Tony Iommi, the legendary guitarist of Black Sabbath, has announced the release of a new solo album titled *From The Dark*, set for October 23. This marks his first solo project in over two decades, following 2005’s *Fused*, which featured former Deep Purple and Trapeze singer and bassist Glenn Hughes. The new album includes contributions from Queen’s Brian May, who performs a guest solo on the track "Death Wake." The lead single, "World Alone," has been released ahead of the full album and showcases Iommi’s signature riff-driven sound.

Iommi, who was recently honored with an MBE for his services to music and charity in the King’s birthday honours, joked about the delay in formally receiving the award, saying he had almost forgotten about it and speculated the authorities might have reconsidered.

The guitarist revealed that *From The Dark* took two years to complete and is deeply inspired by his hometown of Birmingham. “The whole record is designed around Birmingham. The T-shirts have been made in Birmingham, the merchandise has been made in Birmingham,” he said. The album will be available in a deluxe version that includes two additional tracks, "Scent Of Dark" and "Deified."

Iommi also recounted the physical challenges he has overcome in his career. As a teenager, he lost the tips of his middle and ring fingers on his fretting hand while working in a sheet metal factory. Medical professionals advised him to give up playing, but he instead crafted makeshift fingertips from melted plastic and leather from an old jacket to grip the guitar strings, a testament to his resilience and innovation.

During an intimate event attended by a small group of guests and hosted by comedian Frank Skinner, Iommi premiered the dystopian-themed video for "World Alone," which was filmed in Cornwall. Despite his reluctance toward music videos—he described his dislike for them and noted he appears in this one "but not wanting to be"—he embraced the visual as more cinematic than traditional promotional material.

Looking ahead, Iommi left open the possibility of performing the new material live. When asked if fans might hear the album played on stage, he smiled and said, “You may do. Anything’s a possibility,” suggesting that a return to live performances could be on the horizon.