Now I know what some of you are thinking after reading the title of this article. “Black Sabbath? Christian Heavy Metal?? Didn’t Ozzy Osbourne bite the head off a bat???”. Allow me to explain.
Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 in Birmingham by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They paved the way for heavy metal music, and although many associate them with the occult, this is far from the truth. Christianity heavily influences several of their songs, and the band portrays the Faith positively.
In Iommi’s book, he reveals numerous satanic groups invited Black Sabbath to tour with them. The band turned them all down with one group called “the King of the Witches” being particularly salty about the rebuttal. They claimed to put a curse on Black Sabbath which Iommi et al didn’t take lightly, stating: “We took that very seriously. That’s when we started wearing our crosses.” referring to the huge gold crosses the band members wear whilst performing.
In recent years, Iommi wrote a song specifically for the cathedral in his hometown called “How Good it is” inspired by Psalm 133:1.
In fact, the band is even micked with songwriter Butler coming from a devout Irish Catholic family which was something that heavily influenced his lyricism.
Lanklet Dev’s Top 3 Black Sabbath Anthems
AFTER FOREVER
Featuring on their third album titled “Master of Reality” and written by /ourbuachail/ Butler in response to Black Sabbath constantly being labeled satanic; it takes aim at atheists and asks metaphysical questions of non-believers such as:
“Have you ever thought about your soul, can it be saved?
Or perhaps you think that when you are dead, you just stay in your grave”
It seems the protagonist of the song knows the right questions to ask as he too was once like them:
“Well I have seen the truth, yes I’ve seen the light and I’ve changed my ways
And I’ll be prepared when you’re lonely and scared at the end of our days”
He also attacks the NPC-hivemind:
“Is your mind so small that you have to fall in with the pack wherever they run?”
The only issue I have is that the crucifixion of Christ is attributed to normies:
“I think it was people like you that crucified Christ
I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced”
LORD OF THIS WORLD
Also featured on Master of Reality, the narrator is Satan and in the opening verse he is trying to convince those searching for God to give up:
“You’re searching for your mind don’t know where to start
Can’t find the key to fit the lock on your heart
You think you know but you are never quite sure
Your soul is ill but you will not find a cure yeah”
He also tries to convince the sinner he can’t be saved:
“The soul I took from you was not even missed”
While addressing those who believe they’re guilt-free and have nothing to fear in the afterlife as in addition to not believing in God, they also don’t believe in Satan:
“You think you’re innocent, you’ve nothing to fear
You don’t know me you say but isn’t it clear”
But as Satan points out, their sins have benefitted him:
“You turn to me in all your worldly greed and pride”
And finally, Satan asks:
“But will you turn to me when it’s your turn to die?”
I think not, but it may be too late?
GOD IS DEAD?
Based on the infamous quote from Friedrich Nietzsche, the song starts off with the protagonist losing his way and being consumed by evil while pleading with God to help him see the light again:
“Lost in the darkness
I fade from the light
Faith of my father, my brother, my Maker and Savior
Help me make it through the night”
Unlike many, Black Sabbath focused on the full quote from Nietzsche as evident from the line “blood on my conscience and murder in mind” referring to:
“What was holiest and mightiest of all that the world has yet owned has bled to death under our knives: who will wipe this blood off us?”
There is hope sprinkled with Christian imagery: “I rise up from my tomb” however “now my body is my shrine” signals Nietzsche’s übermensch as he abandons believing in anything else but himself.
He turns away from Christ and towards the Greek god of chaos Dionysus:
“Give me the wine you keep the bread”
A vision of hell in all its fiery misery appears to him:
“Rivers of evil
Run through dying land
Swimming in sorrow, they kill, steal, and borrow, there is no tomorrow
For the sinners will be damned”
After this, doubt creeps in and he begins to question if God is really dead:
“When will this nightmare be over? Tell me
When can I empty my head?
Will someone tell me the answer?
Is God really dead?”
Verse 3 reminds me of True Detective’s Rust Cohle and how he used his philosophy to numb himself to the truth before eventually seeing the light:
“To safeguard my philosophy
Until my dying breath
I transfer from reality
Into a mental death
I empathize with enemies
Until the timing’s right
With God and Satan at my side
From darkness will come light”
Finally, the mentally exhausted enquirer rejects Nietzsche by simply concluding:
“I don’t believe that God is dead.”
Less slop, more Sabbath!
With the reunion being held in the Islamic Republic of Birmingham, I didn’t bother to get a ticket although I may go simply to take photos to send to Yookay Aesthetics in the hope of contributing further to the demoralization of our enemies across the pond.
For those unfamiliar with Black Sabbath, I hope this has provided you with some alternative music to listen to as I’m sure you’re tired of hearing satanic-inspired chart music being shoved into your ears on a daily basis.
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