Dark Light (HIM album)

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Dark Light
Studio album by HIM
Released 23 September 2005 (Germany)
26 September 2005 (International)
27 September 2005 (United States)
Recorded Paramour Studios, Los Angeles, USA
Genre Alternative rock (see HIM (Finnish band)#Genre)
Length 45:30
Label Sire Records
Producer Tim Palmer
HIM chronology
Greatest Love Songs Vol. 666 / Razorblade Romance / Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights
(2004)		 Dark Light
(2005)		 Uneasy Listening Vol. 1
(2006)
Alternative Cover
iTunes Cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Kerrang! 4/5 stars
TheMusicZine 3.5/5 stars [1]

Dark Light is Finnish rock band HIM's fifth full length album. This album was released on 26 September 2005 internationally and on 27 September 2005 in the USA with a limited edition pre-release of 20,000 some days before. This limited edition came in a tin case with a 24 page booklet with hand written lyrics by the band's lead singer, Ville Valo, a certificate of authenticity and a key chain laser pen that shines the Heartagram, the bands logo. It debuted in stores, however, with a glossy black plastic wrap covering the front, so in order to see the real cover one needed to purchase it. This album was originally supposed to be produced and mixed by Andy Wallace, an accomplished American producer, but vocalist Ville Valo said he made HIM sound too 'American' and they fired him, hiring Tim Palmer with whom they had worked before on Love Metal and And Love Said No. The first single released from the album was "Wings of a Butterfly," and the second single was "Killing Loneliness." The album charted at #18 in both the US and in the UK. In Germany, Dark Light reached #4.

The writing of Dark Light was inspired by a Finnish book with the same title and a collection of ancient mythologies and religions (mainly Christianity). Songs including mythological references are "Wings of a Butterfly," "Venus (In Our Blood)," "Drunk on Shadows," and "In the Nightside of Eden." "Wings of a Butterfly" is a reference to a Greek myth in which two souls destroyed something beautiful to live forever, and "Venus (In Our Blood)" has the line "Venus denies your seven towers," referring to another Greek myth portraying hell as seven towers protruding from dark waters. In the song "In the Nightside of Eden," there is a line, "we descend to the circle number four," a reference to The Divine Comedy's adaptation of hell, an adaptation that many mistake for an actual part of the Bible.

The Special Digibook Edition was released but was limited to 50,000 copies and included the track "The Cage." Also released was the Exclusive Heartagram Internet Edition, which in addition to including "The Cage", included the track "Venus (In Our Blood)." The Heartagram Internet Edition only produced 20,000 copies to be sold. The Japanese version of Dark Light also featured the HIM's cover of "Poison Heart," originally recorded and released by the Ramones.

Dark Light was the first Finnish album to sell gold in the United States, meaning it has sold over 500,000 copies in the U.S., and 1,500,000 copies worldwide. It was rated #9 in Metal Hammer's albums of the decade.

Several of the songs include easter eggs. In the exclusive bonus track "Venus (In Our Blood)," there is a little girl's voice speaking at the beginning, and in reverse the little girl says "Where are we going, daddy?" There is backmasked voice at the end of "In the Nightside of Eden" and "Behind the Crimson Door", continuing their trend, has a whispering voice at the bridge of the song.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

All tracks by Ville Valo except where noted.

  1. "Vampire Heart" – 4:47
  2. "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" – 3:30
  3. "Under the Rose" – 4:50
  4. "Killing Loneliness" – 4:29
  5. "Dark Light" – 4:31
  6. "Behind the Crimson Door" – 4:37
  7. "The Face of God" – 4:36
  8. "Drunk on Shadows" – 3:51
  9. "Play Dead" – 4:35
  10. "In the Nightside of Eden" – 5:40
  11. "Venus (In Our Blood)" Exclusive Internet Edition bonus track – 4:35
  12. "The Cage" Digibook, Internet Edition bonus track – 4:19
  13. "Poison Heart" only available on the Japanese version – 3:46

All three bonus tracks were also included on Side-4 of the double vinyl edition of the album in their respective order.

