The Darkness fans, brace yourselves, because you’re in for quite a ride. Having been consistent since their return with Hot Cakes in 2012, with a new album every two years or so, they took a little longer this time around, but finally Dreams On Toast will be released on March 28th.
Much like every other album they put out, absolutely everything counts, even the visual elements. On the cover and all promo photos of Dreams On Toast we see the band posing as yuppies, with silky suits and the giant mobile phones that were common in the mid to late 80’s. The album kicks off in high gear, with “Rock and Roll Party Cowboy”, with thunderous drums and an addictive bassline. The song is cut from the same ilk of “Solid Gold”, from 2017’s “Pinewood Smile”. The lyrics here are both homage and satire of the hard rock culture, with nods to leather jackets, ripped jeans, and other clichés of the genre. The combination of the screaming whammy bar and Justin’s high shrieks is pure heaven, and this one will go down a storm in the upcoming tour. At this point, they have a gazillion songs to choose from, but this one has the potential to stand the test of time and become a staple of their setlists in the future.
Track number two is called “I Hate Myself”, but you’d be wrong to assume they’re channeling the woes of Joy Division or Depeche Mode. This is an upbeat number that talks about broken love. Think of a clash between The Stones’ “Rip This Joint” with Led Zeppelin’s “Hot Dog”, including Justin Hawkin’s soaring falsetto and a horns section. The guitar solo here is simple and effective, alluding to the early days of rock and roll – Chuck Berry and Little Richard would be proud.
“Hot On My Tail” promises to be a divisive track for old-schoolers. It kicks off with vocal harmonies that harken back to Queen’s “A Night at the Opera”, and goes into country territory. A humorous and exaggerated tale about an unfortunate digestive disaster, this one might remind some fans of the experiments that Queen did on “Seaside Rendezvous” or “Lazy on a Sunday Afternoon”, but others might find it cringe-worthy – that will depend on whether or not you’re ready to embrace this song’s in-your-face ridiculousness.
“Mortal Dread” gets things back to more familiar territory, with a riff that would fit in like a glove on AC/DC’s Powerage. It sees Justin perhaps coming to terms with turning 50 recently, discussing the inevitability of death with a mix of dark humor and poetic melancholy. Bassist Frankie Poullain and drummer Rufus Taylor provide the perfect base here, from which singer-turned-YouTuber Justin and his brother Dan fly off. The cherry on the cake of this one is a heavy breakdown that gives way to a joyful piano and yet another blistering guitar part.
“Don’t Need Sunshine” brings back the Queen-esque vocal harmonies, and discusses themes of self-sufficiency and minimalism in a mid-tempo setting. Not a bad song, but it sounds like a watered-down version of the band’s sound. If this was recorded on the Permission To Land days, it would have come out in a completely different arrangement, perhaps with a little bit more power. But things get more interesting on “The Longest Kiss”, where Queen and The Beatles fuse and become one of the happiest songs they ever released, betting on the absurdity of love.
In stark contrast with its preceding track, “The Battle for Gadget Land” brings punk riffs and discusses the addiction to apps and mobile phones. “Cold Hearted Woman” on the other hand, is pure 60’s country, and will also raise a few eyebrows. But hey…if The Rolling Stones got away with “Far Away Eyes”, so can Justin and his mates!
The current state of the music business and what it means to release music in 2025 are discussed in the heavenly “Walking Through Fire”, where the band breaks the fourth wall on verses like “We never stopped making hit album…it’s just that no-one buys them anymore”. Reflecting on this one, Justin says “The life of an artist is a grueling endeavor, leavened with rare moments of shining success. We wade through sweet treacle every day, to make things for others to love. For we chosen few, this is akin to climbing a mountain for the glorious view, whilst studiously avoiding looking at the discarded condom that has attached itself to our stylish yet practical hiking footwear. To rephrase in less oblique tones, nothing worthwhile is ever easy, and that is why we, The Darkness, are WALKING THROUGH FIRE… thinking of you.”
Dreams On Toast ends as weirdly as its title suggests, with the curveball of “Weekend in Rome”. A love letter to the Italian city, this humorous number includes mentions of the Spanish steps, orchestrations, Justin doing his best impression of Pavarotti, and a monologue from actor Stephen Dorff. Produced by Dan Hawkins, Dreams On Toast flawlessly captures The Darkness looking for new avenues to explore their sound, celebrating their influences, and adapting to a new age. If this was indeed a sandwich, one could definitely call it “the works” or “fully dressed”, depending on what part of the world you live in.
Release Date: March 28th, 2025 Record Label: Cooking Vinyl / Canary Dwarf Genre: Hard Rock
Dreams On Toast is a bold, eclectic album that blends The Darkness's signature hard rock sound with unexpected influences, from country and punk to operatic flourishes, with tracks that showcase their classic rock energy, while others push into humorous, theatrical territory. With strong production from Dan Hawkins, the album balances nostalgia with experimentation, proving that The Darkness still has plenty of surprises up its sleeve
