I started 2025 with several rounds of radiation therapy. I was still going through my colorectal cancer treatment, and the current phase was radiation. Every day, I had a long commute to get to the facility – and equipment – that my medical team oversaw. These appointments came right on the heels of chemotherapy I’d finished earlier, so my body was quite exhausted already. It was becoming harder to find the will to get out of the house and make it to the hospital. Naturally, I started relying on what usually helps me: music.
Around this time, news of John Sykes’ passing hit the headlines. He’d passed away earlier, but the public was only just hearing about it. I’d heard his name many times before, but I had to admit, I didn’t really know much about him. There’s only so much music one person can discover! But I decided to right that wrong and start somewhere. I chose to begin with Thin Lizzy’s Thunder and Lightning.
This album then became the soundtrack to those radiation appointments. I listened to it every day for weeks, and I truly loved the music. I realized then that I didn’t even know Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy all that well. I knew the “hits,” so to speak, but I wasn’t familiar with their full albums. It took me by surprise how much I loved this record; it had a heavy, gritty sound that I really dug.
I recognized the song Cold Sweat since Megadeth had already covered it on Super Collider, but I was hearing the original for the first time. It’s definitely the highlight of the album! But This is the One, Heart Attack, and the title track are also incredible songs. Overall, this is a killer record, and it shaped the early part of this year for me.
One interesting thing I noticed is that some hardcore Thin Lizzy fans are divided on this record. Apparently, some feel that John Sykes made their sound too heavy and that the band lost its bluesy edge. I can’t speak to that since I haven’t checked out their entire discography yet. I may also be dealing with some recency bias. Nevertheless, I think Thunder and Lightning is incredible. There’s no way Sykes made their sound “worse.” His only songwriting credit is on “Cold Sweat” anyway, but he undeniably brought a new approach to the guitar work. He was young, full of energy, and bursting with creativity, and he gave all of that to Thin Lizzy. Combine that with Phil Lynott’s genius and you get an excellent album.
It’s a shame that it ended up being the band’s final statement. Given what we know about how Sykes was treated in Whitesnake, I can’t help but imagine an alternate universe where he and Lynott kept collaborating throughout the ‘80s. Alas, that was not to be. I hope that wherever these two talented individuals are now, they are jamming and coming up with new tunes together.
Right around the time my radiation treatment was ending, Dream Theater released their highly anticipated album, Parasomnia. The hype was off the charts because it was their first studio album with Mike Portnoy in 16 years! Unlike Thin Lizzy, I know Dream Theater inside and out; I’ve been a fan for a long time. Of course I was going to check this album out! I listened to it a lot during commutes to the hospital for follow-ups, as well as at home when I needed to rest and recover.
Parasomnia is another solid album from the band. In my opinion, there isn’t anything too groundbreaking here as they played it quite safe, but if you already love their sound and missed Portnoy’s drumming and songwriting, you’ll find plenty to like. My overall feeling is that the band was so excited to be back together and writing again that they weren’t really concerned with reinventing the wheel.
It’s a concept album that deals with sleep disorders and the various ailments that go along with them. From what I can tell, it’s more of a thematic collection than a linear narrative like Scenes From A Memory. While each song follows the parasomnia theme, they function as standalone tales that don’t necessarily connect into one singular story.
My favorite track is Bend the Clock. If you want an introduction to the current Dream Theater sound, I would start there. The band promoted Midnight Messiah and Night Terror as singles, so you can dive into those next. While this album didn’t necessarily amaze me, I can understand why. When musicians who know each other this well reunite, muscle memory is bound to kick in. For the next record, however, I have a feeling they will want to head into uncharted territory once again. I can’t wait for that!
Later in the year, I was quite shocked by Ozzy Osbourne’s passing. Everybody knew he had been having health problems, and he had recently organized a farewell event, but no one expected to lose him so soon after that show. My knowledge of Ozzy’s material was mostly from his Black Sabbath days. I knew, of course, some of the biggest hits from his solo career, but I’d be lying if I said I knew the deep cuts. Just like with John Sykes, I was determined to right the wrong and dedicate some time to Ozzy’s career to pay my respects to a legend.
I started with Bark at the Moon, and this album defined a big chunk of August and September for me. Everything on this record sounded so good that I just kept coming back to it. I still can’t believe how underrated Jake E. Lee is. Together with Bob Daisley, he contributed to the fruitful songwriting of some of Ozzy’s best material, even though he wasn’t officially credited on this album! The title track already has legendary status, deservedly so, but seriously, pick any song.
I read online that some fans didn’t like the keyboards on this record but I have no idea what the problem is. Yes, it’s featured quite prominently on some tracks, but keyboards in rock music are nothing new. If it fits the song, which on this album it does, it can be a great instrument to add some depth.
Even though I love every track here, I will say Bark at the Moon, Now You See It, Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel, and Waiting for Darkness are the highlights. Waiting for Darkness, in particular, is so good I don’t understand how it’s not a staple on every Ozzy playlist.
After discovering the entire record, I jumped into The Ultimate Sin, another record featuring Jake E. Lee. I love this one too! Jake brought a certain magic to the band; I really wish he could have stayed longer. These days, I’m doing my due diligence and spending time with Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman. I’ve always known of Ozzy and his work with Sabbath, but now I’m finally enjoying the deep cuts of his solo career.
He certainly was an interesting person who lived through massive triumphs as well as deep struggles. Yet, he somehow stuck around and stayed relevant. What a legend! People are complicated, I know, but I want to end this on a positive note: Ozzy did so much for heavy metal over the decades. That, alone, is worthy of respect and I’ll miss him.
Looking back, 2025 was a year defined by endurance—both in my health and in the music that carried me through it. From the radiation facility commutes with Thin Lizzy to the recovery days spent with Dream Theater and Ozzy, these albums provided more than just a distraction; they gave me a sense of discovery when I needed it most. Whether it’s the “muscle memory” of an old favorite or the “righting a wrong” of a missed classic, I’m just grateful to still be here, still listening, and still digging for those deep cuts.
