Venus Doom [Limited]

Performer: H.I.M. (Goth Rock)
Producer: Hiili Hiilesmaa; Tim Palmer
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: H.I.M. (Goth Rock): Gas, Linde, Valo, Mige, Burton. Building on the momentum of 2005's well-received DARK LIGHT, which finally garnered HIM a large international following, VENUS DOOM finds perpetually brooding frontman Ville Valo once again leading his darkly clad ensemble through a set of lovelorn metal tunes. This time around, however, the revered Scandinavian agro-goth band tones down the atmospheric keyboard parts, allowing Mikko "Linde" Lindstrom's stinging guitar work, which often nods to veteran hard-rock six-stringer Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society/Ozzy Osbourne), to shine through, resulting in one of HIM's heaviest albums. Highlights of VENUS DOOM include the surging "Passion's Killing Floor" and "The Kiss of Dawn," an ominous mid-tempo track.

Rolling Stone (p.125) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "The melodies tend toward the lush, while underneath, Valo's bandmates rock with fury and efficiency..." Spin (p.104) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Valo's steel-melting baritone, dipping so eerily low that you can actually feel it, infuses VENUS DOOM with melody and drama..." Q (p.98) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he Eurogoth quintet has hardly ditched their love of metal melody....Their chart-friendly clothes fit them well..." Uncut (p.93) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "HIM mainman Ville Valo gets closer to his dream fusion of Metallica, Depeche Mode and Ozzy, while still remembering to ad some distinctly gothic beauty." Alternative Press (p.170) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[A] refreshing return to an organic, guitar-driven sound unheard since 2003's LOVE METAL."

The Finnish group His Infernal Majesty began life in the early 1990s as a heavy-metal cover band, and slowly emerged as a serious songwriting unit, releasing their first album of melodic goth rock in 1997. While they won over their home country, and eventually Europe, it wasn't until the release of their fourth album, LOVE METAL, in 2004, that they started gaining recognition in the U.S., thanks in part to a promotional effort by MTV's Bam Margera, who took to wearing the group's heart/pentagram logo on the air. Audiences appreciated the soaring melodies, the textured guitars, and the exotic appeal of lead singer Ville Valo. By the time their 2005 album, DARK LIGHT, came out, they were bona fide stars, and their record shot up the U.S. charts.

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