HIM - Dark Light review
| Band: | HIM |
| Album: | Dark Light |
| Style: | Suomi metal |
| Release date: | September 26, 2005 |
| A review by: | KwonVerge |
01. Vampire Heart
02. Rip Out The Wings Of A Butterfly
03. Behind The Crimson Door
04. Killing Loneliness
05. Dark Light
06. Drunk On Shadows
07. Under The Rose
08. Play Dead
09. Face Of God
10. Night Side Of Eden
11. Venus (In Our Blood) [Limited Internet Edition bonus]
12. The Cage [Limited Internet Edition bonus]
13. Poison Heart [Ramones cover] [Japanese bonus]
HIM, for all those that were accusing them as a flare that would soon fade, are back during 2005 with a brand new album, "Dark Light", and, believe me, they keep on remaining wonderful in what they are doing, offering inspired and emotional rock music, keeping the interest of their fans alive, but also enchanting more and more people with their music.
Once again, Ville Valo and his Heartagram companions, with their new compositions, remain HIM, but at the same time taking the sound of the band a few steps further, sounding more mature than ever. The production is very good, done by Tim Palmer, known for his co-operation with renowned bands like The Mission etc and he seems to have succeeded in balancing the sound of every single instrument in the overall outcome, achieving a more fragile and sensational sound for the Finnish rock stars. The only? hmm? "fault" that I find in the production is the fact that, sometimes, the guitars are not that much in the foreground and they remain "buried" a bit in the production.
The compositions consisting of "Dark Light" are filled with intense emotions and HIM have matured a lot while referring to the song structure, experimenting with "different" sounds a bit more and taking their sound a few steps further. The guitar riffing and the guitar chords are well-played and inspired, heavier at times, more emotional at others, and they are placed right there where they have to be. The solos are not as many as in their previous release(s), but they are very interesting when they adorn with their beauty the compositions. A gothic rock touch can be noticeable at times in the guitar work, don't expect too much, but slight references are present. The rhythm section doesn't have to be extraordinary; it just keeps the tempo flowing in the most appropriate way, without doing too much for nothing.
But there where I must insist the most, I think, are the vocals and the keyboards. Ville seems to be closer to interpreting perfection than ever before, sounding utterly emotional, fragile and rocking all the way when he has to in an unerring way, showing how mature his voice has become. His lyrics have become more expressive and they are written in a poetic vein, but unfolding their messages almost straight forward, but keeping their little secrets. And let's move to the keyboard melodies. This time the keyboards play an important role in the compositions of HIM, their melodies might seem simple, but if you listen carefully you'll find that they are affected and their sound approaches a more fragile neo-romantic or more psychedelic sound. Also, the FX that echo at times make the atmosphere more intense.
Personal favorites from "Dark Light", and highlights if I may say, are the lyrical piece and ideal opening for the album "Vampire Heart", the groovy and rolling "Rip Out The Wings Of The Butterfly", the neo-romantic, emotional and, in a way, upbeat composition "Under The Rose", the emotional and touching "Killing Loneliness With You", the tragic and romantic "Play Dead" and the poetically beauteous "Face Of God".
"Dark Light" is a must-have album for all the HIM adorers.
 | Written on 24.11.2005 by "It is myself I have never met, whose face is pasted on the underside of my mind." |
Comments
Comments: 23
Visited by: 140 users
| AnGina-- Dark Phoenix Posts: 3555  |
I can't believe this album got 6.6 rating by listeners. That album has shown that HIM aren't dead by far and deserves a fair and square 8 (same as DerRozzangerten gave, btw I loved this review). It's a really well structured album, profound and to me it was a really nice and big surprise after Love Metal.
---- You think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it. Molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was a man. But it was nothing to me but blinding.
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| Bitch Boy Posts: 1353  |
Excellent review. It is very true that Ville improved a lot in his vocals, he did a great job, he sounds really emotional. My favorite song is "Vampire Heart", darker in every way. I also like "Rip out the wings of a butterfly", very catchy but with cool lyrics. About the rating, I think that it fairly deserves something between the 8.3 you gave it, and the 6.6 the rest of the guys voted.
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698  |
Written by AnGina-- on 30.12.2006 at 19:56 It has 6.6 because there are so many "true" fuckers that give HIM albums extremely low ratings... I hate them all! Rate abusers FUCK OFF and DIE!!!! 
