Dark Light (HIM album)

In August 2003, HIM separated from BMG, after fulfilling their contractual obligations to the label. In September 2004, HIM announced that they had signed a new recording contract with Sire Records, who would handle the band's future releases in Europe, the United States, Japan and Australia. In their native Finland, however, HIM's recordings would be released through the band's own Heartagram label. After two days of rehearsals, the band began recording drums, which were done in two days. This was followed by the bass, and then guitars and keyboards. 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." 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 as how this would be HIM's first album to be officially released in Japan, Australia and North America. Dark Light also continues the band's tradition of "contradictions in [album] titles". The cover art of Dark Light was designed by Matt Taylor and Sonny Gerasimowicz. ==Music and lyrics==

According to Valo, the band entered the studio with the idea 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. According to Valo, the band's approach on Dark Light was to make the songs sound more "cinematic, epic, and close to the listeners", inspired by the works of composer Angelo Badalamenti. Valo also mentioned This Mortal Coil as an influence on the album's "spooky, eerie" sound. Lyrically, Dark Light deals mostly with themes of "girls and boys and the politics of the heart". 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." "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. 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. The band's cover of "Poison Heart" by the Ramones features claps by Sire Records' co-founder Seymour Stein and A&R executive Michael Goldstone. ==Release and promotion==

in September 2005 "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly" (under the title "Wings of a Butterfly") was released as the first single from Dark Light on 7 September 2005, charting in ten countries, including at number one in Finland, number ten in Germany and the UK, and at number 19 on the US Alternative Chart. A music video was also produced for the song. That same month, HIM embarked on European club tour to prepare for the release Dark Light. The album was released on 26 September 2005, and charted in sixteen countries, including at number one in Finland and Greece, and number 18 in the UK and US. The North American leg of the album's supporting tour began in Portland, Oregon, on 5 October 2005, and continued until the end of November, with Skindred and Flinch serving as supporting acts. In November 2005, "Vampire Heart" was released as a promotional singles from Dark Light. For the 2005 edition of the band's annual New Year's Eve shows, the event was expanded into a festival and renamed Helldone. 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. At the 2005 Emma Awards, HIM went on to win "Rock Album of the Year", and "Song of the Year" for "Wings of a Butterfly". Dark Light was also nominated for "Album of the Year". 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. Also in February 2006, "Killing Loneliness" was released as a single, charting in five countries, peaking at number two in Finland. From May to June 2006, HIM toured the US with Aiden acting as support. In August 2006, HIM were nominated by Kerrang! for "Best Band on the Planet". In September 2006, HIM cancelled a forthcoming North American tour, in order to begin work on a new album. "Under the Rose" was also released as the final promotional single from Dark Light in 2006. In October 2007, Ville Valo was awarded at the BMI Pop Award for "Wings of a Butterfly". ==Reception==

Dark Light received mostly mixed to positive reviews from critics, with an average score of 52 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 10 reviews. 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." 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." Kaaoszine ranked Dark Light as the second-best HIM album, stating: "Some albums are like a gateway to a dreamworld bigger than life. Dark Light is one of those records." ==Track listing==

All tracks written by Ville Valo, except where noted. ==Personnel==

;HIM • Ville Valo − lead vocals, art direction • Mikko "Linde" Lindström − guitar • Mikko "Mige" Paananen − bass • Janne "Burton" Puurtinen − keyboards • Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen − drums ;Production • Tim Palmer − production, mixing • Mark O'Donoughue − engineering • Dave Starr - recording assistant • Steef Van De Gevel − mixing assistant • Stephen Marcussen − mastering • Cindi Peters - production coordination • Muichael Goldstone - A&R • Matt Taylor − artwork, art direction • Sonny Gerasimowicz − artwork • Ellen Wakayama - art direction • Ralf Strathmann - photography ==Charts==