This Valentine’s Day, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and rock guitarist Billy Morrison released “Gods Of Rock N Roll” featuring fellow guitarist for Billy Idol, Steve Stevens.
Originally featured on Morrison’s 2015 album “God Shaped Hole,” the song has undergone a dramatic transformation. What was once a hard-hitting rock track is now a cinematic, guitar-driven ballad, elevated by Osbourne’s unmistakable vocals, a choir and a 61-piece orchestra.
“This re-recorded version of the song finally has all the bells and whistles,” Osbourne told Kerrang! magazine. “I told Billy then that it needed an orchestra and a choir, but it took 10 fucking years for him to listen to me!”
The song opens softly as the instruments build, gradually swelling into something grand and electrifying, much like “November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses or Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” As the symphony builds, Osbourne’s haunting vocals enter: “Sometimes I feel like I’m so empty / Sometimes I feel like I’m alive / So many voices talking to me / Please God, just let my mind survive.”
While this single starts off more mellow, it progresses into an epic sound — violins on a never-ending crescendo while Morrison and Stevens absolutely shred on their guitars. Osbourne’s vocals meld magically against the melody, reminiscent of his 1991 hit “No More Tears.”
Even as this trio grows older, they prove themselves to be powerful names in the industry, and this single further establishes their rightful places in music history.
5/5 stars
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Featured photo courtesy of @billymorrisonofficial, Instagram
