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.
Snowblind
Black Label Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Things that don't come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Icicles within my brain
Something blowing in my head
Winds of ice, it soon will spread
Death would freeze my very soul
My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the tree
The sun no longer sets me free, child
I feel the snowflakes freezing me
Let the winter sun shine on
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
Soon I'll feel the chilling blow
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
You're the one that's really a loser
This is where I feel I belong
Crystal world with winter flowers
Turns my day to frozen hours
Lying snowblind in the sun
Will my ice age ever come?
The lyrics to Black Label Society's Snowblind are a poetic ode to drug addiction. The "icicles within my brain" and "something blowing in my head" are references to the high of using drugs, while the "death would freeze my very soul" refers to the dangers and risks of addiction. Despite the negative consequences, the singer finds happiness and comfort in the snowblind state induced by the drugs. The snowflakes and frost represent the beauty and appeal of the high, but also foreshadow the cold and chilling effect it has on the body and soul.
The lyrics also convey a sense of isolation and detachment. The singer feels blind and disconnected from reality ("my eyes are blind but I can see"), and finds solace in the crystal world of winter flowers. He is aware of the risks and consequences of his addiction, but rejects any criticism or intervention from others ("Don't you think I know what I'm doing / Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong"). In the end, he wonders if he will ever come out of his ice age.
Overall, the song is a powerful depiction of the allure and destructive power of drug addiction. It uses metaphor and imagery to convey the physical and emotional effects of drug use, while also exploring the psychological and social impact on the individual.
Line by Line Meaning
What you get and what you see
Sometimes things are not what they seem or appear to be.
Things that don't come easily
The best things in life are worth working hard for, as they don't come easily.
Feeling happy in my vein
Being high or intoxicated makes me feel good, even though it's not a true source of happiness.
Icicles within my brain
The substances I use to feel happy and intoxicated also have harmful effects on my mind and well-being.
Something blowing in my head
There are thoughts and emotions that I can't control or make sense of in my head.
Winds of ice, it soon will spread
The negative thoughts and emotions will spread like a cold, icy wind.
Death would freeze my very soul
The idea of death and darkness is comforting to me, as it would numb my soul's pain and suffering.
Makes me happy, makes me cold
The idea of death and darkness brings me comfort, even though it also makes me feel cold and empty inside.
My eyes are blind but I can see
I may be missing important things in my life, but I still have a sense of clarity and understanding.
The snowflakes glisten on the tree
The beauty of nature still has the power to captivate me and bring me joy.
The sun no longer sets me free, child
Things that used to bring me happiness no longer have that effect on me.
I feel the snowflakes freezing me
Instead of feeling the warmth of the sun, I feel the coldness of the snowflakes, as if my soul is slowly freezing.
Let the winter sun shine on
I hope to find a source of happiness or warmth in my life again, even if it's just for a little while.
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Even though the coldness may hurt me, I want to feel something rather than nothing at all.
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
I want my dreams to be peaceful and beautiful, like the flakes of snow falling from the sky.
Soon I'll feel the chilling blow
I know that the coldness and harshness of reality will hit me eventually.
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
I am aware of how my actions and choices are affecting me.
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
I may be making harmful choices, but they are what is giving me comfort now, and I don't want to hear others judging me.
You're the one that's really a loser
I feel attacked and want to retaliate against the person who is judging me, by making them feel like the loser instead.
This is where I feel I belong
I have found a place in my life that brings me comfort, even if it's not the healthiest thing for me.
Crystal world with winter flowers
The beauty of nature in winter is like a crystal world, with flowers of ice and snow creating a magical atmosphere.
Turns my day to frozen hours
The beauty of ice and snow in winter can make time stand still, turning my days into frozen moments of stillness and awe.
Lying snowblind in the sun
Even though I am outside and the sun is shining, I am still blinded by my own addiction and choices, unable to truly appreciate the warmth and light of the sun.
Will my ice age ever come?
I wonder if my own personal ice age will ever come, bringing an end to the pain and sadness inside of me.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Terence Butler, Tony Iommi, William Ward, John Michael Osbourne
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Derek Alt
Zack Wilde is a fucking beast one of the most underrated guartists and musicians alive straight up!!!
Kingdom Remnant
My favorite cover of thisđ„đ„đ„
Rebel Rocker
Zakk Wylde Rocks,Freakin Amazing Guy,It Will be my 3rd Time in 8 Months Seeing Him..Rock On Zakk..BLS.đ
Journeetothesmokey Moon
I've been dealing with alot of depression and this song in the last couple days has helped align me. My ex husband and I listened to a lot of BLS and we have been divorced for 12 years and I never remarried. He never did either. Both of us are single. And it's not him I miss. We're friends. I miss the fact that I'm alone. Lonely. Without love. But this song made me think about when me and my ex would stay up all night listening to BLS. And back then we were doing alot of drugs. Thank God were not like that anymore. But we would be talking and debating or just partying in bed. It was another lifetime ago. But it makes me remember who I was back then and where I was in life and despite the drugs
...living in that loft apartment in ft worth and being newly married to the person I thought was my soul mate...that was some of the best times in my life. Then I get divorced and fall for someone else I've known since kids...and my life has been consumed with depression over that relationship....I wish I could go back to 2000. Maybe I could even tell Dime Bag about the dream I had that he got shot BEFORE he got shot and I could have helped save him đ
MartianOrion
Zakk forgot to include the "Lying snowblind in the sun. Will my ice age ever come?" Lyric