siLLy puPPy This is one of those bands that everybody else seems to know about but somehow I missed. Well, I finally got to listen to this album and have to say that I haven't really been missing out on much. If this came out in 1976 this would be ok but this is simply the ripping off of the music of AC/DC with a little Guns N Roses added in the music department, while the vocals remind me of Jack Black in Tenacious D mode at times while the majority of the album reminds me of Eric Bazilian of the Hooters. The songs are ok but gosh I just can't get into this at all. Seems like this was directed towards a younger audience who had never heard the influences they were imitating. The songs aren't particularly interesting and well nothing sticks on this album for me. Gosh, I think i'm actually hearing The Cure in here as well. I like fusion but this just isn't doing it for me. Permission denied. Go back to your planet.

Warthur Buoyed by the vocal talents and personality of Justin Hawkins, The Darkness were able to spearhead a brief but memorable glam metal revival with this album, though many of the compositions don't stand up to repeated listens. (Which is a big problem, considering how much excessive airplay the singles from the album received.) It's still worth it if you are on a nostalgia kick, but only if you don't have the raw material the album was inspired by easily to hand (Guns 'n' Roses, 80s-period Alice Cooper, and so on); as it is, ten years down the line I just don't find myself saying "You know, I'm really in the mood to listen to The Darkness right now."

progshine Back on 2003 I first heard The Darkness in a soap opera novel on brazilian TV, that was REALLY odd cause that’s not the kind of music they usuallt choose. That just explain how much the band was in vogue when they released their first album Permission To Land (2003). I bought the album and almost made a hole in it. That was so good, even knowing that was only the joke of the summer.

Most of critics hated and used to say that they would not last, they were half right. Their second album One Way Ticket To Hell … And Back (2005) was released 2 years later is even better then the first one, but people always say this kind of things: ‘nah, they’re old joke’. Silly.

The band broke up about a year later, story tell that Justin Hawkins – vocalist and guitarrist – (and he confirms that) was heavily addicted to cocaine, there’s even a song about that tells this story ‘One Way Ticket’.

Only 4 years later Justin did something big in music again, his new band Hot Leg released a great album called Red Light Fever (2009) while the other 3 guys started a new band, the Stone Gods and released an album in 2008.

I’ve heard about the new album, I was really happy, but the truth is, was waiting for more! In a first spin the record didn’t really worked for me. I mean, isn’t a bad album at all, but I was waiting so much more after 7 years, specially after Hot Leg album. The sound was there, like 9 years ago, maybe that was the problem, there wasn’t a initial shock like the first time. But I had to try again, cause I liked the band so much, and I’ve heard it again and again and again and boom, I was hooked!

By the way, there’s a good and unexpected Radiohead version from their classic album The Bends (1995) with ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out).

Listen again and you’ll be convinced!

arcane-beautiful Ok...now this band have been a part of my life for a very long time. Ever since Growing On Me made me so in love with the band, and their first 2 albums been long time favourites for me.

When I heard they where breaking up, I was very sad, and to be honest, it was like something had been removed from my life. Now the things they did after the break up, like Hot Leg, Stone Gods, British Whale, Justin Hawkins attempt to do Eurovison (probably because of his drug addiction), I kept a close eye on, and enjoyed a lot of it.

Now there where rumours of the band coming back, but to be honest I never really heeded any word of it. But whenever it was made official, I have to admit, it was like I was a child again.

Now I have been anticipating this album for a long time, and listening to the singles, watching the videos and basically just waiting and waiting. And now its here...

Now this isn't exactly what I was expecting but to be honest I'm glad it isn't.

These guys have seen a bit of a change in the past, and it seems these guys really have thought about the art of songwriting a little bit more. Instead of having very lavish over the top Queen esque arrangements, the band have focused more on melody and harmony on this album, and it really bodes well to the tone of the album.

Justin's vocals have never been better in my opinion. His vocals are lot more normal sounding, and aren't just over the top falsetto all the time, and it really shows how much of a diverse vocalist he really is. His lyrics are lot more standard and more love based, but overall, the lyrics are more positive, and shows that the band really are happy to be doing what they are doing...being in a band.

1. Every Inch Of You – Ok, when I first heard this song. I new these guys where back. This is one of the most feel good songs released in a very long time. In fact the whole album is. 10/10

2. Nothin's Gonna Stop Us – Probably the first song I heard from the album, and when I first heard it, I wasn't completely in love with it. But the more I listen to it, the more I love it. A lot like the whole album in general. 10/10

3. With A Woman – The riff at the start does sound like a very generic AC/DC song, but after a while, and especially whenever the chorus comes in...the song starts to get a lote more enjoyable. 10/10

4. Keep Me Hanging On – I do like the nice rhythms in the song. But the song is probably my least favourite song on the album. It might be because there is a country like feeling to the song. Although this song does get a lot more interesting, and rather dark if I'm honest. 8/10

5. Living Each Day Blind – One of the cheesiest songs The Darkness has made in a very long. It's basically a ballad, and it does work very well, and some of the melodies in the song are great. It is quite melancholic and uplifting too, which is great to hear. 9/10

