"I'm not the kind of person, you think I am/ I'm not the Anti-Christ or the Iron Man," Osbourne sings on the opening track, Gets Me Through, from his first solo album in seven years.

"I have a vision that I just can't control/ I feel I've lost my spirit and sold my soul."

Could it be that the 52-year-old Ozzman is getting reflective in his old age with his latest collection, in stores Tuesday?

Nope. Check out hard-rocking tracks Facing Hell, Junkie and Black Illusion, in which he returns to solid form as hard rock's premier purveyor of the unseemly.

Still, Osbourne even offers comments on the sad state of the globe on the gentle ballad Dreamer, in which observes: "If only we could all just find serenity/ It would be nice if we could live as one/ When will all this anger, hate and bigotry be done?"

Elsewhere, Ozzy moves into classic-rock territory on No Easy Way Out and That I Never Had, and returns to reflective mode on Running Out Of Time, Alive and Can You Hear Them.

Osbourne, who was last in town with Black Sabbath at Ozzfest this summer, begins his Night Of Merry Mayhem tour with Rob Zombie and Mudvayne on Halloween in Tucson, Ariz.

So far there are no Canadian dates. (More on: Ozzy Osbourne).

Track Listing 1.Gets Me Through
  2.Facing Hell
  3.Dreamer
  4.No Easy Way Out
  5.That I Never Had
  6.You Know...(Part 1)
  7.Junkie
  8.Running Out Of Time
  9.Black Illusion
  10.Alive
  11.Can You Hear Them?