Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has said he initially wanted former bandmate Geezer Butler to play bass on his forthcoming solo album, From The Dark, but Butler was unavailable. Iommi instead recruited Birmingham bassist Becky Baldwin, whose playing he says reflects Butler’s style, as he sought to complete and release the record.

Due on 23 October through BMG, From The Dark features Norwegian singer Jorn Lande, drummer Karl Brazil and Baldwin, and was co-produced by Iommi and Mike Exeter. Iommi said all the album’s riffs are newly written despite having hundreds of older ideas stored away, while Lande wrote his own lyrics; Butler was reportedly occupied with his own album or unable to travel to England.