Hands of Doom: The Apocalyptic Imagination of Black Sabbath (Short Theological Engagements with Popular Music)

Hands of Doom is an excellent book on two fronts; it is a wonderful walk down memory lane for Black Sabbath and Ozzy fans if every age with a spot on analysis of the socioeconomic context and inspiration for the music and lyrics. It is also a pretty serious work of theology with an academic though approachable credibility one might not expect of a Black Sabbath "fan book."Unlike the burdensome worldview of Black Sabbath where hope can be hard to find, when it comes to the readers of this book, everybody wins.

When I was a 13-year-old heavy metal superfan and son of conservative Christian parents (my dad was a Baptist minister), I was obsessed with Black Sabbath's lyrics. Were they Satanists? Christians? I even made a two-column chart with lyrical citations that supported one side or the other. Some tunes seemed to wallow in themes of evil in an almost celebratory way, while others championed love, peace and "God". Others were more observational.Holloway's fascinating book finally offers a scholarly distillation of lyricist Geezer Butler's worldview vis a vis the Black Sabbath catalog (mainly focusing on the band's halcyon years in the 1970s), revealing a thoughtful, curious and ultimately pacifist writer whose dark musings on human nature have paired potently with music so crushingly powerful it birthed a new genre. The recurring themes of war, addiction, environmentalism and corruption in Butler's songwriting are carefully dissected here in this unique tome. I tore through its pages in record time, and will surely come back to it regularly. Highly recommended.

This was a fascinating read. I showed up for Sabbath, and found so much more. Jack Holloway paints a bleak picture of both 1960s Birmingham, England (which helped shape Black Sabbath), and, sadly, the world today. But don't despair, because he offers hope. Only, it isn't where you think it might be. You know you've got a hell of a book in your hands when a theologian from a conservative Christian family makes a clear case that there is more love, empathy and hope to be found in Geezer Butler's lyrics than in the twisted, modern day iterations of "Christianity" practiced in much of the US.This is a book not the least bit afraid to wrestle with major issues. It does not compromise. It is not concerned with alienating either Christians or metalheads, yet it is confident it has something to offer both. An easy 5 stars from me.

The subject matter is specific- theology and Black Sabbath- but I can assure you that this book is for everyone. I do not study or follow theology and I was not a Black Sabbath fan- until I got halfway through Holloway’s introduction- and then I converted:"Hidden in their satanic imagery, their cynical contempt and their ominous proclamations is a theology of divine judgement and promise, resistant to indifference and the temptations of escapism. Black Sabbath’s theology is both worldly and otherworldly, hellish and heavenly. Theirs is a negative hope, a critical idealism, which points to the brokenness of the status quo, and beyond to the heights of justice and love.”Holloway’s thought-provoking ideas, interpretations and beautifully woven sentences make this book un-put-downable. I read Hands of Doom with Spotify open so that I could listen to all songs referenced- and I recommend doing so. If you have heard ‘War Pigs’ 100 times- fear not! After reading this; you get to hear it for the first time again.Buy this book! You are in for a ride and a treat.

This book is such a great blend of metal music history, theology, and philosophy. Holloway's project is to explore how we can find novel ways of thinking about Christian theology and, ultimately, how we can apply these ideas to contemporary problems. Black Sabbath, he argues, embodies the "apocalyptic imagination" necessary to accomplish such a synthesis, and delves into their catalog to find a wealth of ideas and connections within their lyrics and to the spirit of their music. To a conservative Christian some of Holloway's ideas may seem radical, but I found them fresh and timely, especially when the Church is in dire need of a reckoning with the world in which we all live. This world, Holloway consistently asserts, demands us to engage with it in all its immanence.

I’m a musician and long-time fan of Black Sabbath and the musical offspring of “doom metal” they spawned. I’m also an ex-vangelical who finds myself grasping for kernels of truth in a faith tradition I’ve long spurned. This book isn’t a conversion attempt. It’s not evangelical. It doesn’t proselytize. It offers a unique look into the lyrical and thematic inspiration lurking underneath of the aesthetic your parents always told you was “satanic.” Jack’s voice on this subject matter is authoritative and humorous, rebellious and soothing. This book will speak to the revolutionary in you and offer a new vision and imagination for what could be. You needn’t be a Christian or a die-hard Sabbath fan to glean gold from this book. Don’t sleep on this!