Velvet Darkness is the first studio album by guitarist Allan Holdsworth, released in 1976 through producer Creed Taylor's CTI Records.

According to Holdsworth, this was done during a rehearsal session, after which the tapes were released by CTI without his or the other band members' consent.

[2][3] John W. Patterson of AllMusic gave Velvet Darkness only 1.5 stars out of five, describing it as "an interesting snapshot of young stellar musicians doing their thing in a laid-back but energetic fusion-funk-rock groove", but more for completists and collectors.

[2] In his review of Holdsworth's 1982 album I.O.U., he also labelled Velvet Darkness as a "train-wreck disaster" and "infamous".

[4] Velvet Darkness was reissued on CD in 1990 through the Epic Associated division of CBS/Columbia Records as part of their "Contemporary Jazz Masters" series.