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Heavy Metal
BMG
New Release
Iommi
From The Dark
Reviewed in issue:
116
Release Date:
23 Oct 2026
Reviewed by:
🟣 Dave Cockett
For Fans Of
Black Sabbath
Led Zeppelin
Judas Priest
Top three tracks
• Black Times
• Over The Violent Sun
• Legacy
Fireworks Verdict:
"All hail the riffmaster!"
THE REVIEW
Words Of Wisdom!
What can you say about Tony Iommi that hasn’t generated enough column inches to fill a library over the past six decades? Unquestionably one of the founding fathers behind Heavy Metal, the instigator of numerous riffs that have inspired generations of guitar players… “icon” seems much too fleeting a word to sum up his status and the esteem in which he’s held by both the industry and fans alike.
The son of first-generation Italian immigrants, his story is inextricably interwoven with that of Black Sabbath, but with the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, that side has now been all but laid to rest. But what of the future? Even at seventy-eight years of age, it would seem it’s impossible to stem the creative flow, the result being ‘From The Dark’, his first solo album since 2005’s ‘Fused’.
"Even at seventy-eight years of age, it would seem it’s impossible to stem the creative flow"
Now, whilst ‘Fused’ featured the voice of Glenn Hughes, and consequently had more in common with Sabbath’s ‘Seventh Star’ – a solo album in all but name anyway – this latest chapter in the Iommi canon features Norwegian vocalist Jørn Lande, a much-storied character in his own right who shares co-writing credits on all the songs.
Now, I know what you’re thinking… “Jørn was always compared to Ronnie James Dio, so are we looking at a ‘Heaven And Hell/Mob Rules’ kind of sound?” Yes and no. That Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell (the band) influence is obviously ingrained within – it’s Tony Iommi after all – but his co-creator has also carved his personality on the songs, oft evoking strong feelings of Jørn solo (albeit Jørn at his heaviest).
Starting at the end then, the unrelenting epic ‘Legacy’ (very aptly named), tells you in seven minutes much of what you need to know about Tony Iommi – riff piled upon glorious riff, delivered with the unstoppable force of a juggernaut! Flipping ends, opener ‘Over The Violent Sun’ is inscrutable… more gigantic riffs and a vocal that conjures up powerful images of ancient slaves toiling beneath a biblical sky to serve every whim of their captors. Love Iommi’s solo on this one…
"Starting at the end then, the unrelenting epic ‘Legacy’ (very aptly named), tells you in seven minutes much of what you need to know about Tony Iommi"
Then there’s the broiling ebb and flow of ‘Black Times’ which reminds of classic Sabbath, the dystopian melancholy of ‘Beyond The Dead’, the slightly more up-tempo ‘Return Of The Arbalist’… all affirming what a great collaboration between guitarist and vocalist this actually is. All hail the riffmaster!
Reviewer:
🟣 Dave Cockett
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