Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has announced his first solo album in more than 20 years, From the Dark, due for release on 23 October. Queen guitarist Brian May is the record’s only guest, contributing a solo to “Death Wake”, underlining the long-standing friendship between the two musicians and adding a notable collaboration to Iommi’s return.

Iommi said he had hoped May would appear on additional tracks, but May felt Iommi’s own solos were sufficient. He had also wanted former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler to play throughout the album, but Butler was unavailable, reportedly because of his own work; Mercyful Fate bassist Becky Baldwin was recruited instead. The album also features Norwegian singer and co-writer Jorn Lande and drummer Karl Brazil.