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For an undisputed member of the rock god pantheon, Tony Iommi has had a surprisingly spotty solo career. His intended solo debut, Seventh Star , was instead released as a Black Sabbath album in 1986, and it’s widely considered one of their worst. In 2000, the guitarist took an admirable swing with the guest-heavy grab bag Iommi , but not all of its nü-era experiments hold up. Iommi then released two more records with Seventh Star singer Glenn Hughes, which were both awash in blues-dad cliché. Given that track record, the 78-year-old Iommi’s first solo outing in more than two decades arrives as somewhat of a shock. From the Dark is the heaviest album Iommi has made in years. It’s also the best thing he’s ever put out under his own name.

From the Dark is effective in part for what it isn’t.…