Him - Dark Light

  by Adrian Huggins

published: 18 / 10 / 2005

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Review

'Dark Light' is Finnish band HIM’s long awaited new album. HIM are somewhat of an international phenomenon. Although this has only really come about in the past three or four years, the band have been around for about 10 years, and so have really perfected their sound. 'Dark Light' shows this more so than any of their other albums. HIM have had many great songs on their previous albums, but rather than having a few great songs and few songs slightly veering from the relevant as their other records have done, 'Dark Light' is a really complete sounding album, without any filler. The first song 'Vampire Heart' is unmistakably HIM. With it’s catchy yet dark feel, it really sets the stage for the rest of the album. Keyboard melodies compliment guitar riffs and this is topped off with Singer Ville Valo’s distinctive soft vocals. The band have made their sound theirs with these things, but rather than feeling like your hearing the same thing again, they have a real knack of keeping the songs fresh and don't just sound like they are using the same template over and over again. 'Rip out the Wings of a Butterfly' is the first single from the album. Again there is no second guessing who this is from if you heard it on the radio. With its driving guitars and key boards and Valo’s darkly romantic sounding lyrics it highlights HIM at their very best 'Under the Rose' and 'Behind the Crimson Door' are other high points of the album, again managing to keep that HIM formula but without becoming dull. Title track 'Dark Light' is the only song I’m unsure about. It sounds just a bit too power ballad, yet it sticks in your head, and grows on you every time you hear it. 'I Play Dead' is another slower song, but again is wonderfully dark,. It leads perfectly into the final track 'In The Nightside Of Eden' which is almost black metal in tone insome places, but it finishes off the album perfectly, without being drawn out or over the top. It isn’t worth telling HIM fans to go and buy this, because they probably bought it as soon as it came out, but for those who haven’t experienced much of the group this is a great album to start with as it captures their sound and feel perfecty.

Track Listing:-

1 Vampire Heart
2 Wings of a Butterfly
3 Under the Rose
4 Killing Loneliness
5 Dark Light
6 Behind the Crimson Door
7 The Face of God
8 Drunk on Shadows
9 Play Dead
10 In the Nightside of Eden