The Darkness singer in rehab

Justin Hawkins

NEW YORK - UK glam rock act the Darkness has denied rumours it has been dropped by its label.

However the group has revealed that frontman Justin Hawkins entered a rehab facility last week to address unspecified substance abuse issues.

"We would however like to make it clear that this emphatically does not signal the end for The Darkness nor are their label Atlantic Records considering 'dropping' them," said the band on their website.

"On the contrary, they have taken up their option with the band and are looking forward to releasing the Darkness' third album in early 2007."

The group will hit the studio as soon as Hawkins is ready, according to its site.

The new album will be the follow-up to last year's "One Way Ticket to Hell ... and Back," which fizzled at No. 58 on The Billboard 200 and has sold just 91,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

In contrast, the Darkness' 2004 debut, "Permission To Land," has shifted just shy of 700,000 copies to date.

- REUTERS/Billboard