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THE REVIEW
"The year is 2005, and the absence of significant rock-based music of exceptional quality has resulted in the unthinkable: Hell is frozen over..."
...but fortunately, The Darkness arrived to reignite the flame of rock: the slightly tacky rock but damn fun, the rock with all guitars, glitter, and falsettos, the rock of AC/DC mixed with 70s influences, Elton John, and especially Queen. This is what the band led by the legendary Justin Timb... oooops, sorry, Justin Hawkins offers us in their second album: an album that, lacking the overwhelming hard rock impulse of the previous "Permission To Land", veers towards more melodic and colorful sounds thanks to the use of orchestral arrangements where the hand of Roy Thomas Baker, the legendary producer of Queen's best records, those from 1973 to 1978, can be felt.
The album begins with the song that introduced me to (and made me love) this extraordinary band: "One Way Ticket": a formidable and overwhelming ride, classic yet simultaneously different and unconventional: the pinnacle of the more rock side of the album, which also boasts gems like the passionate and dark "Bald", excellently inheriting the heavy legacy of "Love On The Rocks With No Ice" and the catchy "Knockers" and "Dinner Lady Arms", allowing Justin to showcase his lethal falsetto, while "Is It Just Me?" picks up the sounds of the debut album, but ends up a bit lackluster and deflated. Of course, it can't lack the classic lighter-waving ballad, namely "Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time", ennobled by a beautiful arpeggio and an excellent vocal performance by Justin Hawkins. Special mention for "Girlfriend" and especially "Hazel Eyes", which ooze genius and gaudiness from every note, the former with its stunning arrangements and gospel-like choirs, the latter with its incomparable Chinese-inspired atmosphere, amusing and entertaining beyond any allowable level. Just to finish beautifully, our lads place two songs at the end of the album like "English Country Garden", a grand example of fresh, fun, and whacky pop and the orchestral ballad "Blind Man", very Queen-like with its choirs and counterpoints that seem to come straight out of Alice's Wonderland, and the one, true, and original Justin who delights us with his fairy-like voice.
Love it or hate it, "One Way Ticket To Hell..." is something epochal, a bizarre colorful picture, the ultimate antidepressant, an album that, with its short duration, never bores even by mistake, to be purchased regardless simply because albums like this are good for your health, period.
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Summary by Bot
This review celebrates The Darkness' second album, 'One Way Ticket To Hell... And Back,' for its fun, colorful approach to rock infused with orchestral arrangements and flamboyant influences from Queen and AC/DC. While it is less hard-hitting than their debut, it showcases strong melodies, standout tracks like 'One Way Ticket' and 'Hazel Eyes,' and Justin Hawkins’ distinctive falsetto. The album is praised for its originality, entertaining nature, and lasting appeal, making it a worthwhile listen for rock fans.
The Darkness
The Darkness are an English hard rock band known for flamboyant classic-rock revivalism, Justin Hawkins’ high-register vocals, and a sound often compared (in reviews) to AC/DC and Queen. Their debut “Permission to Land” (2003) broke through in the UK, followed by “One Way Ticket to Hell... And Back” with production by Roy Thomas Baker; later post-reunion albums discussed here include “Pinewood Smile” and “Easter Is Cancelled.”17 Reviews
Other reviews
By Torre Ste
The Darkness is ready to take both paths simultaneously with an album titled 'One Way Ticket To Hell… And Back' improving their sound by adding strings and removing some of the excess guitars.
The closing track 'Blind Man' with its magnificent vocals and strings is the best song on the album, hinting at a third album worthy of applause.
By Adil
"The production... has polished the 'tacky' sound of the Darkness more than necessary, thus stripping strength from songs that are formally impeccable but lack soul."
"The first single released 'One Way Ticket' is unconvincing, while the subsequent 'Knockers' and 'Is It Just Me?' are merely faded replicas of what was already heard."
By Spike Joe
The Darkness however seem to have missed the mark with their new album, truly flat, with few ideas and a decidedly more "soft" sound.
It takes willpower and one must keep in check the thirst for money to escape this vicious circle.
By Filippo Guzzardi
If rock’n’roll is musically dead, it is not in spirit, in its evocative power: and it never will be!
The Darkness do not obscure their sources; instead, they blatantly display them: early AC/DC and Queen above all.
