The Darkness – Permission to Land

The New Musical Express thinks The Darkness should be destroyed, as the antithesis of everything the NME stands for. Of course I’d rather keep The Darkness, and let the NME be destroyed instead.

The Darkness play full-blooded rock anthems of the kind we haven’t heard from a new band in years, with songs titles like “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” and “Love on the Rocks with No Ice”, and gratuitously sexist cover (What’s wrong with being sexy, as Nigel Tufnel would say) Imagine a rawer version of Thin Lizzy crossed with the heavier end of Slade’s glam-rock, with a bit of Spinal Tap’s self-parody thrown in for good measure.

It’s not quite perfect; singer Justin Hawkins overdoes the falsetto vocals just a bit, and the guitar solos could be a a little bit widdlier, after all, cock-rock is supposed to have ejeculatory guitar solos! Still, at just 38 minutes, the album doesn’t doesn’t overstay it’s welcome, and certainly isn’t burdened with filler.

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68 Responses to The Darkness – Permission to Land

  1. boo says:

    the darkness do suck!! complete WANKERS that aint even funny and the guy who sings sounds like someone having their balls cut with a razor

  2. boo says:

    the darkness do suck!! complete WANKERS that aint even funny and the guy who sings sounds like someone having their balls cut with a razor

  3. doom says:

    The darkness Sucks!!

  4. goben says:

    This band sucks, the singer sounds like he has been kicked several times in the balls with steel toe cap boots

  5. JZ says:

    The Darkness suck the sweat off a dead dogs balls. I saw them live and they were laughably awful.

  6. cool guy says:

    Hey, All you fuckers posting shit are nothing but no talent ass muppets critising a good band. just because you suck total balls and can’t play anything doesnt mean you can rip on a good band who’s out in the real world, playing sold out concerts for millions of fans and making good music. I’d like to any of you guys do a better job. but you can’t…. so fuck all of you!!

  7. razor says:

    Hey, I agree with cool guy. The Drakness is actually a good band, Ilove all there songs!

  8. Tamsin says:

    You fuckin wankers havent got any idea what talent is if up came up and hit you in the fucking face. take your fuckin crap arsed music and shove it up your fucking pissed up areses!!

  9. kris says:

    Im in a band called Funeral for a friend, we’re getting quite big, and i can happily say that the darkness do suck, so go have a go at me.

    ever heard of the word OPINION. u talentless wankers. thankyou, appologie accepted.

  10. Cai Davies says:

    The Darkness are a queen wannaby, with out the good guitarist, singer, drummer, and bass player. You guys who are saying that we are untalented bastards, and the darkness dont suck know nothing about music. If you want to listen to a TALENTED band, listen to Led Zep, or Rage Against The Machine. Their songs MEAN something, and don’t sound like a yodeling freak getting his tiny balls chopped off. These guys are as bad as busted. FACE THE FUCKING TRUTH!!

  11. Tim Hall says:

    My my. This review does seem to have attracted rather too many comments by semi-literate poorly-socialised 12-year olds. Play nicely, children, or else I shall have to tell you all to bugger off and play someplace else.

    The Darkness are not a great band, merely a good band that had the good luck to be in the right place at the right time. It’s silly to try and compare them to Queen, Led Zeppelin or Thin Lizzy; on present form, with just one album recorded, they’re not even in the same league. That’s not to say they won’t achieve greater things in the future, given a good producer and a good manager; they’ve already demonstrated their ability to write hits, and I think it’s too early to write them off as one hit wonders. Their second album will indicate whether they’re likely to mature into a major act or not.

  12. manabowl says:

    Hey if you want to have some fun go to http://www.thedarknessrock.com/ and flame them. The fans there are freakin rabid. Its great. What a bunch of losers. The Darkness has got to be the worst band ever.

  13. Stephanie says:

    ok this band does not suck! u do!!!

  14. OLDGLORY says:

    I agree. The Darkness is f-ing terrible. Somebody should tell them that music evolved out of the 1980s for a reason.

  15. Pac Daddy says:

    Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thurday… Dancing on a Friday night!

  16. psychocandy says:

    The Darkness is way too pretentious for my liking,they’re so obviously jumping the “neo-garage rock” bandwagon it’s not the least bit amusing.
    Try Outrageous Cherry for a lesson in psychedelic garage genius!