---- Bitch! Please
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| Murder Posts: 255  |
well... the only thing I have to say is... the worst album in the history of HIM they're my fav band... but this album don't have the style that HIM owns....
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698 |
Written by Murder on 20.09.2007 at 17:43 Yeah, they've turned more into commercial modern rock indeed. I some times miss their old good stuff.
---- Bitch! Please
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| Murder Posts: 255 |
Written by iaberis on 20.09.2007 at 20:34 Yeah... the old stuff is the best !!!! I love GLS vol. 666, this album is closer to metal... I miss this 
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| 4look4rd The Sasquatch Posts: 842  |
This was the first (and only) him album that I got, honestly I thought it was a cheap piece of generic goth rock.
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| cruel pain carpathian flame Posts: 29 |
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| Megadeth_Matt Posts: 28 |
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| Murder Posts: 255 |
Written by Megadeth_Matt on 10.02.2008 at 23:42 haha... the same fucking stupid thing ¬¬ Fuck off !
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| Megadeth_Matt Posts: 28 |
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| ß Problem? Posts: 916  |
Written by Megadeth_Matt on 10.02.2008 at 23:42 If you don't like HIM than why bother posting here?
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| Murder Posts: 255 |
Written by Megadeth_Matt on 29.05.2008 at 01:50 ok do it... I don't give a shit whatever you do at least... it's annoying try to talk with people like you...
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| Megadeth_Matt Posts: 28 |
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| ß Problem? Posts: 916 |
Thats why you listen to albums before buying them. Stop complaining lifes unfair deal with it.
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Written by 4look4rd on 26.10.2007 at 14:52 Hmph.I completely agree with you.Why do people like HIM?Jessus,this music is soooo gay.If you ask me,a band like HIM shoudn't even be on this site. I mean,for God's sake HEARTOGRAM!!!!HIM,all of you assholes DIE,and let the wings of a frekin' butterfly carry your souls AS FAR AWAY FROM HERE AS POSSIBLE!
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by iaberis on 16.05.2007 at 02:05 You're right,this album doesn't deserve 6.6.It deserves a COMPLETE FUCKING ZERO!
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| 4look4rd The Sasquatch Posts: 842 |
Written by Slayer666 on 19.12.2008 at 16:31 Well one of the most respected Power Metal albums of all times got a 2 rating (http://metalstorm.ee/bands/album.php?album_id=299&band_id=53&bandname=Blind+Guardian) So I think ratings are very personal and shouldnt be rediculously low or high. That BG review infuriates me because that album has really strong points. Anyways, a 6 for HIM sounds pretty fair.... Its just generic, simplistic, and dull.... in other words nothing more than average radio crap.
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698 |
Written by Slayer666 on 19.12.2008 at 16:31 go listen to slayer dude
---- Bitch! Please
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by iaberis on 23.12.2008 at 01:19 No,actualy,the only Slayer song I like is Reing In Blood.My nickname isn't because of them,it's because I think it's cool (falsley,I suppose).
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9723  |
Written by Slayer666 on 19.12.2008 at 16:29 ALL METAL MUST BE BLAKK LIKE MY SOUL! GARRRRR! EMOTIONS ARE GAY! SOMEHOW THE WORD "GAY" MAKES SENSE AS AN INSULT! I'm not a HIM fan nor am I defending their music, but that was possibly one of the most unintelligent immature posts I have ever read on this site, and thats even comparing to the one I used as my signature. It also doesn't help that your grammar is comparable to that of a 6 year old. @Iaberis: Your 100% right, but I guess it doesn't take a genius to predict unnecessary diarrhoea of the mouth like the post above. EDIT: But now that I see it, HIM albums make the perfect trap for vote abusers.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Quote:Quote: No all Metal must not be "BLAKK" like my soul,but HIM isn't metal.Deal with it.If this the most immature post that you've read,well,you didn't read a lot of them.And,yes,GAY is an insult.In fact,the gravest insult I know of.And I bestow it upon you. Maybe you didn't catch my point yet?HIM is not metal,and it's gay.How about now? Besides,my hatred towards these loosers aside,this album really isn't worth crap.The only decent song is Rip Out The Wings of a Buterfly.I'm not saying I like it,I'm saying it's decent.The rest.....
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| Valentin B Iconoclast Posts: 10096  |
I loved the song "Wings of a Butterfly", I don't like HIM's lyrics as they are quite cheesy at points, but the main riff of that song is creative and for me unexpected from a mainstream rock band.
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