Hand of Doom

"Hand of Doom" is a song by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, originally appearing on their second album Paranoid, released in 1970.

"Hand of Doom"
Song by Black Sabbath
from the album Paranoid
Released	18 September 1970
Genre	Heavy metal
Length	7:08
Label	Vertigo
Songwriter(s)	Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne
Producer(s)	Rodger Bain

Background

The song was conceived after the band had observed a growing number of US soldiers arriving in England from the Vietnam War in the late 1960s with severe drug addictions.[1] The song paints an unflattering picture of hard drug use. The lyrics were written by Geezer Butler while the music is credited to the entire band.

Cover versions

The song has been covered by various bands, including:

• Slayer on the 2000 Black Sabbath tribute album, Nativity in Black II.
• Danzig on its 1996 album, Blackacidevil, and on the Black Sabbath fan compilation, Nativity in Black III, based on the tribute albums Nativity in Black I and II.
• Isis on its 1999 EP, Sawblade.
• Eyehategod on a split album with Anal Cunt.
• Orange Goblin on a split with Electric Wizard.
• HIM as one of their B-sides on the single The Funeral of Hearts, and on their 2007 compilation album, Uneasy Listening Vol. 2.
• Reverend on its 1990 debut album World Won't Miss You.
• Jazz Sabbath on its 2020 self-titled debut album.[2]

Personnel

Black Sabbath

• Ozzy Osbourne – vocals
• Tony Iommi – guitars
• Geezer Butler – bass guitar
• Bill Ward – drums

In popular culture

• Melissa Auf der Maur, known for her work with Hole and The Smashing Pumpkins, was the leader of a Black Sabbath cover band named after this song.[3]
• The song was used in a scene in the fourteenth episode of the first season of Elementary, originally aired on February 3, 2013.[4]

References

1. Classic Albums - Paranoid by Isis Productions/Eagle Rock Entertainment.
2. "Jazz Journal website". jazzjournal.co.uk.
3. "Auf Der Maur MTV Biography". Mtv.com. 1972-03-17. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
4. Video on YouTube

External links

• "Black Sabbath - Hand of Doom tab". Guitare Tab. Retrieved 19 June 2012.