  17. K&C kickass says:

    we personally think that the darkness sound like they have pierced through thier balls with a pencil, a really really sharp one! bt why r u callen em wankers nd fukers wot ave they done 2 u?

  18. Rawk-Star says:

    From a singer/songwriter’s point of view, The Darkness is a very tallented band. They are bringing back an era in music that has been all but forgotten. As far as the lead singer’s voice, it unique, I like it.

  19. WTF says:

    1) BS your in FFAF, 2) YOU ALL SUCK
    3) HOW CAN YOU SAY THE DARKNESS SUCK, THEY RIGHT PLAY THERE OWN MUSIC… UNLIKE ITHER BANDS… AN AS IF YOU COULD STAND ON A STAGE IN FRONT OG 1000′S OF PEPLE AND ON TV, AND HIT EVERY HIGH NOTE AND PLAY THE GUITAR

  20. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    Oh dear. This truly diminishes precipitously my trust in the contemporary youth. I have seen this most glorious band twice so far, I’ve met them and they are great.

    Finally, a band who dare stand up an display they’ve got bollocks in this world of fashion (yuk) and Beyonce and Justin Timberlake (triple yuk) Besides, they play more than nice tunes, their songs are suitable for rockers such as me but also have enormous hit potential. Last time I saw that was years and years ago. Nirvana did slightly have qualities, but the last band with likewise appearance must’ve been Queen.

    I think you should regard their music with a little more respect. They deserve it. And dopn’t you come up on my fave mbs just to tell them what “idiotic buggers” they are, for I have severla idiosyncracies, and I will not be able to control them any longer when others are rabbitting on about good initiatives, hating them for no particular reason. I acnnot tell you to like them, but I can tell you to show a little respect, you pathetic bunch of ten-year-old buggers!!

  21. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    Pardon my french.

  22. Miguel says:

    Very constructive criticism.

    F*ck this, f*cking shit, wankers . . . yep, that’s hit the nail on the head, and I’m sure after these comments, the Darkness will see them and give up . . . you fools! Get a life and grow up!

    And yes, they are one of me favourite bands, and no, I’mnot jumping on the band-wagon either. Savvy?

  23. Miguel says:

    Sorry for posting four times . . . must have been the site playing up with soooooo much negativity and angst :-)

    I’ve deleted three of them – Tim

  24. Mrs X says:

    Y’know what, while everyone is entitled to their opinion what this really boils down to is that there is finally a decent rock band, who don’t have to kiss their own arses to get anywhere and you tossers can’t stand it!

    This band write their own music, play their own music, produce their own music, isn’t that what the industry is all about? Oh no i forgot the industry is really about who’s got the biggest ego, silly me. Problem here is that The Darkness don’t have an ego, they just play hard and rock hard, thats how its meant to be.

    They are not a Queen, Led Zep or otherwise wannabe band. If they were they’d be doing Queen and Led Zep songs only, which they don’t. They were influenced by these people yes, but so are a million other bands.

    And just because your in a band doesn’t mean your opinions right. If your in a band thats getting ‘pretty big’ you’ve got a long way to go to catch The Darkness, truth is you probably never will. So I’d get over that little fact now if I was you.

    THE DARKNESS ROCK! *Sticks up two fingers*

  25. Luzia says:

    Ow, how sad! you’re all trying to show off by giving the coolest criticism…It’s sooo easy to say something evil about other people when nobody knows you, isn’t it!?! and now you think you’re soo cool…i’ll tell you something: You’re NOT!!! I f*cking love that band!!! you’re all just scared of new things…you don’t have the nerves to like them…soo afraid that others think you’re wrong and disagree with you…Pathetic.

  26. Sam says:

    It seems to me that all of you who are slagging off The Darkness protest just a little too much against them.

    Oh and get over it, they rock!

  27. lucy says:

    i dont care if you hate them, i still like them and just you calling them f*cking wankers wont make me or anyone else change their minds. get over it

  28. agent smith says:

    i hate youyou are wankers the drakness is good. Or, in proper English: You are pathetic and the Darkness rock, you bunch of buggers.

