Brian May and Tony Iommi have been close friends for decades, and fans will hear them play together once again on Iommi’s first solo album in two decades. “From the Dark” will be released next October, and the Black Sabbath guitarist has spoken about having his longtime friend appear on the record in the track “Death Wake”.
What Tony Iommi said about Brian May playing on his new solo album
“We stay in touch all the time. He’s played onstage a couple of times with me, and then we’ve done a couple of album tracks we played on together. He’s a very, very close friend. I did say to him, ‘Do you want to play on something else?’ He said, ‘No, no. Your solos are good. I don’t need to play.’ But it was great that he did (one). I just played him a couple of things, and he (recorded) it here at the studio in my house. Then of course he’d play something and go, ‘Oh, I don’t know about it.’ I go, ‘I like it,’” he said in an interview with Rolling Stone.
The track wasn’t released yet, but the first single “World Alone” is already available. For the album, the Riffmaster was joined by Norwegian vocalist Jorn Lande (Avantasia and more), British bassist Becky Baldwin (Mercyful Fate, Hands Off Gretel, session work, and more), and British drummer Karl Brazil (Robbie Williams, James Blunt, and more). Both Baldwin and Brazil live in Birmingham, the hometown of all four original Black Sabbath members.
“It’s an album we’ve really enjoyed making. We’re not trying to prove anything – it’s a great album, it rocks!” Tony said.
“From the Dark” tracklist
- Over The Violent Sun
- Black Times
- World Alone
- Beyond The Dead
- Stormwatcher
- Death Wake
- Return Of The Arbalist
- Legacy
Deluxe CD bonus tracks
- Scent Of Dark
- Deified (extended)