Disco de HIM: “Dark Light”

I will begin this review saying that I am 41 year old male. Enough said. I have always appreciated new music imported from "across the pond". It generally must be good-well written lyrics, catchy melodies, and great guitars. H.I.M. delivers the goods on this record! Who would have thought a Scandinavian troup could have take up the "Popular Scepter" and nearly dominate the scene? I am very satisfied with thier effort!

I had the chance to see them last evening at my local theatre. The crowd was a bunch of "twenty-something" post metal goths who seemed to know and love all the songs. This is the wave of the future it seems to me. I approve whole-heartedly! I felt this generation had no style or character. H.I.M clearly defines this graceful, romantic and dark style! If they keep this up, I can only see it flourish amidst "fluffy-pop trash".

Now, onto Dark Light. This album delivers all of the jewels that I come to expect from this new brand of tortured rock anthems! Comparisons will abound, of course. It is difficult to reinvent the genre. This band takes it and stylishly gives it a distictive Northern accent. There is no metal screamers here. Ville Valo's voice is melodic and filled with pain. In a musical age of violent and forgettable bands releasing unsuccessful music. H.I.M. restores a dark beauty not seen in many years.

The tracks are clean and catchy. "Vampire Heart" is kitschy, yet satisfying. "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" is a new goth love anthem that can be a throwback to the Mid 1980s Sisters of Mercy or the Mission U.K. "Behind the Crimsom Door" is my personal favorite. Heavy, dark, yet not burdensome. "Dark Light" the title track is moody and mysterious. Perhaps this record will show the bigger audience out there this band means business, and "dark" doesnt mean "evil". By all means-get a copy, go see them live.

Looks like Ville and the boys have done it again!!! "Dark Light" is just tremendous, and a grower too!! At first listen, it was like the Ramones or Sigur Ros, where they have a completely individual sound (ie gothic "love metal"), and don't change it much from album to album. BUT, the more I listened to "Dark Light", the more the songs grew on me, and the expert layering and songwriting became more apparent.

Clearly, Ville Valo and his friends know EXACTLY what they are doing, playing to their strengths here. I've been a H.I.M. fan for a coupla years now, nothing to do with Bam whatsoever...I knew about their stuff since I saw "Razorblade Romance" as an expensive import at NYC's Virgin Megastore back in 1999, and became a big fan once their catalogue came out in the US through Jimmy Pop and Universal and I got a chance to hear RR...fantastic, hunches confirmed, became an instant fan, loyal ever since, regardless of the Bam connection and the skater kids. Well, the new "Dark Light" just confirms why this is, and solidifies why I'll be a fan for life.

As for the reviewer who said H.I.M. does not stand for "His Infernal Majesty", that person is wrong. If you watch the DVD that came out a year ago, and pop on the "Interrogation Footage", Ville CLEARLY says the band started out as "His Infernal Majesty" because they were inspired by Black Sabbath who took their name from a horror movie, so they did as well...but then shortened it to H.I.M. because, being from Scandinavia, there were all these black metal bands burning churches and stuff, and they didn't want to be associated with all that activity, that they were not part of that genre of music. Plus, Ville says, H.I.M. is pronounceable in every language, be it English or Finnish, which by the way, looks like the most odd language ever invented, so it blows my mind how fantastic and poetic a lyricist Ville is, in the English language!!!!

Combine that with haunting + beautiful, yet ultramelodic tunes and AMAZING choruses that just send the listener to the moon or in a state of complete euphoria, plus rocking riffs + arrangements that never fail to impress how accomplished H.I.M. are as musicians.

The new album is no exception..."Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly" is just a KILLER first single...the chorus will repeat over and over in unsuspecting heads for months on end...in the wrong hands, it would be a repetitive mess, but in H.I.M.'s hands, it's a top, powerpoppish tune...not only cuz it's well-written, but the lyrics are poetic, hypnotic and mysterious, the arrangement is memorable, the riffs rock, and the combination of Ville's voice and Linde's haunting backing vocal mesh into total magic.

Then again, EVERY song is great here...they latch on you a bit at first, and then keep on growing like a magical plant. The artwork on the limited edition is just WOW...could it be inspired by the Lord Of The Rings...the Two Towers??? With Ville's handwritten lyrics...nice touch. The bonus track, "The Cage" is worth the extra dough...but where's that other track?????? I had no idea there was an internet tin box edition with that other song...if I don't get it, maybe it will be a B-side, like their Ramones cover of "Poison Heart"???

