Review
“This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, shedding a lot of light on the members, music, and society with regards to everything from religion to family.” (Sacramento Book Review, 1 June 2013)
“This is a thoroughly enjoyable read, shedding a lot of light on the members, music, and society with regards to everything from religion to family.” (City Book Review, 1 March 2013)
“Black Sabbath & Philosophy is a wholly absorbing read large . . . A long-overdue work, and a rewarding one both for fans and those curious about the philosophical gravity behind all those murky riffs.” (PopMatters, 11 January 2013)
“Much like Black Sabbath themselves, this wide-ranging, amusing book entertains and makes your brain ache in equal measure.” (Record Collector, 1 December 2012)
“A book to dip into, that will get you thinking and almost certainly have you going back and listening to your old Black Sabbath albums in a different light. Highly recommended.” (Get Ready to Rock, 20 November 2012)
From the Back Cover
What personal and cultural conditions led Black Sabbath to create heavy metal?
What makes Sabbath sound evil? Is evil in the ear of the beholder?
Is it still Black Sabbath without Ozzy?
How can Black Sabbath and existentialism help you to face your demons?
Black Sabbath is one of the world's most influential and enduring bands. Dubbed "the Beatles of heavy metal" by Rolling Stone, they helped to define a genre with classic songs like “Paranoid,” “Iron Man,” and “War Pigs,” songs whose lyrics reveal hidden depth and philosophical insight. Confronting existential despair, social instability, political corruption, the horrors of war, and the nature of evil, this book explores the wide range of profound ideas in the band's music and lyrics to help you understand Black Sabbath as never before. From Aristotle and Nietzsche to Schopenhauer and Marx, this book brings some of history's heaviest thinkers to bear on the band's music. So . . . can you help me, occupy my brain? Yes! Start reading Black Sabbath and Philosophy.
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