BLACK SABBATH guitarist TONY IOMMI has opened up about the loss of OZZY OSBOURNE while announcing his new solo album, From The Dark, due for release on October 23, 2026 via BMG.
In his first interview since Osbourne’s passing, Iommi spoke with Rolling Stone about the upcoming album, the final BLACK SABBATH performance, and how difficult it has been adjusting to life without his longtime friend and bandmate.
Reflecting on Ozzy’s absence, Iommi admitted the loss still feels unreal.
“It’s been really strange. I still don’t feel like he’s gone because when I look on YouTube or whatever, there’s something to do with Ozzy, and I see him again and again. It’s almost like he’s still here. It’s really peculiar. Only, we were in touch so many times. That’s what I miss.”
Looking back on BLACK SABBATH‘s farewell performance at the Back To The Beginning concert, Iommi said it was the perfect way to conclude the band’s legacy.
“The legacy’s been fantastic, really. I think it was a good thing to finish off when we did the Back To The Beginning one, because all the bands who were fans of Sabbath came onto that show… It was great for a final thing with Sabbath to take it together as the original band and finish it off as it should.”
He also acknowledged the emotional weight of that final appearance, revealing that while he knew Osbourne was unwell, he never imagined his passing would come so soon afterward.
Musically, From The Dark consists entirely of newly written material. Although Iommi has accumulated decades’ worth of riffs on tapes and CDs, he explained that fresh ideas ultimately took precedence during the writing sessions.
Joining Iommi on the album are acclaimed Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande, who also co-wrote every track, Mercyful Fate bassist Becky Baldwin, and drummer Karl Brazil. Iommi praised Baldwin’s playing, noting that her style channels the feel of longtime BLACK SABBATH bassist Geezer Butler.
The album is introduced by its first single, “World Alone,” a driving heavy rock anthem built around Iommi’s signature riffs and Lande’s soaring vocals. The accompanying music video presents a retro-futuristic dystopian world where the central character, known as The Believer, battles through a twisted video game in search of salvation.
Co-produced by Iommi and longtime collaborator Mike Exeter, From The Dark blends classic heavy metal foundations with modern production. Songs such as “Over The Violent Sun,” “Black Times,” “Beyond The Dead,” “Stormwatcher,” “Death Wake,” “Return Of The Arbalist,” and “Legacy” explore themes of mortality, dystopian futures, and the human condition.
The album will be released in multiple deluxe formats, including several colored double-LP editions, deluxe CD packages, and digital formats. The deluxe media book edition includes two exclusive bonus tracks: “Scent Of Dark” and an extended version of “Deified.”
From The Dark Deluxe Track Listing
- Over The Violent Sun
- Black Times
- World Alone
- Beyond The Dead
- Stormwatcher
- Death Wake
- Return Of The Arbalist
- Legacy
- Scent Of Dark (Bonus Track)
- Deified (Extended Version) (Bonus Track)
Iommi, whose groundbreaking guitar work helped define heavy metal with BLACK SABBATH, continues to push forward creatively more than five decades into his career. While From The Dark marks the beginning of a new chapter as a solo artist, his reflections on Osbourne underscore the lasting bond between the musicians who forever changed the course of heavy music.