Permission To Land
by The Darkness
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Sep 16, 2003
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 19
  3. Negative: 1 out of 19
  1. CultureDose.net
    100
    There's no way you won't be listening to this CD on repeat for anything less than two weeks straight.
  2. Playlouder
    100
    It is that love, devotion, and unfaltering belief that makes 'Permission To Land' such an essential listen, and such a joy to behold. It is the sound of triumph.
  3. Dot Music
    90
    This is rock with a big fat drunken grin scrawled over its face in lurid red lipstick.
  5. Pitchfork
    84
    What they do well might be best exemplified by "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", which most effectively pairs their sense of theatricality and grandiosity with their penchant for great pop hooks.
  6. Blender
    80
    The Darkness play old-fashioned metal with such elan that at times they ascend to pop music's Olympian heights. [Nov 2003, p.110]
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  7. The Guardian
    80
    At a compact 38 minutes, Permission to Land is over before it gets irritating, leaving you with an impression of overwrought headache-rock fronted by a gale-force falsetto.
  8. Mojo
    80
    The Darkness swoop dangerously close to parody, but pull off the dizzying, sublime soprano hi-jinks of I Believe In A Thing Called Love, the deft pop-rock of Friday Night and Love On The Rocks WIth Ice's overbearing machismo with the grace of seasoned circus acrobats. [Aug 2003, p.98]
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  9. Uncut
    80
    The Darkness are genuinely in thrall to the power of stadium rock in all its bombastic, unreconstructed glory. [Sep 2003, p.97]
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  10. PopMatters
    80
    When The Darkness make it work, which is very often, they pull it off with the most exuberance and joy that we've heard from a hard rock band in a very long time.
  11. AllMusic
    80
    Even though Permission to Land isn't quite as metal as its singles suggested it might be, the album is surprisingly good, especially considering how bad the band's '80s metal revival could have been.
  12. Launch.com
    80
    Permission To Land is actually good enough to motivate more than a few curious, intrepid listeners to give their dusty old Dokken albums another spin.
  13. Austin Chronicle
    78
    Campy? To be sure. Derivative? Absolutely. But cock-rock of this sheer magnitude and pomposity has been dormant at least since "Smells Like Teen Spirit" washed away "November Rain," so who really cares?
  14. ShakingThrough.net
    74
    It’s just that combination of sincerity and an ability to emulate the sound of its heroes (and, in most cases, do so with more proficiency than those heroes themselves) that makes Permission to Land a fun, diverting trip through the (admittedly guilty) pleasures of a wildly excessive decade.
  15. Q Magazine
    70
    They might have a shelf life shorter than a pint of milk but, with a good tune underpinning each over-egged slice of rock pudding, are all the more thrilling for it. [Aug 2003, p.104]
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  16. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    Just because it’s essentially heavy-metal karaoke, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t enjoy it.
  17. No Ripcord
    70
    In all fairness, The Darkness aren’t just peddling 2003 versions of Unskinny Bop and Cherry Pie. They pride themselves on mixing in a bit of T&A humour with the right levels of lyrical wit, all to a foot stompin’, fist pumpin’ rock vibe, a la AC/DC.
  18. Rolling Stone
    70
    Permission to Land is the first retro-metal album that's worth more than a momentary chuckle.
  19. The A.V. Club
    70
    It's that subtle streak of accomplished mischief that separates The Darkness from the multitude of marginal bar bands that still play this stuff for real.
  20. Stylus Magazine
    10
    This is a dismal failure.

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Most Discussed Album of 2003
70
#70 Most Shared Album of 2003

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 80 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 68 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 80
  3. Negative: 8 out of 80
  1. drlowdon
    Feb 6, 2014
    8
    Genre: Rock
    With the over the top 70's style it is easy to misjudge The Darkness as a bit of a joke but they back up their excess by belting    Genre: Rock
    With the over the top 70's style it is easy to misjudge The Darkness as a bit of a joke but they back up their excess by belting out some cracking old school rock tunes.    … Full Review »
  2. Cubbykovu
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    permission to land is bombastic loud rock album of legendary status the songs are loud catchy and sing alongy . the guitar laying is brilliantpermission to land is bombastic loud rock album of legendary status the songs are loud catchy and sing alongy . the guitar laying is brilliant the drums bash and it is quite simply and album made to make you feel good and sing along too there should be more albums like this. It is also a fit of a larf with some impressively rediculous vocals that soar. Super album Super band… Full Review »
  3. Alfie18
    Feb 5, 2023
    9
    Fantastic Album. I Believe In A Thing Called Love is one of the best songs of all time. Friday Night, Love Is Only A Feeling and Givin' Up areFantastic Album. I Believe In A Thing Called Love is one of the best songs of all time. Friday Night, Love Is Only A Feeling and Givin' Up are other notable highlights. Holding My Own is the only song on the album i have not listened to that much.… Full Review »
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