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Dark Light (HIM album)

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Untitled

Dark Light is the fifth studio album by Finnish gothic rock band HIM. Released on 26 September 2005, HIM began recording the album in March 2005 at the Paramour Estate is Los Angeles, California, with producer Tim Palmer, who had also mixed the band's previous album Love Metal. Dark Light also served as HIM's first wordlwide release with Sire Records, with whom the band had signed with in September 2004. In Finland however, the album was released under the band's own label Heartagram. Musically Dark Light featured a more "polished" and "accessible" sound than previous albums, and was written as a cross between Black Sabbath and U2, also influenced by the work of composer Angelo Badalamenti.

Dark Light received mostly positive reviews from critics, with many praising the writing and the band's performance, while some criticism was given to the second half of the album. Dark Light charted in fifteen countries, reaching number one in Finland, later going platinum, as well as gold in Germany, the UK and the US, making HIM the first Finnish artists to receive a gold record in the United States. Three singles were also released, with "Wings of a Butterfly" peaking at number one in Finland, and "Killing Loneliness" at number two. "Wings of a Butterfly" later received the award for "Song of the Year" at the 2005 Emma Awards, and was awarded at the 2007 BMI Pop Awards as well. During the album's world tour, HIM made their live debut in various countries, including Japan and Australia.

Production

In August 2003, HIM parted ways with their record label BMG, after fulfilling their contractual obligations.[1] In September 2004, HIM announced that they had signed a new recording contract with Sire Records, who would handle the band's releases in Europe, the United States, Japan and Australia.[2] In their native Finland however, HIM's future recordings would be released through the band's own Heartagram label.[2] In March 2005, HIM relocated to Los Angeles, California, to start work on their fifth studio album at The Paramour Estate, with producer Tim Palmer, who had mixed the band's previous album Love Metal.[3] After two days of rehearsals, the band began recording drums, which were done in two days.[3][4] This was followed by bass, and then guitars and keyboards.[4] The band were faced with various distractions during the recording process, including dogs around the estate, as well as a Playboy video shoot.[3] Because of this, the studio equipment was moved upstairs for Ville Valo to record his vocals, while other members of the band flew to Las Vegas with professional skateboarder and friend of the band Bam Margera.[3]

In May 2005, HIM recruited Andy Wallace to mix the album, who was fired a week later.[5][6][7] According to Valo, Wallace lost the "melancholia" in his mixes, explaining: "It sounded fucking good, but it sounded like radio-friendly American rock [...] and we're not that."[7] Thus producer Tim Palmer was tasked with mixing the album at Electric Lady Studios in New York, after which the album was mastered by Stephen Marcussen at Sterling Sound.[7][8] Originally planned as In the Nightside of Eden, the album's title was changed to Dark Light, because the band felt that the latter would be a more memorable title, seeing how this would be the band's first album to be released in Japan, Australia and North America.[7] The title Dark Light was inspired by a book of the same name by Mette Newth, and was also thought up as a play on words; Ville Valo's last name translates to "light", and "dark light" in Finnish would be "pimeä valo", which in turn would mean that Ville Valo was "mad".[9] Dark Light also continues the band's tradition of "contradictions in [album] titles".[10][11] The cover art of Dark Light was designed by Matt Taylor and Sonny Gerasimowicz.[8]

Music and lyrics

"Wings of a Butterfly" (2005)
"Wings of a Butterfly" has been described as fusing "echo-chamber guitars with a sugar-bomb chorus".[12]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

According to Valo, the band entered the studio with the intent of creating a cross between Black Sabbath's Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Achtung Baby by U2, and Dark Light has been described as more "polished" and "accessible" than HIM's previous albums.[7][13][14] The first half of the album was composed of material written long before entering the studio, while second half was written a month-and-a-half prior, after Valo threw away much of the original material, because "it was too slow".[15] According to Valo, the band's approach on Dark Light was also to make the material sound more "cinematic, epic, and close to the listeners", inspired by the work of composer Angelo Badalamenti.[16] Valo also mentioned This Mortal Coil as an influence on the album's "spooky, eerie" sound.[17] Lyrically Dark Light deals mostly with themes of "girls and boys and the politics of the heart".[11] The band recorded 14 songs in total for the album, of which the only not be released was a re-recording of "And Love Said No" from the band's compilation album of the same name.[17]

