Welcome to The Darkness succeeds as an intimate and entertaining rock and rock resurrection story that delves into the personal and professional consequences of living life on the edge.

If Monty Python created a cock-rock band, it would look something like The Darkness. A band of almost comical flamboyance and strong entertainment value, it is the ability of these rockers from Lowestoft, England, to blend humour with shredding guitar solos that separates them from the pack.

That sense of humour comes in handy for The Darkness during the opening scenes of Welcome to The Darkness, as the once platinum-selling rockers play to a small group of punters during the initial stages of a comeback tour. As shown throughout the Simon Emmett documentary, though, The Darkness are indeed lucky to have a comeback at all.

It all comes down to the sex and drugs amongst the rock and roll, with lead singer and chief songwriter Justin Hawkins especially falling prey to the excesses of the rockstar lifestyle. During very transparent interviews, Justin speaks of how his addictions derailed his professional and personal life. This includes an estrangement from his brother and Darkness bandmate, Dan Hawkins.

Justin further explains how to overcome his addictions he had to “sacrifice The Darkness to save his life”. Dan’s perspective is also shared, with the less flamboyant older brother lamenting the consequences of such a sacrifice, including not speaking to Justin for two years. It is clear this reunion is one of two fronts: one of a band; the other of a family.

Emmett captures it all with fly-on-the-wall intimacy. Where other rock documentaries over-compensate with animation sequences and the like, Emmett has no need for such flourishes with a band as entertaining and surprisingly complex as The Darkness. Fans of the band will love the intimacy on display, while their detractors will see there is much soul behind the cock-rock shenanigans.

When those rock-infused end credits roll, you will believe in a band called The Darkness.