The Darkness, they do return! Lowestoft's favourite sons have their fourth album, Last Of Our Kind, on the way on June 1 via Kobalt Label Services. The band relocated to Ireland to write the LP, which marks their first record with new drummer Emily Dolan Davies, following original drummer Ed Graham's departure ("in mysterious circumstances", notes the press release). From the sounds of it, the band have retained their signature chutzpah when it comes to self-aggrandising: in joining, Davies "has shown herself to be equal to the ultimate music challenge" we hear.

To mark the news, the band have unveiled the animated video for lead single 'Barbarian', a typically hefty piece of riffmongery that concerns itself with "remorseless Norsemen". Says frontman Justin Hawkins of the song: "[It features] not one but two dramatic monologues, a guitar solo that has been declared 'irresponsible', a riff that weakens lady-knees and a chorus that makes grown men shit directly into their pants. The lyrics describe the Viking invasion of East Anglia which culminated in the decapitation of Edmund the Martyr. So yeah, classic Darkness." Take a look below and head to their website for full details of their tour of Ireland next month.