  29. Bean says:

    The best thing about the Darkness (apart from the bloody good music) is the fact that they don’t take themselves too seriously… which is maybe something all you nay-sayers should consider.
    Rock music is meant to be fun… it’s not a matter of life & death…
    Just lighten up for God’s sake!
    ps Oh & the Darkness R*O*C*K by the way!!!!

  30. GreenFairy says:

    Oh dear it seems the little 10 year olds have come out in force again
    F**k this S**t that just because ou have just learnt these words my little badgers doesnt mean you can you them as much as you can on the internet cos mommy wont let you
    can you say “i dont like the darkness, There music is not good and the lead singer annoys me” see the same point has been put across and you can run back to listen to your linken park and slipknot in your rooms,
    Beside i like the darkness they are brilliant live and im glad finally a band are making a move out of grunge back into making people feel good and have a laugh and if you dont like that idea… Then its your promblem :o )

  31. GreenFairy says:

    Oh dear it seems the little 10 year olds have come out in force again
    F**k this S**t that just because ou have just learnt these words my little badgers doesnt mean you can you them as much as you can on the internet cos mommy wont let you
    can you say “i dont like the darkness, There music is not good and the lead singer annoys me” see the same point has been put across and you can run back to listen to your linken park and slipknot in your rooms,
    Beside i like the darkness they are brilliant live and im glad finally a band are making a move out of grunge back into making people feel good and have a laugh and if you dont like that idea… Then its your promblem :o )

  32. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    I think ten-year-olds like yourselves should be banned from internet, or at least should be given a thorough education in English, so you can express your opinion in a suitable and more sufficient way!

    I agree with all my merry co-darkness-fans!

  33. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    I think ten-year-olds like yourselves should be banned from internet, or at least should be given a thorough education in English, so you can express your opinion in a suitable and more sufficient way!

    I agree with all my merry co-darkness-fans!

  34. dani says:

    They suck.

    That is all.

  35. LN says:

    The Darkness are great, without seeming to reiterate other positive being’s comments – they sing live, play live, love what they do and have (come hell or high water) worked their asses of to get where they are.

    Credit to them, they rock.

  36. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    I do have the idea that many of the posters just use this discussion as an outlet for their every negative feeling.
    In my opinion you should either shut up or you should at least provide arguments, to show why you endorse a certain opinion about the Darkness or any other subject/topic.
    Please, let go of the whole thing, stop reacting in such a childish way, don’t make me have the impression of being surrounded by a bunch of shallow gits…
    Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but please, don’t express it in a way that may offend others, i.e. the band themselves (of whom I doubt they’d feel offended) or the fans, such as myself.

  37. MerryMedievalMinstrel says:

    I do have the idea that many of the posters just use this discussion as an outlet for their every negative feeling.
    In my opinion you should either shut up or you should at least provide arguments, to show why you endorse a certain opinion about the Darkness or any other subject/topic.
    Please, let go of the whole thing, stop reacting in such a childish way, don’t make me have the impression of being surrounded by a bunch of shallow gits…
    Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but please, don’t express it in a way that may offend others, i.e. the band themselves (of whom I doubt they’d feel offended) or the fans, such as myself.

  38. semiautoarchangle says:

    first off all of you guys are fags talking about asses and ball. my guy says that the video with the squid is the shit so i suppose it is. stop being such bitches and running your teenage cock holsters like you are going to do something, it makes me sick.

  39. semiautoarchangle says:

    first off all of you guys are fags talking about asses and ball. my guy says that the video with the squid is the shit so i suppose it is. stop being such bitches and running your teenage cock holsters like you are going to do something, it makes me sick.

  40. BettyTheFiddlestick says:

    great insults im sure the darkness r shitting themselves at you idiots, im 15 and your more immature than me!!!

  41. Marc Allain says:

    In all my 32 years, I have never been as agitated about a band as I am with The Darkness. They suck so bad it hurts just thinking about it. The fact that they write and play their own music means nothing when it sucks. If I ever snap and start beating the crap out of the person next to me for no apparent reason, it will be because someone is playing that stupid f___ing band! When the hell are people going to wake up and realize that these monkey-humping ass-clowns suck so the radio stations will stop playing their horrific excuse for music? Glam Rock sucked in the eighties, and it only sucks more now, so stop polluting the planet with your crap inspired noise you good for nothing piece of shit band!

    Down with The Darkness! … F___ and die you F___ing Wankers!