"Vampire Heart" opens with a riff reminiscent of the theme to the 1978 film Halloween, while "Rip Out the Wings of the Butterfly" was described by Valo as a "link between 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult and 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson".[10][12] The lyrics were inspired by a legend of immortal souls possessing the wings of a butterfly, and talks about: "Whether you are willing enough to destroy something beautiful to gain yourself some power."[10] According to Valo, the song was chosen as the first single off the album because it was "the perfect song to describe what's going to happen on the entire album", containing all the signature elements of the band's sound as well.[18][19] "Killing Loneliness" was partly inspired by professional skateboarder Brandon Novak and his heroin addiction, and talks about the various ways people "kill their loneliness, and with what", while "Behind the Crimson Door" features Valo humming a poem by Finnish author Timo K. Mukka.[9][20] Valo described "The Face of God" as "Achtung-era U2 with Queens of the Stone Age meeting the Satanic Bee Gees", and "In the Nightside of Eden" as the "prog rock" song of the album, which also makes mention of the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.[12] The band's cover of "Poison Heart" by The Ramones also features claps by Sire Records' co-founder Seymour Stein and A&R executive Michael Goldstone.[9]

Release and promotion

HIM performing in Milan in September 2005

"Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" (under the title "Wings of a Butterfly") was released as the first single from the album in September 2005, charting in ten countries, including at number one in Finland,[21] number ten in Germany and the UK,[22][23] and at number 19 on the US Alternative Chart.[24] "Vampire Heart" and "Killing Loneliness" followed in November 2005 and January 2006 respectively, with the latter charting in five countries, peaking at number two in Finland.[21] Music videos were produced for "Wings of a Butterfly" and "Killing Loneliness", with the latter receiving two, the second of which featured a guest appearance by tattoo artist Kat Von D.[25][26][27] Dark Light was released on 26 September 2005, and charted in sixteen countries, including at number one in Finland and Greece,[21][28] number four in Germany and Austria,[22][29] and number 18 in the UK and US.[23][24] The album would eventually be certified platinum in Finland,[30] and gold in Germany, the UK, and the US, making HIM the first Finnish artist to receive a gold record in the United States.[31][32][33] HIM would also go on to win "Rock Album of the Year", and "Song of the Year" for "Wings of a Butterfly", at the 2005 Emma Awards.[34] "Wings of a Butterfly" was also awarded at the 2007 BMI Pop Awards.[35] In August 2006, HIM were nominated by Kerrang! for "Best Band on the Planet".[36]

In September 2005, HIM embarked on European club tour to prepare for the release Dark Light.[5] The North American leg of the album's supporting tour for began in Portland, Oregon, on 5 October 2005, and continued until the end of November, with Skindred and Flinch serving as supporting acts.[37] For the 2005 edition of the band's annual New Year's Eve shows, the event was expanded into a festival and renamed Helldone.[38] The band were scheduled to begin a tour of the UK and Ireland in January 2006, but were forced to postpone it until February, after guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström fractured his wrist after Helldone.[39] On 9 February 2006, HIM began a joint seven-date tour with The Rasmus and Negative across Central Europe, after which HIM continued through Southern Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.[39][40] In September 2006, HIM cancelled a forthcoming North American tour, in order to begin work on a new album.[41]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic52/100[13]
Review scores
SourceRating
Rock Hard8.5/10[42]
Imperiumi.net8+/10[43]
musicOMHPositive[44]
Soundi[45]
Helsingin SanomatPositive[46]
Allmusic[14]
Drowned in Sound5/10[47]

Dark Light received mostly positive reviews from critics, with an average score of 52 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 10 reviews.[13] The New York Times described the material as "sturdier than ever", while Q called the album a "collection of irresistible pop-rock anthems".[13] Chris Ingold of musicOMH touted Dark Light as HIM's "most accessible album to date", containing "the powerful sense of identity and cohesion that has allowed the band to shamelessly rip-off all manner of classic rock moments yet always sound like themselves."[44] Conny Schiffbauer of Rock Hard, who gave the album eight-point-five out of ten, called Dark Light a "successful album", giving praise to both the vocals and instrumentation, and likening the album to The Cult, Black Sabbath and U2.[42] Turkka Holmqvist of Imperiumi.net gave the album eight-plus out of ten, and called it "fresh" and a "positive surprise".[43] He did however comment on only half the album being up to par, but concluded that the album "takes the band back to the times when they were good on their own terms".[43] Vesa Sirén of Soundi described Valo's melodies as sounding even more like traditional Finnish schlager than before, and commended the arrangements as "precise" and "nuanced".[45] Sirén also felt that the second half of the album did not live up to the first, but still awarded Dark Light four stars out of five.[45]

Tero Valkonen of Helsingin Sanomat was positive in his review, singling out "Wings of a Butterfly" and "In the Nightside of Eden" as particular highlights, but did still criticize the album for following the same formula as the band's previous efforts.[46] Allmusic awarded the album three-and-a-half stars out of five, and described it as "glossy and user-friendly".[14] Raziq Rauf of Drowned in Sound gave the album five out of ten, and called the album "unremarkable" yet "solid".[47] He praised Valo's performance, but criticized the material backing him as "dull" and "turgid backwash".[47] NME also described Dark Light as "wimpy", giving the album 40 out of 100.[13] Spin gave the album 25 out 100, and stated that Dark Light "gives new meaning to the phrase virgin sacrifice", while Stylus Magazine felt that "there’s nothing to get excited or exhilarated over" on the album, also giving the album 25 out of 100.[13]

In 2016, the readers of Metal Hammer magazine voted Dark Light the second best metal album of the 21st century, second only to Babymetal's self-titled debut.[48] In 2017, Valo revisited Dark Light and described it as a "pretty experimental record" for the band, stating: "Finnish melancholia was brought to the middle of the sunny city of angels, and we forcefully tried wed them. A good combination of the two."[49] Loudwire later ranked Dark Light fourth in the band's discography, giving praise to the production and songwriting, while stating that "ultimately the 'dark' part of the title falls short of expectations."[50]

Track listing

All tracks written by Ville Valo, except where noted.

No.TitleLength
1."Vampire Heart"4:46
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"3:49
9."Play Dead"4:36
10."In the Nightside of Eden"5:40
Total length:45:44
Limited Edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."The Cage"4:17
Total length:50:01
Japanese bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Poison Heart"Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey3:41
Total length:48:58
Heartagram Internet Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
11."Venus (In Our Blood)"4:32
12."The Cage"4:17
Total length:54:33
Gatefold vinyl bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Venus (In Our Blood)" 4:32
12."The Cage" 4:17
13."Poison Heart"Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey3:41
Total length:58:14

Personnel

Charts

Chart Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart[51] 40
Austrian Albums Chart[29] 4
Belgium Albums Chart[52] 42
Finnish Albums Chart[21] 1
French Albums Chart[53] 155
German Albums Chart[22] 4
Greek Albums Chart[28] 1
Italian Albums Chart[54] 10
Dutch Albums Chart[55] 25
Norwegian Albums Chart[56] 13
Portuguese Albums Chart[57] 27
Spanish Albums Chart[58] 10
Swedish Albums Chart[59] 7
Swiss Albums Chart[60] 8
UK Albums Chart[23] 18
US Billboard 200[24] 18

