JORN LANDE On Collaborating With TONY IOMMI On 'From The Dark': 'I Went In With A Very Strong Desire To Give It My Very Best Effort'

In a new interview with Ten Tons Of Tone, Jorn Lande spoke about his collaboration with Tony Iommi on the BLACK SABBATH guitarist's upcoming solo album, "From The Dark". The Norwegian singer is credited as co-writer on all of the LP's eight tracks, and is joined on the album by Iommi, drummer Karl Brazil, who has worked with pop icons Robbie Williams and James Blunt, and U.K.-based bassist Becky Baldwin, best known as a recent addition to Danish metal veterans MERCYFUL FATE.

Regarding his mindset going into the making of "From The Dark", Lande said: "I didn't have any strategies going in, or a different approach, really. [I] just went in as myself and with a very strong desire to give it my very best effort. My only focus was to naturally create the best possible vocal melodies to go with Tony's guitar riffs and arrangements, and the fact that I could take the time necessary was essential to the end result. There was never a plan to fit a certain 'style' or direction. It came about naturally between two musicians with mutual respect for each other."

He added: "Of course, when working with Tony, his music naturally pulls you creatively into a darker and deeper mode for melodies and lyrics. Sometimes Tony would change his riffs to fit my melodies; other times I altered my melodies to fit his changes to riffs and musical structures."

"From The Dark" will be available in several deluxe vinyl and CD formats. The double LP edition will be manufactured in four colors, available from different retailers. Cut at 45rpm on double vinyl for optimum dynamic range the deluxe, gatefold package is premium black card with a die cut of Tony's signature cross, that holds beneath a suitably dark and detailed, illustrative journey across the album. Part visible when in situ and with the full image revealing as the inner sleeve is drawn out. There will also be a CD Amazon exclusive that also has the same die cut sleeve and a deluxe 32-page CD media book edition that includes two bonus tracks.

Deluxe CD

01. Over The Violent Sun
02. Black Times
03. World Alone
04. Beyond The Dead
05. Stormwatcher
06. Death Wake
07. Return Of The Arbalist
08. Legacy
09. Scent Of Dark (exclusive bonus track)
10. Deified (extended version) (exclusive bonus track)

Vinyl

Side A

01. Over The Violent Sun
02. Black Times

Side B

01. World Alone
02. Beyond The Dead

Side C

01. Stormwatcher
02. Death Wake

Side D

01. Return Of The Arbalist
02. Legacy

Lande previously performed with Iommi and other surviving HEAVEN & HELL members Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice at a very special tribute to their fallen bandmate, Ronnie James Dio, at the 2010 High Voltage festival at Victoria Park in London, England. The musicians were also joined by legendary former DEEP PURPLE vocalist/bassist Glenn Hughes.

In 2010, the now-58-year-old Lande released "Dio", a tribute to the late BLACK SABBATH, DIO and RAINBOW singer Ronnie James Dio.

In a 2016 interview with Don De Leaumont of The Great Southern Brainfart, Jorn was asked if the surviving members of HEAVEN & HELL/BLACK SABBATH gave him any grief for releasing the "Dio" so soon after Ronnie's death. Lande responded: "At the time, it was really a bad time but the good thing for me was when I felt really bad about it in the beginning, like when I got the call from Tony Iommi, when these guys said, 'Jorn, don't worry about it.' Most of the people in the SABBATH camp that were around Ronnie, even though they had mixed feelings, they were not blaming me for anything so I felt a lot of acceptance. That was a great confirmation and helped me not take things too personally and to move on and do my own thing."

Jorn went on to say that he "was asked" to join Ronnie at some HEAVEN & HELL shows that the band had already booked before the legendary singer's passing.

"I never really asked anybody in the camp this question, but as far as I know, it was Ronnie's decision that he wanted to go through with the shows regardless of his treatment," Jorn explained. "When Ronnie got weak and got into a really bad shape, the band discussed the possibilities of doing, if not all the shows, some of them. They asked me if I would be up for it to do some songs and then Ronnie would be on stage to sing some songs so we would just go back and forth, just so they could make the shows happen. A few weeks later, I got the message that Ronnie had passed. It was kind of strange and thinking back now, I'm honored that I was asked at the time."

Lande added: "Honestly, most of my connection with that I just usually kept it to myself for many years. Mostly out of respect and also because I didn't want people to misunderstand things. I kept it to myself to just secure myself and to know in my own heart that I didn't go out there and talk about a lot of it in detail to upset all the fans of Ronnie and BLACK SABBATH. I just kept it to myself and kept a low profile. Still, there was a lot of shit going but now that years have passed, I'm so glad I did it. I'm really grateful for the experience and I owe a lot to Tony and Geezer [Butler] and everybody in that camp. They were always so nice to me and treated me with respect.

Asked if the possibility of doing anything else with the members of HEAVEN & HELL after Dio's death ever came up, Jorn told The Great Southern Brainfart: "Actually, I did some demo things with Tony back around 2005. After that, HEAVEN & HELL happened so we already have done some stuff together that has never been released. Nobody told me back then about the plans for them to do HEAVEN & HELL."