Tony Iommi releases From the Dark, his first solo album in 21 years, with Jorn Lande on vocals and a Brian May guest solo

The man who built heavy metal's riff vocabulary is back with a record of his own. Tony Iommi released From the Dark on Friday, 23 October 2026, through BMG. It is his third solo album and his first since Fused in 2005.

Who plays on it

1. Tony Iommi on guitar, co-producing with longtime partner Mike Exeter, who also plays keyboards.
2. Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, who sings on every track and shares songwriting credits.
3. Becky Baldwin on bass and Karl Brazil on drums.
4. Queen guitarist Brian May, who adds a guest solo on Death Wake.

The tracklist includes Over the Violent Sun, Black Times, World Alone, Beyond the Dead, Stormwatcher and Death Wake.

How it came together

Iommi announced the album at a press event in his home city of Birmingham in July, where lead single World Alone had its first play. He has described the sessions as relaxed, saying he wrote the music while Lande handled the lyrics, and that the title reflects the album's mood. His message to fans was simple: the band was not out to prove anything, it just wanted to make a record that rocks.

Lande is a meaningful choice. He fronted Heaven and Hell at their final show after Ronnie James Dio's death in 2010, and his voice is often compared to Dio's, which gives the album a strong link to Iommi's 1980s and 2000s work.

Why it matters

From the Dark is Iommi's first full-length release since Black Sabbath's final album 13 in 2013. It arrives a year after Black Sabbath's farewell show in Birmingham and the death of Ozzy Osbourne, and a few months after Iommi was appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours. For metal fans, it is a chance to hear the riff master leading his own band again.

Collectors can also look out for a 45rpm deluxe vinyl in a black gatefold with a cut-out of Iommi's signature cross.