Now I need a ticket to their NYC Hammerstein gig...before it sells out...yikes!!!!!!

The Good

An intriguing little riff dominates "Vampire Heart" while faded chugga-chugga riffs take command of the background. Valo's vocals are tortured and eerie, but maintain a great degree of melody and fluctuation. A dark, bluesy guitar lick is the main musical focal point of "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly". How they ever made a sad sediment sound so pleasing is beyond me. Heavy muted riffs, catchy lyrical patterns, and a piercing solo make up "Under the Rose". "Dark Light" relies a lot of Valo's soothing vocal charm. Sometimes it's hard to tell is his balladry is sincere or vengeful.

A driving piano lick leads the charge on "Behind the Crimson Door". Thick guitars and thumping bass take you the rest of the way. Once again, Valo's untamable love affair is the main focus of his lyrics. If her love is going to be the death of you behind the crimson door, maybe you should try the green one. One of the darkest tracks would be "Play Dead". It's a down-tempo song that Valo injects with plenty of hurt emotions.

The Bad

The guitar tones aren't as dark and ominous as I remember them from Razorblade Romance. There are a lot less haunting keyboards too.

The Verdict

I'm ecstatic that H.I.M. are finally getting their shot in the U.S. Their music is unlike anything we have over here, and has been for years. Although, Dark Light is not as `dark' as the last album I've heard from the group, it's still a great representation of these talented (and tortured) Finnish rockers.

Dark Light,HIM's newest album dominates the rest. Ville Valo, frontman of the Finnish band, has shown us once again the band isn't losing it's touch. With haunting lyrics and a voice to go with it, Dark Light has got to be one of the best albums of '05.

HIM's music has always been really hard to categorise, and it leaves you left with the only one it is possible to put them in: LOVE METAL. And that is exactly what they are.

HIM's music is metal, there's no doubt about it, though it has absolutely gorgeous melody and there is no screaming, just the rich, smoke-infected baritone that Ville Valo is so lucky to possess. And the songs are about love of course.

I have been waiting for Dark Light to hit the shops for months on end, eager to see if they could pull off what they have been pulling off since they first came out, circa '97 - '98 with their first album "Greatest Lovesongs Vol.666". Only a dedicated fan would risk the almost arctic Scottish weather conditions that I was faced with on September 26th when I went out to get it in town.

It was worth the wait. This album is everything HIM was, and that little bit more. There is melody, there is darkness, there are Ville's ever-haunting vocals. But it is also that much more gothic than before, casting your mind back to the first album.

"Vampire Heart" just oozes this gothicness, with a suitable title.

"Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly" (the first single) disguises it's dark lyrics with an utterly fantastic tune and an amazing chorus.

"Under The Rose" was originally revealed when the band played it acoustically during a power-outage at a gig. It is obviously a lot heavier, and extremely catchy, with some warped lyrics.

"Killing Loneliness" (to be the second single) is known to be Ville's favourite on the album, and is one of the most beautiful melodies I've ever heard. It sends a shiver down your spine.

"Dark Light", the title track, sadly fails to impress as much, though it is in no way a terrible track. It just doesn't pack a punch like the others.

"Behind The Crimson Door" is another amazing track, with an infectiously dark chorus and fantastic lyrics (apparantly written by Valo in around 5 minutes!).

"Face Of God" is an interesting track, with extremely good vocals from Valo, and an amazing tune choice.

"Drunk On Shadows" is another catchy tune. The chorus is suitably exciting and makes you want to just get up and dance. In a gothic way obviously....

"Play Dead" is the big ballad on this record, a real lighters-in-the-air moment. Valo's vocals soar on this track and the tune is absolutely gorgeous.

"In The Nightside Of Eden" has some very different choral work on it, what sounds like a male choir during the chorus, with a very good job done by Valo. This is a fantastic track.

My personal favourite is akin to Ville's - "Killing Loneliness". My other favourites are "Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly" and "Behind The Crimson Door". But the album on a whole is really really thrilling, and is worth going out and buying straight away. I strongly recommend it.