Hand of Doom
1970 · Vertigo 6360 011 · Birmingham, UK: England
- Artist
- Black Sabbath
- Title
- Hand of Doom
- Release
- Paranoid
- Year
- 1970
- Label
- Vertigo # 6360 011
- Format
- LP · Album
- Language
- English
- Country
- Birmingham, UK: England
- Songwriter
- Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward
- Genre
- Metal · Metal
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Black Sabbath, Heavy Metal band formed on 9 August 1969 in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK, fronted by Ozzy Osbourne, released possibly the only Heavy Metal songs during the Vietnam War conflict - most were released in the post-war years, particular from the 1980s. On this album was the song "Hand of Doom" (Vertigo # 6360 011) which mainly looked at drugs, but made a reference to Vietnam, the use of napalm, as well as the atomic bomb, thus a reflection of the 1960s/70s Cold War climate: "first it was the bomb, Vietnam napalm, disillusioning, you push the needle in, from life you escape". Also on this album is the well-known and popular anti-war song "War Pigs" which criticised the "generals...the war machines...the politicians", that "started the war". It noted the destruction left behind: "in the fields, the bodies burning.... death and hatred to mankind". It also highlighted wealth disparities in those sent to fight: "why should they go out to fight? They leave that role to the poor".
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
About the artist
formed on 9 August 1969 in Birmingham, West Midlands, UK, fronted by Ozzy Osbourne
Themes
In collections
European Songs · Metal Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs