Fear of the 'dark' light

Hot Topic's favorite sons H.I.M. (His Infernal Majesty) have returned once again with Dark Light, a new album full of depressing dirges and melancholic music emulating their entire back-catalog. Thanks to Bam Margera's love affair with H.I.M., their music reaches the minds of every impressionable kid between the ages of 13-18, begging them to ask the ultimate question: should I just commit suicide now or try and become a vampire? \nNow if you've ever heard even one H.I.M. album, practically all the songs sound the same. One look at the lyrics certifies that vocalist Ville Valo is always consulting Webster's Dictionary for the Depressed. With such amazing lines as "Let me bleed you this song of my heart deformed and lead you along this path in the dark where I belong" (taken from opener "Vampire Heart"), they've obviously been down and out for a while.\nLooking to impress your parents? When they ask you what the single off the album is, just tell them "Rip Out the Wings of a Butterfly." Maybe they'll laugh, maybe they'll cry, but it doesn't matter since the only people who understand your musical tastes are your other angst-y teenage friends at school. \nI'm willing to admit that some of H.I.M.'s songs are at least catchy. "Under the Rose" and "Killing Loneliness" are danceable darkwave turned pop with enjoyable fusions of rock riffs and euphonious keyboards. The same goes for title track "Dark Light" which has layers of vocal effects and dark-pop rhythms and could qualify for the anthem at a goth prom. \n"Behind the Crimson Door" has a very old school H.I.M. vibe to it, the kind of song you would find on Razorblade Romance when they were writing rock songs with only hints of pop sensibilities. The song is carried by strong guitar-work and Valo's versatile vocals, easily making the track one of the most memorable on the album. "Drunk on Shadows," which follows the same conventions, is equally as impressive. \nThe last three tracks are all standard fare. "The Face of God," "Play Dead" and "In the Nightside of Eden" are all boring ballads about love and death, the same themes that populate the entire disc. \nThe best advice I can give is if you're looking for bands from Finland who like to make you feel depressed, look into Sentenced and Amorphis instead. Both are 100 times more talented than H.I.M. and actually make diverse music. Even if you're sad, you'll at least be able to claim you like good music.