6. Everybody Have A Good Time – Another song I wasn't a big fan of when I heard it, but the more and more I love it. Oddly enough, it's another feelgood song, but there is a quite moody side to the song. 10/10

7. She Just A Girl, Eddie – One of the more fun songs on the album, and it's funny to think that the song was written about Ed's girlfriend. The instrumental section in this song is one of the most instrumental sections I've heard in a Darkness song. 10/10

8. Forbidden Love – I remember my brother telling me I should listen to this song because it sounds like a mixture between ELO and ABBA. I was interested to see if this was true. And it turns out he was right. And I love ELO and ABBA. 10/10

9. Concrete – One of the albums most interesting lyrical and musical moments, and probably one of my favourites. Such a great song, and the vocal arrangements and vocals in general are pretty impressive. 10/10

10. Street Spirit (Fade Out) – Ok, this has to be one of the most kick ass covers I've ever heard. Now, I do like the original, but I'm not the biggest fan of it. It was a good enough ending to The Bends album, but it is one of the weaker songs on it. But this song is just...wow. Especially vocally. I think Pitchfork put it best “it's the best Iron Maiden song that Iron Maiden never wrote.” 10/10

11. Love Is Not The Answer – The Darkness albums always end an album with something moodier and more interesting (although Blind Man was a little silly). This is definitely the best way to end of a Darkness album. And one of there best songs in my opinion. 10/10

CONCLUSION: They are back. They may not be the same, but hey, they don't need to grab our attention anymore, or do anything outlandish. I'm just happy that they are still doing what they love, and I'm glad that they are

8.1/10

1967/ 1976 Because The Darkness please me? Read this passage that is part of The Darkness biography in this site: "Their highly retro style of music was influenced by rock bands like Queen, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Aerosmith, Sparks, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, T. Rex, Def Leppard, Whitesnake and Thin Lizzy". Except Sparks all the other bands are present in my Metal discography with high consideration!

But for a strange combination of various factors "Permission To Land" is the only The Darkness release in my Metal discography.

The band members are good musicians: Justin Hawkins is the vocalist and keyboardist. Good vocalist with great falsetto, isn't a carbon copy of Freddy Mercury but it's clear that Freddy Mercury was a great maestro for Justin. Dan Hawkins is the axeman: Jimmy Page, Gary moore, Eddie Van Halen, Slash and Mark Bolan are Dan teachers in style. Frankie Poullain is the bassplayer. Great bassplayer for a Metal band, not invadent but not banal. Ed Graham is a powerful drummer: In a certain sense a 1970's drummer... A drummer à la John Bonham or à la Joey Kramer (just to remain among the bands that have inspired The Darkness). The style of the music is the perfect summary of the bands that have inspired The Darkness, without surprises. For 2000's this style is a perfect novelty, that, in my opinion, was perfect for creating new recruits to the Classic Metal. That, at the end, this style is Hard Rock... This is only a detail.

The sound is dominated by electric guitar and drums with technical vocals in first plan. I remember the surprise that a song called "Love Is Only A Feeling" created in me every time the video was broadcast on TV. "Finally," I said "here's a band playing what I like!" But the first song of "Permission To Land" "Black Shuck" is a mix between Aerosmith, Guns'n'Roses and Def Leppard with great feeling and poor magic. "Get Your Hands Off My Woman" is in possess of a punk dissacratory power and with a great use of falsetto voice and a not politically correct lyrics is another great song, also if not properly a song for puritans! "Growing On Me" is another song really beautiful. Aerosmith, AC/DC, Queen (1970's style), Guns'n'Roses ("appetite For Destruction" is a perfect album for this song) and Thin Lizzy stand out as if The Darkness were a clone band! But it is only a stupid detail! "I Believe In A Thing Called Love" is a mix between Thin Lizzy, T-Rex and Queen. Not a perfect song "I Believe..." plays a notch below the other songs on the album. Probably because too a mix between Thin Lizzy and Queen? Mix that has not worked very well in this song. "Love Is Only A Feeling" is a perfect Aerosmith song ("Permanent Vacation"/ "Pump" period) with a tons of magic and feeling, with a great refrain and guitar soli, appropriate use of acoustic guitar, falsetto voice and chorus. In few words...: a perfect song for my soul, because a perfect and bastard mix between Hard Rock and Heavy Metal (This song, at the end is a pure Bonfire song... Because Bonfire isn't between the mentioned band for The Darkness inspiration?). "Givin' Up" is another Aerosmith/ Guns'n'Roses song with NWoBHM treatment, Queen vocals (in style) and punk shadows! "Stuck In A Rut" is a perfect song if Hanoi Rocks or Twisted Sister are your bands! Vice versa if Thin Lizzy is your band "Friday Night" is your song(!) because is a pure Phil Lynott song! "love On The Rocks With No Ice" is a song with AC/DC intro but the rest of the song is a punky Hard Rock that is good if Sparks or 1980's Hard Rock (Bonfire in first plan in my mind) are in your mind chords. "Holding My Own" is another song if you love Aerosmith but also if you not love Aerosmith's ballad this song is perfect!

In a great substance nothing new in musically field. But the mix created by The Darkness is so 1980's that was to conquer me! For 2000's Hard Rock standards "Permission To Land" is a perfect album!