The Darkness apologise to those offended by 'Easter Is Cancelled' artwork

The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins has gone on record to apologise to anyone who found themselves offended by the artwork to their latest album, Easter Is Cancelled.

Back in April, English glam-rock revivalists The Darkness revealed that they would be releasing a new record titled Easter Is Cancelled.

While some fans wondered why they would announce the record around Easter and release it in October, the band went ahead and unleashed their album earlier this month.

However, the most notable feature of the new record happened to be its album cover, which depicts the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion, with Justin Hawkins portraying Jesus as he escapes from his confines, and his bandmates representing violent Roman guards – one of which holds a decapitated head in his hands.

In a new interview with Sky News though, Hawkins has apologised for any offence the cover may have caused, namely by way of its unintentional glamorisation of knife violence, which is at an all-time high in England and Wales.

Check out the album cover in question:

Cover of The Darkness' 'Easter Is Cancelled'

“What we were trying to do was interfere with biblical iconography and the sources we studied to assemble that image was from hundreds of years ago,” Hawkins explained.

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“We didn’t recognise that it might be insensitive in the current climate. We saw it as something as escapism in talking about an imagined scenario from an alternate reality, and if we have offended anybody, all we can do is apologise.”

However, when it comes to his portrayal of Jesus on the album’s artwork, Justin Hawkins stands by his decision, claiming he sees no issue in that regard.

“I play Jesus. Yes, that’s controversial, but then again Willem Defoe has played Jesus, no one gives him a hard time. We are not denying the existence of Jesus Christ.”

In related news, The Darkness are set to return to Australia in March of 2020 for a national tour in support of their new record. Tickets to these shows are on sale now!