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Did you do that seemingly harmless “My 9 albums” challenge/trend on social media? Of course not, as it involves using a viral tool created by some random online (it’s called viral for a reason). But if this reviewer did indeed upload images of his 9 favourite albums, then Ronnie James Dio would feature heavily. Rainbow Rising, Dio Holy Diver, Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell would make up three of the top four, with Alice Cooper Killer being the other choice.
The remaining five change hourly (UFO Obsession is such an underrated album), but those four are always there. Strong cornerstone albums in the annals of hard rock, and timeless. Stick on Heaven and Hell today, and as soon as Tony Iommi’s insane riffs in “Neon Knights” start up, it’s hard not to be swept up in an overwhelming sense of euphoria. The greatest vocalist in rock history, alongside the most important guitarist, with astonishing results. And it’s that Dio-era of Sabbath, with a hint of the Tony Martin years, that From the Dark evokes.
The first solo album from Iommi since 2005’s Fused, and his first recording since Black Sabbath’s swansong, 13, in 2013, From the Dark is a surprise that perhaps nobody outside the inner circle saw coming. And a very welcome surprise at that.
Featuring powerhouse Norwegian vocalist Jørn Lande, it is a classic old-school heavy rock/metal album where the onus is on the songs, with Iommi’s riffs being the icing on the cake. As you might expect, it’s guitar-heavy, and at times (“Beyond the Dead” in particular) borders on the doom metal that made Sabbath-without-Ozzy offshoot Heaven & Hell such a thrill to witness (2009’s “Bible Black” is a bona fide Sabbath banger- just deal with it).
Opening track, “Over the Violent Sun”, is primetime Dio. It’s slow and sludgy, with a crushing feel of violent waves crashing off cliffs while Jørn Lande stands, arms raised in defiance, taking on all comers. Always a strong, respected vocalist, Lande is clearly enjoying his moment in the spotlight and sounds like he is having a blast. Tony Iommi? It’s the Riff Master, man; he has left more riffs on the studio floor than most guitarists have in a lifetime. Zero pressure on his shoulders, and the down-tuned riffs on the opener are insane.
“Black Times” takes the doom and the sludge from the opener and ramps it up considerably. A song called “Black Times” was not going to be cheerful, and it’s easy to imagine Ronnie James Dio going toe-to-toe with Iommi on this one, especially on the slight change of pace mid-song that offers a glimpse of hope before the balls-heavy hits from drummer Karl Brazil sound the death knell once again. Special mention to Fury/King Diamond bassist Becky Baldwin, who plays out of her skin in what is essentially the Geezer Butler role.
“World Alone” is the shortest of the eight tracks, meaning it is a great choice for a single. A strong way to announce that Tony Iommi is making music again, and still making it sound effortless. Full-on classic heavy metal, nothing fancy, just heavy metal played extremely well.
Iommi has found a perfect frontman in Lande, and the team-up bears some incredible fruit. “Stormwatcher” is a highlight and needs to be played loud. The bending riffs are huge, as are the vocal hooks from Lande. With modern-day production values as they are, the production from Iommi and Mike Exeter, his long-time creative partner, co-writer, producer, and audio engineer, is top-notch without being overpowering. A lot of modern production can often go for power and volume over clarity (Andrew Watt on the latest Stones album Foreign Tongues springs to mind), but here, Iommi and Exeter get it just right, with the towering “Death Wake” being a perfect example.
With eight tracks and 40 minutes running time, From The Dark doesn’t overstay its welcome. Indeed, it saves the best for last with two explosive and varied closing tracks. “Return of the Arbalist” is classic Jørn. Scandinavian power metal-esque in some places, old-school heavy rock in others, with some gorgeous guitar tones from Iommi. Epic closing track “Legacy” is easily identifiable as Tony Iommi; even a layman in terms of heavy metal knowledge would know that it’s Iommi playing. Loads going on throughout the seven-minute running time, with huge highs and lows offering stark contrasts. If played live, this would spread out into a lengthy jam with Iommi using it as the foundation for his guitar solo. His playing is, simply put, mind-blowing.
Releasing From The Dark as the year draws to a close is a wise decision, and not just because of the Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning concert movie getting a worldwide cinema release on October 28th, but also because most publications and websites will be starting to compile their end-of-year best-of lists, and Tony Iommi has just made many reviewers rethink their lists. Yes, it is that good. Would some live shows be too much to ask for?
From The Dark is available through BMG in several deluxe vinyl and CD formats – order here.
Tony Iommi – official website here.
Review: Dave
Tony Iommi photo credit: Ross Halfin
Band photo: Tina K
