Review: HIM
Matt McRae
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
HIM
Venus Doom
Though they have been around since 1991, HIM was brought to the attention of the American public thanks to Bam Margera.
The band's sound is driven by the signature forlorn and pleading voice of front man Ville Valo. He has a swooning voice that is rare in the heavy/gothic metal world. Their newest album, Venus Doom, has an even grittier and darker sound than its predecessors.
"The idea to have nine songs was based on Dante's Inferno, cause hell has nine layers, so it's like going deeper down into hell and then coming back," Valo says, according to the band's Web site.
Doom does just this. It brings you to hell and back. As the songs fade into one another, the music leaves the listener feeling like they are leaving one layer and entering another. By the time you get to "Cyanide Sun," it still feels dark with a tone of hope. But it ends with an almost lofty reminiscent tone - like you have just surfaced from a dark journey. You can't help but feel like you have just gone through the nine layers of hell and came up to the sight of the "Cyanide Sun."
Though I did not find the album as good as Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights or Love Metal, the album has some highlights. "Kiss of Dawn," "Bleed Well," "Passion's Killing Floor," "Cyanide Sun" and "Love in Cold Blood" are all highlights. The album has a few songs that could be skipped. "Song or Suicide" and "Sleepwalking Past Hope," the longest song on the album, can both skipped.
B
Matt McRae is the Photography Editor of The Chanticleer. He can be reached at (256) 782-8521 or at chantyphoto@gmail.com.
Venus Doom
Though they have been around since 1991, HIM was brought to the attention of the American public thanks to Bam Margera.
The band's sound is driven by the signature forlorn and pleading voice of front man Ville Valo. He has a swooning voice that is rare in the heavy/gothic metal world. Their newest album, Venus Doom, has an even grittier and darker sound than its predecessors.
"The idea to have nine songs was based on Dante's Inferno, cause hell has nine layers, so it's like going deeper down into hell and then coming back," Valo says, according to the band's Web site.
Doom does just this. It brings you to hell and back. As the songs fade into one another, the music leaves the listener feeling like they are leaving one layer and entering another. By the time you get to "Cyanide Sun," it still feels dark with a tone of hope. But it ends with an almost lofty reminiscent tone - like you have just surfaced from a dark journey. You can't help but feel like you have just gone through the nine layers of hell and came up to the sight of the "Cyanide Sun."
Though I did not find the album as good as Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights or Love Metal, the album has some highlights. "Kiss of Dawn," "Bleed Well," "Passion's Killing Floor," "Cyanide Sun" and "Love in Cold Blood" are all highlights. The album has a few songs that could be skipped. "Song or Suicide" and "Sleepwalking Past Hope," the longest song on the album, can both skipped.
B
Matt McRae is the Photography Editor of The Chanticleer. He can be reached at (256) 782-8521 or at chantyphoto@gmail.com.
Viewing Comments 1 - 7 of 9
jeanett
posted 10/01/07 @ 11:01 AM CST
I disagree with you "song or suicide" should not be skipped, it's one of the most personal and true songs on the CD besides "Cyanide sun"
Aleksandra
posted 10/02/07 @ 12:11 AM CST
I also disagree with you on the songs that can be skipped. "Sleepwalking Past Hope" is indeed the longest song on the album, but it's brilliant in the sense that you can really hear the band's influences and still be able to say that it has the "HIM sound". (Continued…)
enric
posted 10/03/07 @ 12:58 PM CST
for me your review could be skipped too.
Jayne Sawyer
posted 10/04/07 @ 11:22 AM CST
Dang, isn't this a review? That just means it is his opinion people!
ryan
posted 10/04/07 @ 8:12 PM CST
this is really bad
venus doom is there best album by far and how could you skip sleep walking past hope?
pretty much the most epic song on the record
this person has no idea what she is talking about
better not to read. (Continued…)
Ivy
posted 10/05/07 @ 12:39 AM CST
in my opinion you did not take the time to listen to "the longest song on the album" because if you know HIM & their music you would see how all their elements come together into that song. (Continued…)
Miguel Ángel
posted 5/11/08 @ 7:55 AM CST
It is her opinion but in my opinion "Sleepwalking Past Hope" is the best song in the album. It sounds like HIM, like Black Sabbath, like Cathedral, like all great stoner bands in History that had an influence on the band. (Continued…)
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