Tony Iommi

When the godfather of heavy metal riffs steps out of the shadows with a new project, the world ought to pay attention. Tommy Iommi — the man who basically forged the DNA of heavy music with his own two hands — returns with From the Dark, and it is everything you could possibly hope for from the architect of doom. This isn't just another solo outing; it's a thunderous, riff-driven declaration that the master still has plenty of fire burning in those legendary fingertips.

From the very first notes, From the Dark grabs you by the throat. Iommi's signature guitar tone — thick, menacing, instantly recognizable — is all over these eight tracks like a beautiful plague. The album opens with the storming "Over the Violent Sun," a track that wastes no time establishing its credentials with crushing riffs and anthemic power. What makes this record truly special is the presence of vocal titan Jorn Lande, whose Dio-esque pipes soar over Iommi's monolithic riffage with jaw-dropping authority. Tracks like "Black Times" and "World Alone" channel that classic heavy metal spirit — think The Devil You Know-era Heaven & Hell meeting a rejuvenated, modern edge. The production, helmed by longtime collaborator Mike Exeter, is absolutely massive: every cymbal crash, every bass rumble, every one of those unmistakable Iommi bends is rendered with crystalline clarity and earth-shaking weight. "Beyond the Dead" crawls with a menacing mid-tempo swagger, while "Stormwatcher" builds from a brooding intro into a full-blown metal epic. The nearly five-minute "Death Wake" is pure, unrelenting riff worship, and the closing epic "Legacy" — clocking in at over seven minutes — feels like a mission statement, a testament to everything Iommi has built over five decades of shaping heavy music.

1. Over the Violent Sun
   
2. Black Times
   
3. World Alone
   
4. Beyond the Dead
5. Stormwatcher
   
6. Death Wake
   
7. Return of the Arbalist
   
8. Legacy