Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by former Ozzy Osbourne/Pr… Read Full Bio ↴Black Label Society is a heavy metal band formed by former Ozzy Osbourne/Pride & Glory guitar player Zakk Wylde in Los Angeles, California in 1998. They have released ten albums to date, eight of which are studio albums. The band, aside from Wylde consists of bassist John "JD" Deservio, drummer Jeff Fabb, and rhythm guitarist Dario Lorina.

The band is not to be confused with Zakk Wylde's solo project (sometimes known as Book of Shadows after its only album) or with Pride & Glory, Wylde's southern rock band.

History
In 1992, Ozzy retired after the No More Tears tour, which led Zakk to form his own solo band Pride & Glory, blending potent bluesy southern rock with heavy metal. In 1994 Ozzy decided to come out of retirement, and the numerous recording sessions for Ozzmosis took place. Around this time, Zakk was also offered the open guitar slot in Guns N' Roses and had a hard time deciding whether to tour with Ozzy or join Guns N' Roses. Neither project panned out. This gave Wylde the opportunity to record his own acoustic solo album, "Book of Shadows." After limited commercial success with Book Of Shadows, in 1998, Zakk and drummer Phil Ondich formed Black Label Society and recorded their debut album "Sonic Brew." Nick Catanese had been Zakk's touring rhythm guitarist since the Book Of Shadows tour (Zakk records all guitars on his albums). Craig Nunenmacher has been drumming for the band since 1919 Eternal (2001) following Phil's departure. Previous bass players include current Metallica bassist Rob Trujillo, former Megadeth 4-stringer James Lomenzo, and current Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez, who also played with Zakk on the No More Tears, Ozzy tour.

The band had their song "Fire It Up" featured as a bonus song in the PlayStation 2 game Guitar Hero. Zakk Wylde has an avatar in the video game "Guitar Hero: World Tour", and the song "Stillborn" also appears.

Final Solution
Black Label Society Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hell's rolling with you
Riding on your back
Harvest of terror
We all shall fade to black
Fields of depression
The wounds that never mend
The final solution
Bring it to an end

To an end
To an end

Inside this world of pain
Your beliefs of suicide
Denial and repression
Psychopathic pride
Iron determination
A will that cannot bend
A final solution
Bring it to an end
To an end
To an end

Suffering and sorrow
The casualties of war
Spirit has broke me
Broke forevermore
Pure assination
The machine, it rolls again
Final solution
Bring it to an end

To an end
To an end

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Label Society's song Final Solution address themes of pain, suffering, and the desire for an end through suicide. The imagery of hell riding on the listener's back conveys a sensation of inescapability and dread, while the mention of fields of depression and wounds that never heal reinforce the idea of ongoing torment. The words "Final Solution" are particularly evocative, as they suggest a complete and absolute ending, perhaps referencing the Nazi plan for total extermination during World War II. The lyrics convey a sense of hopelessness and desperation that culminate in the desire for a final solution, no matter what the cost.

The second verse further elaborates on the mental state of the individual in question, describing a belief in suicide and a psychopathic pride that prevents any sort of change or surrender. The final verse touches on the casualties of war, both physical and emotional, and the spiritual breakage that can occur as a result. The idea of pure assassination suggests a desire to end everything, even one's own life, while the image of a machine rolling again reinforces the sense of inevitability and powerlessness.

Line by Line Meaning

Hell's rolling with you
You are carrying the burden of hell with you

Riding on your back
The burden of hell is heavily weighing down on your shoulder

Harvest of terror
The outcome of this pain is a harvest of intense fear

We all shall fade to black
We are all going to succumb to this pain and die

Fields of depression
This world is filled with depression

The wounds that never mend
The pain inflicted on you will never heal

The final solution
The only way out of this pain is to end it all

Bring it to an end
Stop the pain from continuing any longer

Inside this world of pain
Living in a world filled with immense pain

Your beliefs of suicide
Your ideology of committing suicide

Denial and repression
Ignoring and suppressing the pain and suffering