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H.I.M.: Dark Light Gothic Rock, Hard Rock Sire/London/Rhino Records September 27, 2005
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Review
Even if you are aware of the previous works by the band H.I.M., just by one listen to the sing "Wings Of A Butterfly" will make it clear that the band has stepped into a new, and much more beautiful direction. With the release of Dark Light, we see a much darker, poetic, and catchy H.I.M. then ever before. While some of the previous efforts contained a more hard rock edge, these songs fall into the "gothic" style that has been sweeping the world lately. The songs, while sometimes simple, are catchy beyond belief, and sometimes rather haunting. "Vampire Heart" and "Wings Of A Butterfly" are simply masterpieces for this style, and may even bring a tear to your eye if you're into this sort of music. Lyrically, the album is far more clever, and much darker. So, if you're tired of just hearing mainstream sounding love songs, and crave something deeper, this is the release for you. Running the gambit between depression to finding paradise, even nocturnal creatures, there's something for everyone. The lyrics are perfectly matched up with the songs, blending seemlessly sometimes between more upbeat and slower verses and choruses (like on "Under The Rose" and "Behind The Crimson Door"). Really, the outro to "Under The Rose" is the only negative aspect of the whole album, as it's just the same sampled sound over and over and gets a bit boring. But one thing that stood out about this is that there is no really overdramatization of the vocals like on previous efforts, and not too many recorded overly loud "failing to be sexual" inhalations, which is another huge plus, as, honestly, that is perhaps the most annoying thing about the previous works. But, all in all, this is an incredibly impressive entry into the gothic rock style, and will easily leave you wanting more.
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