BMG / Tony Iommi
It took more than twenty years. Tony Iommi, the guitarist and founder of Black Sabbath, releases his new solo record ‘From the Dark’ this Friday, his first since 2005’s ‘Fused.’ Eight tracks, a handful of carefully chosen musicians, and a lead voice that isn’t his own: Norwegian singer Jorn Lande, a veteran of symphonic rock and melodic metal, who co-writes every lyric on the record with the guitarist.
A comeback that carries extra weight
Since Ozzy Osbourne’s death, every new move from Tony Iommi has been watched closely by Black Sabbath fans. ‘From the Dark’ isn’t framed as a tribute or a farewell record, though: it’s a straightforward metal album, built for the heavy riffs and dark atmospheres that have defined the guitarist’s reputation for more than fifty years. His unmistakable down-tuned playing, the one that helped define the sound of heavy metal back in the late 1960s, is instantly recognisable throughout.
‘World Alone,’ the song that launched the album
The project was unveiled this summer with ‘World Alone,’ the lead single accompanied by a video following a character nicknamed “The Believer,” forced to survive a twisted video game to stay alive. The clip, directed by Ryan Mackfall, quickly passed a million views and set the tone for a record steeped in cinematic atmosphere. Jorn Lande brings an operatic delivery that stands apart from the genre’s usual voices, while Tony Iommi runs through the down-tuned riffs that have long been his signature.
A tight-knit crew, a sound that stays true to form
To build the record, Tony Iommi surrounded himself with a small core team rather than a cast of guest stars: bassist Becky Baldwin, drummer Karl Brazil, and above all Mike Exeter, his longtime collaborator on production, co-writing and engineering. Exeter has worked alongside Iommi on several solo projects, and here delivers a production that favours the raw power of the guitar playing over elaborate arrangements.
Picking Jorn Lande as the album’s voice is no accident. The Norwegian singer built his reputation in symphonic rock and melodic metal, through his band Jorn and notable collaborations with Ritchie Blackmore and the Avantasia project. His wide, dramatic delivery suits an album conceived as a string of dark tableaux rather than a run of radio-ready singles.
Early reviews from the metal press have been largely favourable, pointing to the record’s unfashionable commitment to riff-driven songwriting at a time when much of the genre has drifted toward shorter, streaming-friendly tracks. ‘From the Dark’ instead leans into longer, atmospheric arrangements, closer in spirit to the records that made Iommi’s name in the first place.
Eight tracks, several formats, a record built to last
‘From the Dark’ runs eight tracks in its standard edition: opener ‘Over the Violent Sun,’ ‘Black Times,’ ‘World Alone,’ ‘Beyond the Dead,’ ‘Stormwatcher,’ ‘Death Wake,’ ‘Return of the Arbalist,’ and closer ‘Legacy.’ A deluxe edition adds two further tracks, ‘Scent of Dark’ and ‘Deified.’ The record is out via BMG on CD digisleeve, a deluxe box with a 32-page booklet, and double 45rpm vinyl in several colourways, with a die-cut sleeve echoing the guitarist’s signature cross.
The record had already been the subject of a detailed announcement on whatlisten this summer, when the guitarist unveiled ‘World Alone’ and confirmed this first solo album in more than twenty years. Its actual release this Friday closes out a long wait for classic metal fans, at a moment when several of the genre’s historic figures are stepping back into the spotlight.
