARK AT THE MOON's title track and "Rock n' Roll Rebel," plus THE ULTIMATE SIN's title track and "Lightning Strikes," among others.

Uncut (8/02, p.112) - 4 out of 5 - "...Prime form..."