Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi discussed his upcoming solo album, From the Dark, and his friendship with Queen’s Brian May, who performs on “Death Wake.” Iommi also revealed that he invited May to contribute to more songs on the record.
“We’ve known each other for 56, 58 years. He’s my best friend. And of course, Eddie Van Halen was. We always stayed in touch a lot. They were the only two I really did stay in touch with.”
“[Brian] came to my house and we always have a little fiddle about. He brings a guitar or I’ve got one here and he’ll use that. I said, ‘Oh, bring your guitar when you come,’ he brought his guitar and I said, ‘You’re going to be playing on this track here.’”
“He’s great. I said to him, ‘Play on some other tracks,’ but he went, ‘Oh no, it’s your album.’ That’s the relationship we’ve had with each other for all these years. We’ve played a lot together. He is a great friend.”
The conversation took place as Iommi promoted his long-awaited solo return and reflected on his career beyond Black Sabbath. Iommi joined Loudwire Nights on August 25 to discuss From the Dark, Ozzy Osbourne, and the next chapter of his musical work.
From the Dark is scheduled for release on October 23, 2026, through BMG. It will be Iommi’s first solo album in 21 years, following 2005’s Fused. The album is “his first solo album in 21 years, arriving October 23 via BMG.”
Iommi co-wrote the album with Norwegian vocalist Jørn Lande, who handles the vocals on the project. Iommi also co-produced the record with longtime collaborator Mike Exeter.
The album’s lineup includes bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Karl Brazil, in addition to Lande. Lande appears throughout the record, while Baldwin and Brazil contribute to the backing band.
The standard tracklist includes “Over the Violent Sun,” “Black Times,” “World Alone,” “Beyond the Dead,” “Stormwatcher,” “Death Wake,” “Return of the Arbalist,” and “Legacy.” Deluxe editions will also include “Scent of Dark” and “Deified.”
May’s contribution remains one of the album’s key features. He plays a guitar solo on “Death Wake” and is the only guest musician credited on the record. His appearance adds another chapter to a friendship that Iommi says began nearly six decades ago.
The interview was tied to the promotion of From the Dark, rather than a new Black Sabbath project or a dedicated tribute release. Iommi’s comments about Ozzy and Sabbath place the album in the broader context of his post-Sabbath career, while his story about May highlights the personal relationships that continue to shape his music.
