On October 23, Tony Iommi released “From The Dark“ – his first solo album in 21 years. The record was released via BMG and contains eight songs with a total duration of about 42 minutes. The vocals are by Norwegian singer Jorn Lande, who also co-wrote all the compositions.
The project also features bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Carl Brazil. Iommi produced the album with his longtime partner Mike Exter, and Brian May is featured with a guest guitar solo on the song “Death Wake“.
“This is an album we enjoyed making. We're not trying to prove anything – "It's a great album, it rocks," says Tony Iommi.From perfume to full-blown heavy metal album
The beginning of “From The Dark“ is connected with an unexpected idea. Iommi began creating instrumental compositions for his joint perfume projects with the Italian company Xerjoff. Among them are “Tony Iommi Monkey Special“ and “Tony Iommi Deified“.
Initially, the guitarist considered an instrumental recording, possibly with an orchestra and various guest musicians. Later, he changed direction and decided to make a vocal album with a full band. This is how the songs that are now part of “From The Dark“ were formed.
Iommi first worked with Jørn Lande in 2010. At that time, the Norwegian vocalist took part in a concert in London dedicated to Ronnie James Dio. According to Iommi, Lande has the right voice and his own presence, which fit the material.
A modern sound with Iommi's familiar handwriting
The album begins with “Over The Violent Sun“, followed by “Black Times“, “World Alone“, “Beyond The Dead“, “Stormwatcher“, “Death Wake“, “Return Of The Arbalist“ and “Legacy“. The deluxe edition of the CD adds "Scent Of Dark" and "Deified."
"World Alone" was released as the first single before the full album was released. The song combines Iommi's signature heavy guitar riffs with Lande's vocal attack. The lyrics of the record address themes such as war, nuclear threat, politics and the feeling of insecurity in the modern world.
The creation of the album took place without deadlines or contractual pressure. In an interview with MusicRadar, Iommi said that he worked in stages, taking into account his regular medical check-ups. According to him, working on the music itself helps him maintain his concentration.
"From The Dark" is Iommi's first solo album since "Fused" since 2005 and comes more than a decade after Black Sabbath's last studio album – “13“, released in 2013. With the new record, the guitarist continues to develop his style outside the band that, together with him, laid the foundations of heavy metal.
Sources: loudersound.com, pitchfork.com, musicradar.com