The Darkness have released a new EP, ‘Walking Through Fire’, as they prepare for the launch of their next studio album, ‘Dreams on Toast’, next month (28 March). The EP consists of four tracks– three of which fans will already be familiar with. Released over the past six months, the singles ‘The Longest Kiss’, ‘I Hate Myself’, and ‘Rock and Roll Party Cowboy’, are all included, as well as the new track from which the EP is named.
The title track, ‘Walking Through Fire’, is full of the Darkness attitude you’d expect, with the glam-rock guitar that shot them to fame in 2003, and Hawkins’ lyrics are both humorous and cutting. The track is a commentary on the band’s songwriting process, and features lines such as “We’re only doing this cause it’s fun/ Don’t even think my mum bought the last one.”
‘The Longest Kiss’ was the first track to debut, doing so in September 2024, and was accompanied by a radio edit and an acoustic demo, though no versions charted. ‘I Hate Myself’ followed in December, and ‘Rock and Roll Party Cowboy’ was released on 24 January, exactly one month before the release of this EP.
The upcoming album will be their first full-length release since 2021’s ‘Motorheart’. That release was received well, earning a 7/10 from Classic Rock Magazine, who described it as “a daft-as-a-brush cheer-up we all need right now.” The new album will feature all four tracks included on the EP, as well as four new ones.
Supporting the new album, The Darkness will be heading out on a 43-date tour around the UK and Europe. Beginning at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre on 6 March and concluding in Germany in October, the band will also be performing at two festivals. They will play Download Festival in June, and Italy’s Festival di Majano later in the summer.
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The new songs have been met with a positive response from fans, with some fans comparing ‘The Longest Kiss’ to early Queen material. On the newest track, ‘Walking through Fire’, one fan took to X, commenting, “This is my fave from the new [EP] for sure. Love the languid-loping groove and melodic riff.”
Alright! This is my fave from the new album for sure. Love the languid-loping groove and melodic riff. Cheers!
— Kevin Gamble Music (@KevGambleMusic) February 24, 2025
Next month’s album will be released under Cooking Vinyl, a label also representing acts such as Billy Bragg, The Prodigy, and The Jesus and Mary Chain, as well as various other legacy acts.
Justin Hawkins has also found fame online through his YouTube channel, Justin Hawkins Rides Again. Set up in 2021, the channel has amassed almost 600,000 subscribers, and finds the frontman commentating on various subjects from across the music landscape.
With the EP now available to stream and the band ready to embark on their tour, ‘Dreams on Toast’ is set to be one of the year’s most exciting releases.
