The Ultimate Sin

The Ultimate Sin
Ozzy Osbourne's studio album
Publication (s)	February 22, 1986
Label (s)	Epic Records / CBS
Genre (s)	Heavy metal
Title (number)	9
running time	40:59
occupation	Ozzy Osbourne - vocals Jake E. Lee - guitar Phil Soussan - bass Randy Castillo - drums Mike Moran - keyboards (guest musician)
production	Ron Nevison
chronology Bark at the Moon (1983) The Ultimate Sin No Rest for the Wicked (1988)

The Ultimate Sin is the fourth studio album by the musician Ozzy Osbourne . It was released on February 22, 1986. On August 22, 1995, it appeared again in a remastered version. It is the only Ozzy Osbourne album with bassist Phil Soussan . At number six on the Billboard 200, it was the Ozzy Osbourne album with the highest number to date, and it went double platinum in the USA.

Origin and style

The Ultimate Sin was produced by Ron Nevison . The record is described as a little "smoother and more polished" than previous Osbourne records, in keeping with the contemporary trend towards more radio-oriented rock music. Later in 1986, Ozzy Osbourne was accused with his song Suicide Solution of Blizzard of Ozz encourage suicidal teenagers. Osbourne defended the song was related to alcohol abuse. The proceedings were later dropped. This did not detract from the sales success of The Ultimate Sin , favored by the successful single Shot in the Dark . The song Never Know Why criticizes the Parents Music Resource Center , Thank God for the Bomb ironically addresses the situation at the time in view of the nuclear arms race.

reception

The sometimes harsh criticism did not affect the sales figures either. Some critics called it Osbourne's "worst studio album" to date. The criticism in the German magazine Rock Hard was moderate. Frank Trojan called the album less commercial than he had feared, but the song material “not unconditionally” appeals to him, as it is partly “too monotonous”. He awarded eight out of ten points. Steve Huey from Allmusic described the performances as "flat and uninspired", "there are some good moments", but the record doesn't get beyond mediocrity overall. He awarded two out of five stars. In Rolling Stone , Tim Holmes gave a more positive assessment. He highlighted the design of the packaging as "substitute satanic cartoons " as well as the provocative texts containing the "generation conflict " that the "kids" need to identify: "That's why they rock."

Track list

Original LP

Side one

1. The Ultimate Sin - 3:45
2. Secret Loser - 4:08
3. Never Know Why - 4:27
4. Thank God for the Bomb - 3:53
5. Never - 4:17

Side two

1. Lightning Strikes - 5:16
2. Killer of Giants - 5:41
3. Fool Like You - 5:18
4. Shot in the Dark - 4:28 (Osbourne, Phil Soussan )

CD edition

1. The Ultimate Sin - 3:45
2. Secret Loser - 4:08
3. Never Know Why - 4:27
4. Thank God for the Bomb - 3:53
5. Never - 4:17
6. Lightning Strikes - 5:16
7. Killer of Giants - 5:41
8. Fool Like You - 5:18
9. Shot in the Dark - 4:16 (Osbourne, Phil Soussan )

• On the CD re-release a version of Shot in the Dark was used that was shortened by part of the second verse .

All songs were written by Ozzy Osbourne , Jake E. Lee, and Bob Daisley , unless otherwise noted.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} Frank Trojan: Review The Ultimate Sin . In: RockHard issue 16/1986. Retrieved September 27, 2016 . 
2. ↑ ^{a b} www.allmusic.com: Review The Ultimate Sin by Steve Huey
3. ↑ ^{a b c} www.allmusic.com: Biography Ozzy Osbourne
4. ↑ ^{a b} www.rollingstone.com: Review The Ultimate Sin by Tim Holmes ( Memento from May 12, 2008 in the Internet Archive )

Web links

• The Ultimate Sin on Allmusic (English)
• The Ultimate Sin on MusicBrainz