Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi issues update on long-awaited solo album: “I’m trying to finish off what I started”

News
By ( Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Louder ) published

Now that Back To The Beginning is in the rear-view mirror, heavy metal’s foundational guitarist is returning to work on his first solo album in 20 years

Tony Iommi sat and holding a microphone in 2023
(Image credit: Ollie Millington/Getty Images)

Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has offered an update on his long-anticipated new solo album.

Talking to Eddie Trunk, the 77-year-old, whose last solo album Fused came out in 2005, says that he’s returning to work on his own material after being side-tracked by prep for Sabbath’s recent blockbuster farewell show, Back To The Beginning.

He also reveals that he currently only has one singer lined up to appear on the album, in contrast to his 2000 solo debut Iommi, which featured a host of different vocalists.

“I was doing my own album until [Back To The Beginning] came up, and then, of course, I had to stop and concentrate on [preparing for] the Sabbath [performance],” Iommi says (via Blabbermouth).

He adds: “But I’m continuing next week on trying to finish off what I started with this album. And then who knows what I’m gonna do then? It’s great, really, ’cause if something pops up, I’ll do it, if I want to do it. So it’s a good thing.”

Regarding the plan for vocals on the album, the guitarist continues: “I’ve got one singer on it at the moment, which I originally thought of different singers. But it started off as, ‘It’s gonna be an instrumental album,’ and it’s gone from, ‘I’ve got some instrumental stuff,’ but then I thought, ‘Oh, I wanna try it with a singer.’ And so that’s what I’ve been doing.”

The original Sabbath lineup – Iommi, frontman Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward – bowed out with an all-day extravaganza at Villa Park in their hometown of Birmingham on Saturday (July 5).

Osbourne, who was appearing onstage for the final time at the event, sang a five-song solo set and then did a four-song show with Sabbath. The supporting lineup was a who’s who of hard rock and heavy metal, with performers including Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Mastodon and Gojira.

During the Trunk interview, Iommi says that the same playful atmosphere of Sabbath’s early years came back during the show, to the point that the guitarist poked fun at Ward by saying that he looked like Lord Of The Rings monster Gollum when he took his top off.

Though Iommi hasn’t put out a solo album since 2005, he has released two instrumental songs in the 2020s – Scent Of Dark and Deified, each of which accompanied the launch of a new perfume endorsed by the guitarist – and collaborated with multiple artists. In May, he appeared on the song Rocket by UK pop singer/songwriter and ex-Take That man Robbie Williams.

Matt Mills
Matt Mills
Online Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.