[edit] Dark Light Promo Release - EP

This promo has the label "Nearly There Version 7/14" because it has the mixes at that date. There is another version with a white-yellow case. On some printings the name of the artist is changed to "Harry Hits Parade", probably to prevent possible leaks.

Track List
  1. "Vampire Heart"– 4:45
  2. "Wings of a Butterfly"– 3:29
  3. "Under the Rose"– 4:49
  4. "Killing Loneliness"– 4:29
  5. "Dark Light"– 4:30

[edit] B-Sides (Not Included On The Album)

  1. "Wings of a Butterfly" (radio edit)'Wings of a Butterfly' single - 3:30
  2. "And Love Said No" (616 version)'Wings of a Butterfly' single - 4:24
  3. "Under the Rose" (live)'Killing Loneliness' single – 3:55
  4. "Wings of a Butterfly" (live)'Killing Loneliness' single – 3:26
  5. "Play Dead" (live)'Killing Loneliness' single – 4:00
  6. "Vampire Heart" (live)'Killing Loneliness' single – 5:13

[edit] Personnel

[edit] HIM

[edit] Technical Staff

  • Sonny Gerasimowicz – Cover Design
  • Michael Goldstone – A&R
  • Brie Greenberg – Supervisor
  • Stephen Marcussen – Mastering
  • Mark O'Donoughue – Engineer
  • Tim Palmer – Producer, Mixing
  • Cindi Peters – Production Coordination
  • Dave Starr – Assistant
  • Seymour Stein – Supervisor
  • Ralf Strathmann – Photography
  • Steef Van De Gevel – Assistant
  • Ellen Wakayama – Art Direction
  • Craig Winkler – Supervisor

[edit] Charts and certifications

[edit] Weekly charts

Chart (2005) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[2] 40
Austria (O3 Austria Top 40)[3] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4] 42
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[5] 91
Canada (Billboard) 24
Czech Republic (IFPI Czech) 13
Finland (IFPI Finland)[6] 1
France (SNEP)[7] 155
Germany (Media Control Charts) 4
Greece (IFPI Greece)[8] 1
Hungary (Mahasz) 15
Ireland (IRMA) 19
Italy (FIMI)[9] 10
Japan (Oricon) 56
Netherlands (MegaCharts)[10] 25
Norway (VG-lista)[11] 13
Portugal (AFP)[12] 27
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[13] 10
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[14] 7
Switzerland (IFPI)[15] 8
UK Albums (The Official Charts Company) 18
US Billboard 200[16] 18

[edit] Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[17] Platinum 38,720[17]
Germany (BVMI)[18] Gold 100,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece)[8] Gold 10,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[20] Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.themusiczine.com/album.php?id=22 TheMusicZine review
  2. ^ http://australian-charts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  3. ^ http://austriancharts.at/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  4. ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  5. ^ http://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  6. ^ http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  7. ^ http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  8. ^ a b "Greek album certifications – HIM – Dark Light" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. October 28, 2005. http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20051028033530/www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm. Retrieved November 28, 2011. 
  9. ^ http://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  10. ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  11. ^ http://norwegiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  12. ^ http://portuguesecharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  13. ^ http://spanishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  14. ^ http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  15. ^ http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=HIM&titel=Dark+Light&cat=a
  16. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/h-i-m/dark-light/733726
  17. ^ a b "Finnish album certifications – HIM – Dark Light" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. 2005. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/artistit/HIM. Retrieved November 28, 2011. 
  18. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (HIM; 'Dark Light')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. http://www.musikindustrie.de/gold_platin_datenbank/?action=suche&strTitel=Dark+Light&strInterpret=HIM&strTtArt=alben&strAwards=checked. Retrieved November 28, 2011. 
  19. ^ "British album certifications – HIM – Dark Light". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved November 28, 2011.  Enter Dark Light in the field Search. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Click Go
  20. ^ "American album certifications – HIM – Dark Light". Recording Industry Association of America. http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?artist=%22Dark+Light%22. Retrieved November 28, 2011.  If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH
HIM
  • Antto Melasniemi
  • Jussi-Mikko "Juska" Salminen
  • Juhana Tuomas "Pätkä" Rantala
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