Black Sabbath’s music was rarely as evil as the group’s overall aesthetic, but it still seems like a bit of a betrayal of the Black Sabbath ethos for guitarist Tony Iommi to write a classical-ish song dedicated to a cathedral in his hometown. According to Rolling Stone, though, that’s exactly what he’s done. Billed as a “preview of sorts” of the “new directions” he wants his songwriting to take once Black Sabbath plays its last-ever show later this year, the song is called “How Good It Is” and it’s “inspired by Psalm 133.”
The Rolling Stone story says the song “is meant to celebrate peace, harmony,” and the aforementioned cathedral, with Iommi writing the music and the church’s own Reverend Catherine Ogle writing the lyrics. Naturally, then, the guitar parts all sound pretty awesome while the vocals might be a bit too church-y for the average Black Sabbath fan, but you can listen to the song below and make up your own mind about Iommi’s new direction.