Tony Iommi sets From the Dark album after Black Sabbath farewell

Tony Iommi’s From the Dark is set for Oct. 23, giving the Black Sabbath guitarist his first solo album in more than two decades, according to Rolling Stone.

Iommi announced the record Wednesday during a livestreamed event in Birmingham, England, his hometown. He also premiered the cinematic video for “World Alone,” the album’s first single.

The 78-year-old guitarist told Rolling Stone that Black Sabbath is finished as a band, and that any new Sabbath project would effectively be him alone. He said he did not want to repeat that route after the group’s final appearance with Ozzy Osbourne at the Back to the Beginning farewell concert.

When is Tony Iommi's From the Dark coming out?

From the Dark is due Oct. 23. Rolling Stone reports the album has eight songs, led by “World Alone,” an up-tempo but heavy track featuring Norwegian singer Jørn Lande.

Iommi co-produced the album with longtime collaborator and engineer Mike Exeter, who also plays keyboards on the record. The lineup also includes bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Karl Brazil, while Queen’s Brian May contributes a guest solo on “Death Wake.”

The new album grew out of instrumental music Iommi had been making in recent years, including “Scent of Dark” in 2021 and “Deified” in 2024, Rolling Stone reported. Those tracks were originally tied to his designer perfume project, but Iommi said he later wanted the fuller feel of a band behind him.

For vocals, Iommi turned to Lande, whose credits include Masterplan and Ark. Iommi said he had previously worked with Lande at a Ronnie James Dio tribute and liked his voice, adding that he had already done the “named people” approach on earlier solo work.

The guitarist’s past solo catalog includes 2000’s Iommi, which featured multiple singers and musicians, plus The 1996 DEP Sessions and Fused, both with Glenn Hughes. For From the Dark, Iommi told Rolling Stone he wanted a more consistent band setup.

He said he did not give Lande lyrical direction. Rolling Stone noted that some lyrics touch on nuclear apocalypse, and Iommi compared the grim subject matter to the way Sabbath’s “War Pigs” addressed war.

Iommi also spoke about Osbourne, saying he still misses their conversations. He told Rolling Stone that Osbourne texted him the night before his death to say he was not feeling well, but Iommi did not expect him to die so soon.

The guitarist said Osbourne supported him after Iommi was diagnosed with cancer, calling him every day, and that the two stayed in close contact while Osbourne dealt with health problems.

Iommi said there are no current plans to take the solo band on the road. He also said he has more instrumental pieces that did not fit on the album and plans to keep writing, adding that music remains the thing he knows how to do.

Rolling Stone also reported that early Black Sabbath recordings from the band’s Earth era are expected to come out at some point now that the rights issue has been resolved. Iommi said hearing the old material again brought back forgotten bluesy and jazzy jams from the band’s early days.

This story draws on original reporting from Rolling Stone.