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[61] Platinum 38,720[61]
Germany (BVMI)[62] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[63] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[64] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "H.I.M. Part Ways With Label, Seek New Record Deal". Blabbermouth. August 5, 2003. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  2. ^ a b "H.I.M. Sign With SIRE RECORDS". Blabbermouth. September 9, 2004. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Making of Dark Light". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  4. ^ a b "HIM - Dark Light Podcast #2". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  5. ^ a b "H.I.M. To Embark On European Club Tour In September". Blabbermouth.net. June 11, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  6. ^ "H.I.M. Tap Andy Wallace To Mix New Album". Blabbermouth.net. May 4, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Interview with Ville Valo @ Ruisrock 2005". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  8. ^ a b Dark Light album sleeve notes.
  9. ^ a b c "HIM – Loud Legacy documentary". YouTube. 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  10. ^ a b c "MTV Switched on Ville Valo 2005". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  11. ^ a b "H.I.M. Frontman Says New Album Sounds Like 'Gothed-Up BON JOVI'". Blabbermouth.net. July 16, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  12. ^ a b c "Metal Hammer Presents HIM: Tears On Tape -Fanpack magazine – pg. 123". Metal Hammer. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Critic Reviews for Dark Light". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  14. ^ a b c "Dark Light Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  15. ^ "H.I.M. Frontman Talks About Songwriting Process For 'Dark Light', Breaking U.S. Market". Blabbermouth.net. November 25, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  16. ^ "H.I.M. To Release 'Dark Light' In September". Blabbermouth.net. May 27, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  17. ^ a b "HIM - Dark Light Podcast #3". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  18. ^ "Ville Valo - Associated Press interview 2005". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  19. ^ "Ville Valo interview about Dark Light @ MTV Italia 2005". YouTube. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  20. ^ "Kohu haihtui Timo K. Mukan elämästä". Helsingin Sanomat. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  21. ^ a b c d "HIM Discography". Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  22. ^ a b c "HIM Discography" (in German). Offiziele Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  23. ^ a b c "HIM - Chart history". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
  24. ^ a b c "HIM - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-03-16.
  25. ^ "HIM – "Wings of a Butterfly" (Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  26. ^ "HIM – "Killing Loneliness" (Music Video, feat. Kat Von D)". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  27. ^ "HIM – "Killing Loneliness" (Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  28. ^ a b "Nightwish nousi ykköseksi Meksikossa, HIM Kreikassa". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
  29. ^ a b "Discographie HIM" (in German). AustrianCharts.at. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  30. ^ "IFPI - Tilashot - Kulta- ja platinalevyt". IFPI.fi. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  31. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (HIM)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 7 February 2008.
  32. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-01-17. Retrieved 2010-01-25. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  33. ^ "HIM myi kultaa USA:ssa". MTV. September 28, 2006. Retrieved 2016-07-07.
  34. ^ "Emma-winners". Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  35. ^ "Ville Valolle palkinto Wings of a Butterfly -kappaleesta". Ilta-Sanomat. 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2016-06-16.
  36. ^ "HIM ehdolla planeetan parhaaksi bändiksi". Ilta-Sanomat. 2006-08-14. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
  37. ^ "H.I.M.: U.S. Headlining Tour Dates Announced". Blabbermouth.net. August 20, 2005. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  38. ^ "HIMin uudenvuodenkeikka laajenee festariksi". MTV. 2005-09-15. Retrieved 2016-06-15.
  39. ^ a b "H.I.M.: Guitarist's Fractured Wristbone Forces Postponement Of U.K. Tour". Blabbermouth.net. January 8, 2006. Retrieved 2016-06-27.
  40. ^ "HIM, The Rasmus ja Negative yhteiskiertueelle". Ilta-Sanomat. 2005-10-20. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  41. ^ "HIM perui kiertueensa". Ilta-Sanomat. 2006-09-28. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
  42. ^ a b "Dark Light Review". Rock Hard. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  43. ^ a b c "Dark Light Review". Imperiumi.net. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  44. ^ a b "Dark Light Review". musicOMH. Retrieved 2017-07-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  45. ^ a b c "Dark Light Review". Soundi. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  46. ^ a b "Dark Light Review". Helsingin Sanomat. Retrieved 2017-07-18.
  47. ^ a b c "Dark Light Review". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 2017-07-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  48. ^ "Metal Hammer readers vote Babymetal as the best album of the 21st century". Metal Hammer. Retrieved 2017-07-22.
  49. ^ "Jäähyväiset HIMille – Ville Valo kertoo, miksi Suomen suurin rockyhtye lopettaa ja mitä siitä seuraa". Helsingin Sanomat. 2017-07-02. Retrieved 2017-07-06.
  50. ^ "HIM Albums Ranked". Loudwire. Retrieved 2017-08-31.
  51. ^ "Discography HIM". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  52. ^ "Discografie HIM" (in Dutch). Ultratop.be. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  53. ^ "Discographie HIM" (in French). LesCharts.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  54. ^ "Discografia HIM". ItalianCharts.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  55. ^ "Discografie HIM" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2017-06-10.
  56. ^ "HIM Diskografi". NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  57. ^ "Discografia HIM". PortugueseCharts.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  58. ^ "Discography HIM". Spanishcharts.com. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  59. ^ "Discography HIM". Swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  60. ^ "Discographie HIM" (in German). HitParade.ch. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  61. ^ a b "HIM" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  62. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (HIM; 'Dark Light')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  63. ^ "British album certifications – HIM – Dark Light". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2017. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Dark Light in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  64. ^ "American album certifications – H.I.M. – Dark Light". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
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