  42. bob a tron says:

    The darkness are a poor excuse for a band, Id rather see janice out of corination street play love then the darkness. Its true the darkness are good vocaly, but thats where it stops, poor lyrics, poor riffs, bad attritudes, poor live performances and a god awful christmas song are some of the reasons the darkness should be destroyed. There are many REAL rock bands who deserve the attention everybody is giving to the darkness.

  43. Muff says:

    4 Words……The Darkness Kick Ass

  44. laura says:

    THE DARKNESS R A LOAD OD SHIT
    INFACT THEY R ABOUT AS GOOD AS SHIT
    THERE U GO HAWKINS
    A COMPLIMENT 4 URE CRAPPY BAND
    IM THE ONLY 1 IN MY FAMILY THAT H8S THEM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH
    I AGREE ABOUT EVERY THING U LOT R SAYIN ABOUT THEM
    THEY SHOULD B CALLED THE SHITNESS

  45. laura says:

    THE DARKNESS R A LOAD OD SHIT
    INFACT THEY R ABOUT AS GOOD AS SHIT
    THERE U GO HAWKINS
    A COMPLIMENT 4 URE CRAPPY BAND
    IM THE ONLY 1 IN MY FAMILY THAT H8S THEM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH
    I AGREE ABOUT EVERY THING U LOT R SAYIN ABOUT THEM
    THEY SHOULD B CALLED THE SHITNESS

  46. bob says:

    darkness are crap
    i h8 them so much i could kill them
    the singer sounds like hes been kiked in the balls so much he sounds lke a girl
    WOTS UP WITH THE CAT SUITS
    WE ARE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
    NOT THE 80S DEAR DEAR IDIOTS
    i think sum1 ort 2 slap em silly

  47. ToneZ666 says:

    OK steady on lets not get carried away.

    I mean the darkness are crap, admitted.
    And far too much up their own arses to realise that in a few years, they wont be around. (Unlike, say Aerosmith who declined to play alongside them. Who can guess why :)
    But why worry? Thats the progression of the so called “music” industry and it has always been so. Just get on with listening to whatever you like and let the kiddies carry on buying this junk. I like a wide range of artists but have to admit this lot arent in my shopping list.

    If you want to do us all a favour and get all homicidal over anyone, go and wipe out those musik “enrepreuneur” dicks on the juries of popstars etc (I forget their names the maggots are so insignificant to me, u know the fat fkka). U know the dick who launched Kylie Monologue’s career. Theyre the ones at the top of the musical food chain that feed us a diet of crap in the first place.
    Really though, don’t :) I am just jesting, honest!

    Ciao
    Tone

  48. Shamrock says:

    First off, what “band” doesn’t write and play thier own music now days? By band I don’t mean 5 guys dancing around and singing on stage. Besides Nirvana we haven’t seen a real rock band in along time since U2. And now I am hearing The Darkness being called the savior of rock. That is crap!!! They suck as far as I am concerned, there music does nothing for anyone. Honestly I can say that everyone I work with and hangout with, nobody owns or listens to this crap!!! Hey, and wasn’t it cool when the Hawkins guy called Coldplay boring? And Coldplay happens to be the biggest band out of Britain in awhile to make it in America. Funny!!

  49. Shamrock says:

    First off, what “band” doesn’t write and play thier own music now days? By band I don’t mean 5 guys dancing around and singing on stage. Besides Nirvana we haven’t seen a real rock band in along time since U2. And now I am hearing The Darkness being called the savior of rock. That is crap!!! They suck as far as I am concerned, there music does nothing for anyone. Honestly I can say that everyone I work with and hangout with, nobody owns or listens to this crap!!! Hey, and wasn’t it cool when the Hawkins guy called Coldplay boring? And Coldplay happens to be the biggest band out of Britain in awhile to make it in America. Funny! Hey where are you sitting on the billboard charts, loser?

  50. Fitzee says:

    Atlantic Records mis-caculated hyping a boring , below average dated rock band that has no songs and lacks any personality. If this is what Atlantic Records is pushing out there as good rock n roll, we are all in trouble. The major labels are failing miserably, and the really great undiscovered bands will never get their chance in the current atmosphere of corporate HYPE, they have succeeded in KILLING ART in the music industry. Now what?